It’s an exciting week for West Point Thoroughbreds Partners. On Saturday, Breaking Lucky goes postward in the $12,000,000 Pegasus World Cup (G1) and Twilight Eclipse seeks his third W.L. McKnight Handicap win.
Breaking Lucky has been turning heads in South Florida over the past few weeks. The handsome chestnut son of Lookin at Lucky shines like a copper penny and is a big x-factor in the richest race ever run. See recent photos and videos of him.
It’s an exciting week for West Point Thoroughbreds Partners. On Saturday, Breaking Lucky goes postward in the $12,000,000 Pegasus World Cup (G1) and Twilight Eclipse seeks his third W.L. McKnight Handicap win.
Breaking Lucky has been turning heads in South Florida over the past few weeks. The handsome chestnut son of Lookin at Lucky shines like a copper penny and is a big x-factor in the richest race ever run. See recent photos and videos of him.
Earlier this month, we closed a deal to purchase 25% of Breaking Lucky from Tom Keithley and Ericka DeVinney of Gunpowder Stables. After getting beat just a neck in the Woodward at Saratoga, the Reade Baker trainee was second to Gun Runner in the Clark. He won the second leg of the Canadian Triple Crown (Prince of Wales Stakes) as a 3-year-old.
On January 24, Breaking Lucky was named a 2016 Sovereign Award finalist for Champion Older Male. The Jockey Club of Canada honors Canada’s racing champions of 2016 at an awards ceremony in April.
Legendary race caller Tom Durkin is amongst the small group of West Point Partners who own Breaking Lucky. In an interview with Tom Pedulla Durkin said, “He belongs. I don’t know if he belongs running beside Arrogate and California Chrome. Very few do. But he belongs in the race.”
“We’re grateful to Tom and Ericka for giving us the chance to be involved with such a cool horse and a marquee event,” says West Point president Terry Finley. “The two big guns (Arrogate and California Chrome) will be tough to handle, but I think our horse has as good a chance as any to hit the board. California Chrome is really, really good, but he’ll be freaky good in my book if he draws away from these horses after breaking from the 12 post going nine furlongs over this racetrack. Hats off to the Stronach team for crafting and hatching one of the most innovative racing concepts ever.”
In honor of participating in the inaugural Pegasus World Cup, one lucky West Point fan will win an ownership experience in a 2-year-old of 2017. Visit our Twitter page to learn more.
Post time for the Pegasus is 5:40 ET. Breaking Lucky breaks from post 10 under Luis Contreras. NBC coverage of the Pegasus runs from 4:30 pm-6:00 pm ET.
Less than an hour before the Pegasus, our beloved veteran Twilight Eclipse goes a mile and a half over the Gulfstream turf course in the $200,000 W.L. McKnight Handicap (G3). The now 8-year-old son of Purim has competed in four Breeders’ Cups and amassed over $2 million in earnings. Listen to Terry talk about Twilight Eclipse earlier this week.
Twilight Eclipse’s first graded stakes win came in the 2012 McKnight Handicap, which was held at Calder. He then set a world record for a mile and a half on any surface in the 2013 Pan American Stakes (G2) before going on to win another McKnight Handicap, Mac Diarmida Stakes (G2), and Man O’War Stakes (G1).
Read Steve Haskin’s beautifully written piece “Saluting Those Who Always Show Up”. He deems Twilight Eclipse one of racing’s “unsung heroes”.
No matter how much longer Twilight Eclipse races, you can be sure he is going to give his all every time, while competing against the best turf horses in the country. He has never ducked a big race, despite the quality of the competition, and is still trying and picking up checks in the best races and against the best horses. There is something to be said for honesty and dependability, and for that alone Twilight Eclipse should be admired.
Terry on Twilight Eclipse: “It’s really exciting to have an eight-year-old who acts like he’s still at the top of his game. Tom Albertrani has done a great job keeping him sound and happy over the past four and a half years that he’s been in the barn. We’ve been all over the country and across the world with his Partners — they all love this horse and know he owes us nothing.”
Post time for the W.L. McKnight Handicap is 4:50 ET. Twilight Eclipse breaks from post 7 under Jose Ortiz.