Five-year-old Sweet Lucifer is not the friendliest horse. He is an individualist who does his own thing, like biting his owner and trainer Leeann Lee high on the left arm before going out to race at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“He was fractious in the birdcage, and he didn’t want to stand in his stall, so we had to keep walking him,” said Lee. However, he was on his best behaviour when he was driven by Donald Harper to a smart victory as a $12.90 chance in the $23,000 TABtouch Place A Same Race Multi Pace over 2130m.
This was his fourth start after a lengthy absence as he recovered from a fractured near side hip, a self-inflicted injury when he escaped from his stable in Byford one night in January this year.
“He was able to release the chain on the gate and let himself out,” said Lee. “The following morning, we discovered he was out in a paddock when he was in a lot of pain and was unable to walk.
“We don’t know what he did; it was a windy night, and he must have slipped over. Initially, the vets thought it was only bruising. But after two weeks he wasn’t getting any better, and then an ultrasound revealed a step fracture.
“He had six months off, and he was treated with a red light (like a laser) and had massages. The good news is that there is no muscle wastage, and the damaged hip doesn’t affect him at all.”
Sweet Lucifer, who has suffered from bruised feet, is by boom sire Sweet Lou and is the third foal out of Modern Art mare Harriet Elisabeth, who raced 36 times for eleven wins, nine placings and $114,348 in prizemoney. Her victories included the Western Crown Classic for two-year-olds in March 2013, and the following year she finished second to Im Bella Jay in the group 1 Westbred Classic for fillies.
Sweet Lucifer is certainly bred to be a good winner, with Harriet Elisabeth’s first two foals, Orlando Blue and Tricky Miki being stars on the track.
Orlando Blue won eleven races in WA before going to America where he won another 12 times, earning $301,897 from 23 wins and 27 placings. Tricky Miki has amassed $580,780 from 14 wins and 12 placings from 45 starts. Tricky Miki’s wins include the 2021 Golden Slipper, the WA Derby and Westbred Classic in 2022 and the 2023 Golden Nugget.
Sweet Lucifer was advertised for sale last year and was purchased by Lee for $7500. He has now had 13 starts for his new owner for five wins, four seconds and $48,719.
