Second Hickory Tree score in three years with a Florida-bred for owner, trainer, co-breeder Lightner

BY BROCK SHERIDAN

Florida-bred I Feel Lucky came from last at the top of the stretch then produced a big late run to win the $118,000 Hickory Tree Stakes by three-and-three-quarters lengths at Colonial Downs on Sunday. Run over a muddy and sealed five-and-a-half furlongs, the Hickory Tree featured nine Virginia-bred or Virginia-restricted 2-year-olds.

I Feel Lucky earned $60,000 for owner and trainer Mary Lightner of Williston, Florida.

Second to Fission in a similarly restricted maiden special weight on the turf at Colonial Downs on July 12 in his debut, I Feel Lucky and jockey Rajiv Maragh avenged that loss in the Hickory Tree.

I Feel Lucky broke with the field from post four but slowly dropped back to last heading into the turn, eight-and-a-quarter lengths behind Fission, who with Prince of Peace completed the first two furlongs in :22.43. I Feel Lucky was still last and nearly seven lengths back turning for home as Prince of Peace put away Fission while Midnight Ride moved into third to their outside.

Further out, I Feel Lucky dramatically found another gear midstretch and shot to the lead nearing the sixteenth marker, promptly leaving the others to finish in 1:04.28. Midnight Ride was second, a neck faster than Remembertheword in third. Prince of Peace, Alapocas, Good Lookerness, Fission and Call Me Micky J. completed the order of finish. Island Bandit was scratched.

“There appeared to be a lot of speed in the race on paper,” Maragh said. “I didn’t want to be that far back, but it was only his second race and he dropped back a little bit. We had a lot of confidence in the horse, so I gave him a chance to settle and come with a run.”

It was the second time Lightner has taken the Hickory Tree with a Florida-bred that rallied from far back. Her homebred Candycrumbs made up 10 lengths win the race in 2024. Candycrumbs also won second time out after finishing second in his first career.

“I entered Candycrumbs in this race as a maiden a couple of years ago and he was able to win,” Lightner said. “So we thought maybe we could do it again. [I Feel Lucky] has shown us a lot. I debuted him on the turf because that was the race I was able to get him into. I didn’t think it would be his best surface, but he ran very well and earned a spot in here.”

I Feel Lucky paid $14.20 to win.

A gelded son of Chance It out of stakes-winning Florida-bred mare Lirica, by Kantharos, I Feel Lucky has now earned $77,500 in two starts. He was bred in Florida by Lightner’s Shooting Star Thoroughbreds and Billy Ballard.

I Feel Lucky is the fifth foal out of Lirica, who has two winners from three starters. She also has an unnamed yearling filly by Global Campaign and was bred to Mullikin in 2026.

Lirica won the $75,000 Millions Distaff at Gulfstream Park West in 2017 and was also second in the Listed Azalea and Sea of Grass Handicap earlier that year, both at Gulfstream Park. Shooting Star Thoroughbreds and Lisa Goodin bought Lirica in foal to Tapwrit for $18,000 at the 2021 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.