Horse Profile: Fiery Lucy

Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Scouting Report

(Editor's note: Originally published in the 2024 BRISnet Breeders' Cup International Report)

An unlucky second to Heavens Gate last time out, Fiery Lucy could be underestimated here. Trainer Gavin Cromwell is best known for his jumpers, and his lone prior Breeders’ Cup starter, the stamina-laden Princess Yaiza, was ninth in the 2018 Filly & Mare Turf. But Cromwell has also honed a couple of Royal Ascot-winning juveniles in Quick Suzy (2021) and Snellen (2023), and Fiery Lucy is adding to her resume over time in a way that they didn’t. 

From the first crop of the Frankel stallion Without Parole, who flashed home third off a layoff in the 2019 Mile, Fiery Lucy is a half-sister to the useful stakes winner Mukaddamah. Noteworthy among her stakes results are a third to champion Nashwa in a classic trial and a fourth in the Ribblesdale (G2) at Royal Ascot. 

Fiery Lucy stamped herself as one to follow when just missing in her five-furlong debut at Cork. Initially in a good spot but shuffled back when they started to quicken, she caught on and closed furiously in a field-best final quarter in :22.27. The winner, Powerful Nation, has since gone close in three stakes. 

Favored next out at Fairyhouse, Fiery Lucy relished the step up to six furlongs, stalking and driving clear after a brief tussle. She threw in her only poor effort when venturing to Newmarket for the Duchess of Cambridge (G2) and dropping out to ninth. On paper, Fiery Lucy was the second-stringer compared to stablemate Mighty Eriu, who wound up seventh. Juvenile Fillies Turf rival Heavens Gate was third. 

Fiery Lucy turned the page back home for the lucrative Ballyhane at Naas, where she got much closer to Heavens Gate that she did at Newmarket. The 10-1 shot closed well for second, really gaining once she hit the rising ground. That was a slog on yielding turf, but Cromwell has said she loves it quicker, and she’s progressed in better conditions. 

Up to a mile for the Newtownanner Stud (aka Flame of Tara) (G3), Fiery Lucy rallied from last to place second to O’Brien’s highly-regarded Dreamy. She then cut back to seven furlongs in the Weld Park (G3) and played second fiddle to Heavens Gate again, but this time with a hard-luck story.

Fiery Lucy was moving best of all held up in traffic, still on the bridle when everyone else was coming under pressure. But she didn’t break free until Heavens Gate had already forged clear, and Fiery Lucy’s rally fell a neck short. I’m tempted to say that if you reverse trips, you reverse the outcome, although O’Brien felt that Heavens Gate was idling in front.

In any event, Fiery Lucy continued her upward curve with her best performance so far in the Weld Park. Third-placer Barnavara is a solid yardstick, having placed third to Ballydoyle’s Bedtime Story and Exactly in the Debutante (G2) in her prior start. Weld Park fifth Merrily (see Anshoda) came back to win the Oh So Sharp (G3), and also-ran Sigh No More eventually stunned males in the Eyrefield (G3). 

As an improver who will enjoy the conditions at Del Mar, Fiery Lucy has longshot appeal.