Divisions of Louisiana Futurity spice up Wednesday card

The New Year’s revelry will get an early start in New Orleans when a pair of statebred stakes highlight a 10-race card at Fair Grounds. Divisions of the Louisiana Futurity – one for 2-year-old fillies and one for 2-year-old colts and geldings – anchor the Wednesday program, which starts at 1:25 p.m. Central.

The $90,750 fillies division drew a field of seven, with Wind Chill Factor and Vivian Da Bling the favorites. The $89,050 colts-and-geldings division drew a field of six, headed by Cook Some Rice and Just Kissing Buck.

Three allowances (races 5, 7, and 9) are offered Wednesday after the stakes are run as races 1 and 4.

Live racing continues daily at Fair Grounds through Sunday, with a regular four-day week (Thursday-Sunday) resuming Jan. 8.

KEY CONTENDERS

Fillies division (race 1)

Wind Chill Factor (Last 3 Beyers: 74-62-61)

◗ A daughter of the noted speed sire Successful Appeal, she has been terrific in sweeping statebred stakes in her last two starts, including a resounding victory over Vivian Da Bling in the Louisiana Lassie less than three weeks ago.

◗ Her tractability and handiness have been real strengths, as she’ll likely be asked once again by Willie Martinez to rate kindly before they straighten away.

Vivian Da Bling (Last 3 Beyers: 59-48-74)

◗ She opened her career by winning 3 of 4 and earning high Beyers of 85 and 81, but her last two races have been disappointing, including her last meeting with Wind Chill Factor, when she finished third as an odds-on favorite.

◗ The good news: The outer post in this short field surely can afford Brian Hernandez Jr. a more comfortable trip than in that latest defeat, when she broke from the inside slot in a field of 11.

KEY CONTENDERS

Males division (race 4)

Cook Some Rice (Last 3 Beyers: 63-71-59)

◗ Gray gelding took four tries to get through his maiden condition, but that victory Oct. 30 was nicely done, as was his second-place finish in the Louisiana Legacy on Nov. 22.

◗ The turnback from a mile to this six-furlong distance could make him a major stretch threat under Gerard Melancon.

Just Kissing Buck (Beyers: 67-66)

◗ Both his tries have come amid sizable fields and resulted in very competitive Beyers, with his four-length maiden victory Dec. 13 making him a major threat.

◗ He figures to be the outside speed with Colby Hernandez up.

Spill sidelines Ramgeet

Apprentice rider Andre Ramgeet will be sidelined indefinitely after suffering multiple fractures of his collarbone and a skull fracture in a recent spill at Fair Grounds. The incident occurred in the fourth race Friday, when his mount, Gator Jack, stumbled badly and the fallen Ramgeet was struck by trailing horses.

Ramgeet, 23, is the son of journeyman jockey Andrew Ramgeet and the first cousin of jockey Rajiv Maragh. His agent, Rick Mocklin, also works for Richard Eramia, who has been out since injuring his shoulder in a post-race gallop-out Nov. 29 at Fair Grounds. Mocklin said Eramia is hoping to return by the end of January.