The Lumber Guy showed how good he is at a mile in the Jerome Handicap
Barry K. Schwartz owned 3-year-old colt, The Lumber Guy, faltered once in his four race career in the Grade 1, $1 million Wood Memorial when he swiftly set the pace over the Aqueduct racetrack’s dirt course, only to weaken at the business end of the race, as he finished fifth to Gemologist in the 1 1/8 mile event on 7 April, 2012.
Returning exactly after 2 weeks on 21 April, 2012, staying at Aqueduct’s dirt track, The Lumber Guy, was cut back in distance from 1 1/8 to 1 mile in the Grade 2, $200,000 Jerome Handicap, and showed that he has what it takes to be a top mile when he downed five other 3-year-old colts to win the 1 mile race by a convincing margin of 2 ¾ lengths.
Trained by Michael Hushion, The Lumber Guy had a change in jockey for the Jerome Handicap, as Mike Luzzi aboard the New York bred guided him to his 3rd win in 4 starts.
With this win in the Jerome Handicap, The Lumber Guy increased his earnings to $225,000, and the cut back to 1 mile was just what the doctor ordered.
The son of Grand Slam, out of mare Boltono by Unbridled’s Song, The Lumber Guy in the Jerome Handicap broke out of the gate to set the pace once again, but this time around Brigand was at his tail throughout as the leader carved fractions of 22.98 seconds for the first quarter mile, 45.83 seconds for the half mile, and covered the first 6 furlongs in 1 minute and 10.08 seconds.
It was just The Lumber Guy and on the outside, Brigand, trying to catch him, and the rest of the field was way back.
In the two horse race, The Lumber Guy held a narrow advantage swinging off the final bend, and it wasn’t until the sixteenth pole that The Lumber Guy decided to put it to rest by inching away to post a 1 minute and 36.04 seconds victory.
“That was cool. Not knowing the horse and just going by what Michael had said, he’s real fast," Luzzi said. "I didn’t want to warm him up too much to where he was too speedy. He left clean, he was in my hands. It felt slower than it was, honestly. It wasn’t out-of-control speed.”
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