Lucky Vega

Lucky Vega made his racecourse debut in a maiden race over six furlongs on good to firm ground at Naas Racecourse on 8 June in which he was ridden by Shane Foley and started the 9/2 second favourite in an eighteen-runner field. After tracking the leaders he showed his inexperience as he hung to the left approaching the final furlong but kept on well to overtake the favoured Lipizzaner in the closing stages to win by half a length.[6] For his next start, the colt was stepped up in class to contest the Group 2 Railway Stakes over the same distance on softer ground at the Curragh on 18 July and started the 3/1 second favourite. He lost his position entering the last quarter mile before staying on in the closing stages to finish second, beaten half a length by the 66/1 outsider Laws of Indices.

On 9 August, over the same course and distance, Lucky Vega was partnered by Foley in the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes and started the 4/1 second favourite behind the Aidan O'Brien-trained St Mark's Basilica. The other eight runners included Laws of Indices, Steel Bull (Molecomb Stakes), The Lir Jet (Norfolk Stakes), Ventura Tormenta (Prix Robert Papin) and Aloha Star (Airlie Stud Stakes). Lucky Vega raced just behind the leaders before taking the lead inside the final furlong and drawing away to win "easily" by three and a half lengths and a short head from Aloha Star and The Lir Jet. The placings of the second and third were reversed after a stewards' enquiry.[7] Jessica Harrington said "He probably needed it the last day because he had won his maiden without getting into a battle. The last day, when he got into a bit of a battle, it just hardened him up. He was much more streetwise and, on his work at home, he had really started to come to himself".[8]

At the Curragh on 13 September Lucky Vega was stepped up in distance for the National Stakes over seven furlongs and started the 2/1 joint-favourite in a ten-runner field. After racing in mid-division he was repeatedly blocked as he attempted to gain a clear run in the straight and came home fifth behind Thunder Moon, Wembley, St Mark's Basilica and Master of the Seas, beaten two and a half lengths by the winner.[9] Two weeks later the colt was sent to England and started 5/2 favourite for the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes. He tracked the leaders before finishing strongly but failed by half a length to overhaul the front-running Supremacy.[10]