The Lumber Guy was
more than OK on January 28 at Aqueduct Racetrack as he skipped and jumped clear
to a 9 ¼-length debut victory against eight maiden New York-bred 3-year-olds.
Leaving from post position 2, The Lumber Guy wasted no time getting to
the front, leading by 1 ½ lengths two furlongs into the race with an opening
fraction of 22.79 seconds and widening his advantage to two lengths through a
half in 46.12. He was never shown the whip in the lane by jockey Jose Valdivia,
Jr. as he pulled clear from Smarty Julips, who chased the winner in second from
start to finish.
The Lumber Guy, a gray colt by Grand Slam, received a Beyer Speed
Figure of 90 for having completed six furlongs in 1:10.20.
The performance was similar to the 6 ½-length maiden win Bold Deed, a
half-brother to The Lumber Guy, posted in a six-furlong dash at Aqueduct last
March in his second start. In three starts since earning his diploma, Bold Deed
won the one-mile Packett’s Landing overnight stakes for New York-breds in
April, finished fifth in the Grade 2 Peter Pan, and second in the NYSS
Spectacular Bid. Like Bold Deed, The Lumber Guy is a homebred trained by
Michael Hushion for owner Barry Schwartz.
“I’ve always thought [The Lumber Guy] was a nice horse and
I always thought he wanted to go long,” said Hushion. “I know that
family, and he’ll go long. He’ll settle.”
Siblings to The Lumber Guy also include Magical Solution, winner of a
restricted stakes at Finger Lakes. They are
out of Boltono, an unraced daughter of Buckaroo Zoo, who captured stakes at
Fairplex and Bay Meadows and placed in Grade 3 races at Laurel Park and Santa
Anita.
Photo: NYRA, Adam Coglianese