"He's so strong, he felt so strong even this morning...he just did it so easy, his legs were all cold when we were putting him away, his feet are cold...all the good signs were there."
With a Breeders Crown-winning sibling in American Jewel, the pedigree was certainly there for Luck Be Withyou to compete with the best two-year-olds in 2013. And after a few months of bad luck and sickness, the son of Western Ideal stepped up and delivered with a sensational and emotional Breeders Crown win in October for longtime owner John Craig and the colt's developer, Bill Cass.
At 8-1, Luck Be Withyou comes in at #2 in Trot Magazine's 2014 Pepsi North America Cup Spring Book. Trot Insider caught up with Cass, whose phone has been frequently ringing with offers to buy and drive the sophomore pacer.
Where was he turned out after his last start at two?
"He was here [at Baycairn Training Centre] all Winter. "
How long was he turned out?
"We started back with him the first of January."
Where are you at with him right now?
"I trained him in 2:15 [last Saturday] in the jogger here at the track and that's like 2:00 at Mohawk."
Have you noticed any changes from last year to this year?
"Quite a difference from last year: a lot stronger, a lot bigger, a lot smarter. His back end is twice as big in the cart."
When will he qualify?
"We'll have him ready to qualify on the 18th [of April] at Mohawk."
What will his early schedule look like leading up to the Pepsi NA Cup?
"Depending on the qualifier we'll make our decision [on his first start]. But we have the Somebeachsomewhere before the NA Cup."
What does his tentative schedule look like after the NA Cup?
"I haven't got the list in front of me but he's in everything...the only thing I didn't put him in was the Little Brown Jug."