Lone stakes winner is no lock

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Lukin Awesome heads a full field of 11 2-year-olds in the $100,000 Jack Diamond Futurity at Hastings Sunday. While Lukin Awesome is the lone stakes winner in the 6 1/2-furlong feature, restricted to 2-year-old colts and geldings that were foaled in Canada, the race appears to be wide open.

Lukin Awesome is picking up four pounds off of his game win in the New Westminster Stakes Aug. 28. At 122 pounds, he will be spotting at least five pounds to his many challengers, and considering how closely the field appears to be matched, the weight difference could be significant.

Trained by Terry Clyde, Lukin Awesome has won two stakes races in a row, including an upset win in the British Columbia Cup Nursery Aug. 1. He drew post 2 on Sunday, and with his good speed he figures to be part of the pace under Richard Hamel.

Trainer Robert Gilker has a very good chance at winning a rare double. He'll saddle the heavy favorite, No Ka Oi, in the Sadie Diamond Futurity Saturday and he's entered a very live Yoodaman in Sunday's race.

Yoodaman, who will be ridden by Jake Barton, is still a maiden, but he's coming off of a very good second-place finish behind Feu Express in the CTHS Sales Stakes Sept. 10. Gilker didn't seem to mind that Yoodaman drew the 10-hole.

"He had a great work last Friday, and with his outside post, Jake should get a good look at how the race is shaping up," said Gilker.