Gallant Son proves much the best

Gallant Son ($7) saved his best for last, scoring an authoritative six-length victory in the $90,000 Gottstein Futurity at Emerald Downs on Saturday.

Getting a confident ride from jockey Leslie Mawing, Gallant Son sat in midpack early. He was fifth, 3 1/2 lengths behind Proud Nicholas. through the opening quarter-mile of the 1 1/16-mile race for 2-year-olds. He was fourth, four lengths back after the opening half-mile.

Gallant Son began moving up on the second turn and was third, less than two lengths behind, at the quarter pole before surging to the front, leaving favored Noosa Bay a well-beaten second. Gallant Son was six lengths in front at the wire in 1:41.60.

Noosa Bay was 4 1/4 lengths in front of Winning Machine, who finished a head in front of Zagreus for third.

"Since there was a lot of speed in the race, we decided to just sit behind the leaders," said Mawing after his seventh stakes win of the meeting. "I knew I had a lot of horse on the backstretch. At about, the quarter pole, a hole opened up, and I took him through. Once he got the lead, I knew they would have to catch me."

The victory was Gallant Son's fourth straight, including wins in the Premio Esmeralda and WTBA Lads. A $9,000 Keeneland yearling purchase by Chris and Diana Randall, Gallant Son earned $49,500 to increase his lifetime earnings to $113,038.

It was the fifth stakes win of the meet for trainer Frank Lucarelli.