Gold Rush II Lazy Slusan

When suitable airline connections to Chicago couldn't be found, Lazy Slusan stayed home and gave California Gold Rush II a marquee name. Instead of running for a $300,000 purse at Sportsman's Park, the surprise winner of the grade I Santa Margarita Handicap competed for half that amount in the B. Thoughtful Stakes.

Installed as the 4-5 favorite, Lazy Slusan was tucked away at the rear of the pack during the early going, biding her sweet time under Victor Espinoza. She was rolling by the time they rounded the far turn and simply inhaled the pacesetters in the lane, scoring a 3 1/2-length win in 1:21 4/5 for seven furlongs

Robert and Barbara Walter bred the daughter of Slewvescent and raced her for her first three starts. She had already changed ownership when she captured the Raise Your Skirts Stakes at two. Trainer John Dolan claimed her for himself and client Sam Longo for $62,500 at Del Mar in 2000, believing they were getting a nice allowance filly that could win a stakes or two. Lazy Slusan exceeded their expectations by winning seven stakes and more than $750,000. 

Following her win in the B Thoughtful, she scored her second grade I victory and pushed her earnings past $1 million when she captured the Milady Breeders' Cup Handicap. It turned out to be her last win, for she ran second to her Cal-bred compatriot Gourmet Girl in the Vanity Handicap and was third in the Delaware Handicap. When Lazy Slusan ran unplaced in the Spinster Stakes at Keeneland, Dolan abandoned plans to send her to the Breeders' Cup Distaff.

"If we had known back then how that Breeders' Cup race was going to shake out, Lazy Slusan would have stood a very good shot against that bunch," the trainer said, "but that's hindsight for you."

Lazy Slusan was the only other older distaffer besides Gourmet Girl to win two grade I stakes in 2001 and she joined Tout Charmant as Slewvescent's second millionaire with lifetime earnings of $1,150,410. She was bought by Lael Stable at the Keeneland November Sale for $750,000 and is booked to Deputy Minister.