Allowance no easy layup for Bron and Brow

Halftime was short for Bron and Brow, who is back on the court Friday at Fair Grounds just two weeks after winning the colts and geldings division of the Louisiana Futurity.

Bron and Brow, his name an homage to Lebron James and Anthony Davis of the Los Angeles Lakers, is one of just six entrants in a Louisiana-bred nonwinners-of-two allowance at one mile, the seventh of nine Friday races. He faces few foes, but as the 4-5 morning-line favorite returning on short rest while trying two turns for the first time, Bron and Brow might be worth opposing.

There’s little question Bron and Brow is the most talented among this sextet, but he had to extend himself to get past the tough pacesetter Charco in his Dec. 31 victory. Moreover, Bron and Brow, going from six furlongs out to a short-stretch mile, might wind up part of a strong pace, which could sap whatever degree of stamina he possesses. Bron and Brow’s best sibling to race, Emily’s Lollipop, was a sprinter, and his dam, a low-level claimer during her racing days, preferred running short.

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Cosmic Train merits mention after a remarkable debut score Dec. 5 in a one-mile Louisiana-bred maiden special weight race. Away slowly, Cosmic Train trailed the leader by 24 lengths at the second point of call, and even with a quarter-mile remaining he seemed to have no chance. With help from horses stopping in front of him, Cosmic Train not only won, but hit the front several strides before the wire in a race that ended at the sixteenth pole. His Beyer Speed Figure came back a modest 60. Cosmic Train was the only runner to crack 26 seconds for his final quarter-mile, clocking a moderate 25.24.

More Memories can post an upset, though likely at a lower price than his 6-1 morning line. He has already shown he can stay one mile by romping in a Delta Downs maiden race last month, and leading jockey Colby Hernandez can snug in More Memories just behind the speed and get the jump on Cosmic Train.

While the Fair Grounds dirt track generally has been kind to speed horses for more than one month, the turf course strongly has favored outside closers when the temporary rail is out. The rail is set at 27 feet Friday, and Lamartine can outrun his 12-1 morning-line odds in the featured eighth race, a turf sprint over about 5 1/2 furlongs that’s open to second-level allowance horses or $40,000 claimers.

Before being exported to America, Lamartine won two 2018 Group 1 stakes in Brazil, one of them over 1 1/4 miles, and he made 20 straight starts at route distances. In June, racing first off a claim by trainer Juan Cano, Lamartine was cut back to a sprint trip for the first time since a debut win and he tallied nicely in a $50,000 Churchill dirt claimer.

Cano tried him in a two-turn Ellis Park turf stakes to no avail, but Lamartine rebounded with a comfortable starter-allowance victory going 6 1/2 furlongs at Kentucky Downs in September, his first start in a turf sprint and a performance that would make him competitive Friday.