Fair Grounds: Two talented Yankees in male division of Louisiana Futurity

From the look of the Louisiana Champions Day Lassie and the $106,000 fillies division of the Louisiana Futurity on Tuesday at Fair Grounds, there’s a real lack of higher-end Louisiana-bred 2-year-old fillies this year. The 2-year-old males are much stronger. Ide Be Cool walloped the promising Coteau Rouge in the Champions Day Juvenile, and there are at least two more talented horses – Yankee Hunter and Yankee Gambler – in the $97,000 colts and gelding division of the Louisiana Futurity.

That male division of the Futurity – the seventh of nine races on a special New Year’s Eve card with a first post of 1 p.m. Central – drew seven entrants, with Yankee Gambler the 5-2 morning-line favorite over Yankee Hunter. Neither horse has done more than win a maiden race, but both sons of Yankee Gentleman were impressive in victory.

Yankee Gambler won his only start last May at Lone Star, romping by more than six lengths in a 4 1/2-furlong sprint from which the second- and third-place finishers returned to win. Yankee Gambler has been turning in fast work since mid-November for trainer Bret Calhoun, and is likely to show plenty of speed from an inside draw under Rosie Napravnik.

Yankee Hunter, however, might have an edge. His maiden win came over the Futurity’s six-furlong distance Nov. 23 at Fair Grounds, giving him a major recency edge. Yankee Hunter, beaten a nose in his five-furlong Delta debut by return rival Dixie Beat,, and he is well drawn in post 6 to track whatever pace shows and make his move after turning for home.

The fillies division, race 9, yields a murkier picture. Sweet Alice Benbow ran what looks like the best single race among the 12 entrants, but that blowout maiden score Dec. 14 at Fair Grounds was aided by a sloppy racing surface that carried speed. On a level playing field Sweet Alice Benbow has no apparent edge on several other fillies in a wide-open race.

Gold Hawk looks good

Gold Hawk ran his record to 2 for 2 and ran onto the Kentucky Derby trail with a 3 1/2-length win in Friday’s ninth race, a first-level, two-turn allowance race for 2-year-olds.

A tall, long-legged son of Empire Maker, Gold Hawk had won his seven-furlong debut late in the Churchill meet and improved in his first route start, rallying wide in the stretch to win going away.

“I was very happy to see the way he went two turns, and it looks like he can go farther,” said Steve Asmussen, who trains Gold Hawk for Winchell Thoroughbreds.

Asmussen also trains Kentucky Jockey Club winner Tapiture, and plans for Gold Hawk, which remain open, are tied to Tapiture’s future.

“We’ll definitely see how [Gold Hawk] comes back and works before we decide anything,” Asmussen said.