Lucky Vega scores first northern hemisphere-bred winner as Lope Spirit strikes
Yulong’s Lucky Vega (Lope De Vega) scored his first winner in the northern hemisphere when Lope Spirit got off the mark at the first attempt in 6f contest at Syracuse on Saturday.
Trained by Salvatore Scalora, the colt pulled away impressively in the closing stages to score a three-length victory.
Purchased by his trainer for €15,000 at the 2024 Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale, Lope Spirit is out of Dundel’s Spirit, an unraced daughter of Invincible Spirit (Green Desert), who is also the dam of Listed winner Isaan Queen (War Command). Further back this is the same family as Group 3 scorer Charlotte O Fraise (Beat Hollow) and US stakes winner Luck Money (Indian Ridge).
Phoenix Stakes winner and Middle Park runner-up Lucky Vega began his stallion career at Yulong in the southern hemisphere season after his second place in the St James’s Palace Stakes in 2021. He stood his first season at the Irish National Stud in 2022 at fee of €15,000. The son of Lope De Vega (Shamardal) is covering his fourth book of mares in Ireland.
Lucky Vega has been in the headlines in his first season with runners in the southern hemisphere, with his trio of winners led by Group 2 scorer and Group 1 placegetter Within The Law and Vega Luck, who was second in the lucrative Karaka 2YO Millions in New Zealand.
The son of Lope De Vega’s success with his first crop was reflected in the sales ring this year, with 25 of his yearlings fetching A$3,630,716 and recording an average A$145,228.
In response to his first season with runners, Yulong have rewarded Lucky Vega with a fee increase for 2025, with the son of Lope De Vega set to stand for A$38,500 (all fees inc GST) – a 133 per cent increase on his previous price of A$16,500 in 2024.