Fair Grounds: Allowance race next for Bourbon Courage

Bourbon Courage, who earned the second-highest 2012 Beyer Speed Figure for a 3-year-old, a 102, in his debut victory Feb. 3, is likely to make his next start in a first-level allowance race, trainer Kellyn Gorder said.

“We’re not quite sure what we’ll do yet, but we’re thinking about just taking the next logical step and running him in a one-other-than allowance race, and then go from there,” Gorder said.

Bourbon Courage cost a mere $15,000 at auction as a yearling in 2010, but could be valued at 20 or even 40 times that amount after running six furlongs in 1:09.28 while winning his debut by more than four lengths. Gorder said the partners that own Bourbon Courage have received “plenty of interest” from potential purchasers, but that a sale of the colt wasn’t imminent.

Bourbon Courage, a medium-sized bay, is by Lion Heart and out of a Carson City mare, and Gorder believes there’s a chance Bourbon Courage can at least stretch out to middle distances.

“I think there’s a chance he’ll go longer, but how far he can go remains to be seen,” said Gorder, who is spending his first winter at Fair Grounds as a head trainer. “He’s got a great mind and he relaxes nice in his gallops and in his breezes, just seems to do everything easy.”