Spotlight on 2-year-olds in Lincoln Futurity

A full field of Nebraska-bred 2-year-olds is set to contest what will be the state's biggest maiden race of the year as a field of 10 first-time starters will go 4 1/2 furlongs in the $20,000-added Lincoln Futurity at Lincoln Race Course.

Throwing darts or drawing cards may be the preferred method to handicap this race as Marv Johnson and Chuck Turco each send out multiple runners. Johnson starts four runners while Turco will send out three. Officials received permission from the State Racing Commission to run all same-owner entries uncoupled in the wagering.

Another Bumper, a gelding trained by Turco, saw his stock rise when his 3-year-old full brother, Bumper, won a statebred allowance here last Sunday by an incredible 15 lengths. Both are out of the mare Bumperette who has also produced stakes winners Ms. Bumper, Bump'ndazzle and Bumper Bob.

Johnson's four runners are the fillies Perfect One, Devil's Kissand Miss Stryker plus the gelding Thee Hemi, a son of the stakes producing mare Tricky Sugar. Perfect One is out the speedy mare Slots of Fun who has produced winners from all of her six thoroughbred foals to race and, like her brothers and sisters, should possess a ton of early speed.

Husker Ridge, a homebred for trainer Ryan Stivers, has been in training at Colorado's Arapahoe Park and ships in for her career debut. LaVerne Ballhagen sends out his homebred Magic Player, a daughter out of Match The Hatch and Kelli Martinez will start Lil Miss Attitude for her owner-breeder TK Stables of Tammie and Kevin Hulse.