State-Breds Get Spotlight in LA Futurity

State-bred juveniles take center stage at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots in divisions of the Louisiana Futurity Dec. 31.

Ironwater Farms Joint Venture's homebred Icy Gentleman, a stakes winner this summer in the Louisiana Cup Juvenile at Louisiana Downs, is among a wide-open field of nine in the $96,970 division for males going six furlongs.

Game throughout last time out in the Louisiana Champions Day Juvenile Dec. 12 at the New Orleans track, Henry Johnson-trained Icy Gentleman finished third, beaten 2 1/4 lengths. In his start prior to that, he failed to finish in the Jean Lafitte Futurity after he collided with another horse and grabbed a quarter.

"He ran a nice race (on Champions Day)," Johnson said of the son of Yankee Gentleman  . "He recovered well from (the Jean Lafitte), but we missed a little time with him. He stepped on himself and it was just one of those things."

Also entered is Larry Romero's Rock N Sake, who looks for a third consecutive victory. He followed a five-furlong Delta Downs maiden win Nov. 5 for trainer Ron Faucheux with a state-bred mile grass allowance/optional claiming victory Dec. 11 by two lengths.

"He's probably a turf route horse, however there aren't a lot of times you get to run for a hundred thousand against Louisiana-breds—plus our options for turf routing are limited for now," Faucheux said of the Half Ours   gelding. "We know he can do both."

Valene Farm's John's Luck, a son of Old Fashioned  , will look to rebound from his fourth in the Champions Day Juvenile. He has two wins and a third from five starts for trainer Eric Heitzmann.

The $96,970 filly division, also at six furlongs, attracted nine entrants, including Fancheux-trained Smittys Cougar, who has been established as the 2-1 morning-line favorite.

Breaking her maiden going five furlongs in her second start, the Half Ours filly won by 13 1/4 lengths Oct. 17 at Delta Downs, and then came back to win a six-furlong allowance Nov. 19. Last time out she was third after setting a swift pace in the six-furlong Louisiana Champions Day Lassie.

"She's a really fast filly and we're hoping she can sustain her run going the trip," Faucheux said. "We haven't worked her between races. We just freshened her and I think she'll handle the two stakes (in a three-week period). She will likely be better on the grass."