Powerfully looks strong in sales stakes

Male graduates of the 2-year-olds in training sale held at Evangeline Downs in March take to the track Saturday night in the colt-and-gelding division of the $100,000 John Franks Memorial Sales Stakes. A total of 10 youngsters are slated to go 5 1/2 furlongs in the evening’s ninth race.
As is often the case this time of the year, trainer Steve Asmussen is a force to be reckoned with in the juvenile ranks, and he will be well represented in the Franks as he will send out likely favorite Powerfully. A gelded son of Intimidator who is owned and was bred by Asmussen’s brother Keith, Powerfully comes off a fifth-place performance in the $100,000 Texas Stallion Stakes at Lone Star Park earlier this month. He won his maiden in the start previous to his stakes debut in front-running and impressive fashion. Gerard Melancon will handle the riding chores.
Be a Deacon and Bygone’s Pfanci represent the only other winners in Saturday night’s feature as both come off maiden scores. Be a Deacon rallied from off the pace with a five-wide trip out of the turn to graduate against maiden special weight company July 15. Bygone’s Pfanci won at first asking when he turned in a wire-to-wire effort against $20,000 maiden claimers on July 10. Kerwin Clark will ride Be a Deacon, while John Jacinto will be aboard Bygone’s Pfanci.