Itsmyluckyday on the road back to racing

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Hallandale Beach, FL (SportsNetwork.com) - Preakness Stakes runner-up Itsmyluckyday is being readied for a return to the racetrack in 2014 after recovering from an injury.

Trained by Ed Plesa Jr., Itsmyluckyday has been away from the races following the detection of a pelvic fracture.

"Certain injuries, you say to yourself, 'You hope he comes back.' What he had was pretty black and white," Plesa said. "They get over it, they heal 100 percent and there are no side effects. Lucky enough for him, as much time as we've lost, the light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter because we can see that he's getting closer to where he's going to be working and then running."

Itsmyluckyday, owned by Trilogy Stable and Laurie Plesa, hit the ground running to begin 2013 with a New Year's Day win in the Gulfstream Park Derby. He followed with a win in the Holy Bull Stakes and was second in the Florida Derby to Orb.

The 3-year-old son of Lawyer Ron came in 15th behind Orb in the Kentucky Derby before getting second to Oxbow in the Preakness as Orb finished fourth.

"He made a big splash last year at Gulfstream and was fortunate to finish second in the Preakness and then got injured in the race after that," Plesa said. "He's back in training now and he'll probably have his first work at the end of this month. He'll run sometime at the Gulfstream meet."

The injury was suffered during the Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth Park on June 16 when he was pulled up by Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith. The colt was the 6-5 second pick in the race behind 2-5 favorite Verrazano who won the event and went on to capture the Haskell Invitational.

Itsmyluckyday is stabled at Palm Meadows and has been exhibiting plenty of energy in the morning.

"He's exactly the same as he was when he went to the Preakness," Plesa said. "He used to drag me around that barn every morning, and he's dragging us around the barn now. It's exciting to have him getting ready to run. When he's ready to run, then two or three weeks out we'll find something for him."

The colt has banked $830,100 from 13 career starts with five wins and three seconds.