Lukas Classic Stakes Handicapping Picks
Horse racing gamblers are you looking for 2022 Lukas Classic Stakes Free Pick & Handicapping Odds…plus some predictions? Need some advice on who to take? The 2022 Lukas Classic Stakes is set for October 1 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. Here’s a preview of our top contenders.
Lukas Classic Stakes Preview
- Race: Lukas Classic Stakes
- Purse: $500,000
- Track: Churchill Downs
- Date: October 1
- Post Time: 5:26 PM (ET)
- Live: Lukas Classic Stakes Odds: Click Here
2022 Lukas Classic Stakes Handicapping
There are multiple graded-stakes races around North America this weekend, but one that catches our eye is the (G2) Lukas Classic at Churchill, which will feature a couple of well-known names from from both the 2021 and 2022 Triple Crown chase.
Open to horses age three and up, they’ll race 1 1/8 miles on the Churchill Downs dirt course. For a couple of these, the race will likely be final prep before they go for glory in the 2022 Breeders’ Cup Classic, to be held at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, KY on November 5.
Odds listed here are provided by the Churchill Downs track oddsmaker.
2022 Lukas Classic Stakes Free Pick & Handicapping: Hot Rod Charlie Race Odds: 8-5
Second in the 2021 Kentucky Derby and then third in the Belmont Stakes, Hot Rod Charlie has been in the money in 14 of his 17 lifetime starts (plus being DQd from first to seventh once) and has put more than $5 million in the bank for his career.
The concern with him is that his form may be tailing off now towards the end of his four-year-old season. He only has one win in his last six starts, and that came in Dubai. Most recently he was third in the (G1) Whitney Stakes at Saratoga.
He’s trained by Doug O’Neill, jockey Tyler Gaffalione will ride.
2022 Lukas Classic Stakes Free Pick & Handicapping: Art Collector Race Odds:2-1
Sixth in last year’s BC Classic, Art Collector has 10 wins from 19 lifetime starts and only one other in-the-money finish on his resume. In other words, he either wins or is no factor.
He has been winning lately, scoring back to back victories in the Alydar Stakes and then the (G2) Charles Town Classic. Those were just his second and third starts of the season as he had gone on the shelf after running 12th in the (G1) Saudi Cup back in February.
He’s trained by Bill Mott, Luis Saez gets the call to ride.
2022 Lukas Classic Stakes Free Pick & Handicapping: Happy Saver Race Odds: 5-2
Never out of the money in 11 lifetime starts, Happy Saver has five wins and comes into this having run second in five consecutive races, four of those at the Grade 1 level.
Last out he come on late in the (G1) Whitney Stakes to grab the place money by a head over Hot Rod Charlie, while scoring a lifetime best 122 Equibase speed rating. Prior to that he was beaten by six lengths in the (G1) Metropolitan Handicap behind Flightline, currently the odds-on favourite for the BC Classic.
He’s trained by Todd Pletcher, with John Velazquez set to ride.
2022 Lukas Classic Stakes Free Pick & Handicapping: Rich Strike Race Odds: 6-1
The 80-1 upset winner of the 2022 Kentucky Derby, Rich Strike has come back down to earth since then, finishing a non-factor sixth in the (G1) Belmont Stakes and last out running fourth in the (G1) Travers Stakes.
For his career he only has two wins and three third-place finishes in 10 starts, but if there is something going for him on Saturday it is that both of his wins have come on the Churchill dirt course.
The trainer is Eric Reed, Sonny Leon will be in the saddle.
Here’s My 2022 Lukas Classic Stakes Free Pick.
During the run of the 2021 Triple Crown, I was a big supporter of Hot Rod Charlie, and made him my pick to win the Derby last year. If you throw out the DQ from last year’s Haskell Stakes, he’s only failed to hit the board once in his last 14 races.
So there is every chance he could win this, but to me 8-5 is too low a price to take on him, and I’m going to try and find a bit of value and put Happy Saver on top. You don’t always like to see a horse with such a string of second-place finishes in his recent form. But at the same time, you have to consider the competition, and in at least the last three of those races, the horse that won would be a heavy favourite in this field.
Full Field: Cotillion Stakes Odds
By post position
- #1 – King Fury 15-1
- #2 – Art Collector 2-1
- #3 – Happy Saver 5-2
- #4 – Rich Strike 6-1
- #5 – Hot Rod Charlie 8-5
- #6 – Chess Chief 20-1
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