Gallant Son eyes 3 in row

Gallant Son goes for his third straight stakes victory Saturday, facing seven rivals in the $100,000 Gottstein Futurity at Emerald Downs.

A $9,000 bargain purchase at the 2007 Keeneland September sale by Chris and Diane Randall, Gallant Son has won three straight races, including the Premio Esmeralda and WTBA Lads, since losing his debut.

The Malabar Gold colt, trained by Frank Lucarelli, is the lone entrant in the 1 1/16-mile race for 2-year-olds with a victory around two turns, having scored a three-quarter-length win over Rooster City in the WTBA Lads on Aug. 30.

Gallant Son has a nice stalking style and should have an honest pace to run at, with recent maiden winner Proud Nicholas, Winning Machine, and Carrie Cat entered.

Noosa Beach, who came back to win the six-furlong Captain Condo on Washington Cup Day on Sept. 14, was third, beaten two lengths, in the Lads. Winning Machine was fourth, and Dress Code was fifth in the Lads. Zagreus was favored in the Lads but ran sixth and also was second to Gallant Son in the Premio Esmeralda.

Carrie Cat, second in the one-mile Barbara Shinpoch on Aug. 31, is the lone filly entered. She opened a two-length lead in the stretch but ducked out badly, losing the race by a half-length.