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Travel plans set for Delta Jackpot participants
Listed below, in order of entry preference by earnings and graded stakes placings, is the latest information from Delta Downs' racing office regarding arrival plans and final preparations for the 10 horses pre-entered and expected to go postward: Bern Identity: The Grade 2 Sanford Stakes winner has been stabled locally since his rousing three-length victory in the Jean Lafitte Stakes at Delta Downs on October 20. The Kelly Breen trainee recorded his final workout for the Delta Downs Jackpot last weekend when he breezed a half-mile in 48 1/5 over a fast track on Saturday morning. The clocking was the fastest of 65 at that distance. Bern Identity will enter the big race as the top earner in the field with a bankroll of $426,000. Hightail: Winner of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Sprint on November 2, the D. Wayne Lukas trainee will be the first Delta Downs Jackpot starter for the Hall of Fame conditioner and is expected to fly from Lexington, Kentucky to Houston on Wednesday morning before vanning to Delta Downs the same day. The Mineshaft colt readied for the Delta Jackpot Jackpot with a half-mile breeze in :50 4/5 Tuesday morning over a muddy track at Churchill Downs and Hightail will be the first Breeder's Cup winner to ever start in the 1 1/16-mile showdown. Know More: Winner of the Grade 2 Best Pal Stakes, the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity and Grade 1 Frontrunner runner-up is expected to arrive by flight into Houston before vanning to Delta Downs Wednesday. The J. Paul Reddam owned and Doug O'Neill trained colt will be piloted by jockey Mario Gutierrez. These are the same connections that won the roses at Churchill Downs with I'll Have Another in this year's Kentucky Derby. Goldencents: Runner-up to Shanghai Bobby in the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes, he is also conditioned by O'Neill and will arrive with his stablemates Know More and Tree of Life from Southern California via Houston Wednesday. The Kentucky-bred will enter Saturday's race as the least experienced horse in the field with only two starts under his belt. His lone win came at Del Mar in September while making his career debut in maiden company. Itsmyluckyday: The son of 2007 champion older male Lawyer Ron arrived at Delta Downs by van ride on Tuesday from his home base of south Florida. The Edward Plesa Jr. trainee has never finished worse than second in five career starts, including victories in Foolish Pleasure Stakes and the Fasig Tipton Dash, both at Calder Race Course. The Calder-to-Delta route has worked twice in the past as 2008 winner Big Drama and 2010 hero Gourmet Dinner each prepping at the Miami oval beforehand. Central Banker: The Albert Stall Jr. trainee is expected to take a van ride to Delta Downs from Fair Grounds in New Orleans on Saturday morning before the biggest test of his career. The son of champion sprinter Speightstown has the distinction of being the first horse ever to be supplemented to the Delta Downs Jackpot. Central Banker also holds the distinction of beating Hightail, winning a five-furlong maiden race over the turf at Churchill Downs in late August. Tree of Life: The property of West Point Thoroughbreds LLC will take the same journey to Delta Downs as fellow Southern California invaders Know More and Goldencents through Houston via flight and van on Wednesday. Tree of Life will mark the first starter in the Jackpot for conditioner Craig Dollase, whose runners have earned more than $31 million. Dollase is the son of renowned trainer Wally Dollase and the brother of Aimee, who also trains racehorses. Heaven's Runway: The bay colt represents the hopes of many local fans at Delta Downs as he is trained by Louisiana resident and native Benard Chatters and is stabled in barn #2 on the backside of the Vinton, Louisiana, racetrack. Chatters will attempt to become the second locally-based horsemen to enjoy success in the big race after Louisiana native jockey Gerard Melancon broke through with a victory aboard Sabercat last year. Heaven's Runway is a half- brother to 2011 Martha Washington Stakes winner and multiple graded stakes placed mare Holy Heavens. Show Some Magic: The Steve Asmussen trainee has been training at Fair Grounds in New Orleans since his sixth-place finish to Bern Identity in the Jean Lafitte Stakes on October 20. The chestnut colt breezed five furlongs on Saturday morning in 1:01 1/5 before vanning to Delta Downs on Sunday. Show Some Magic will attempt to give Asmussen back-to-back wins in the Delta Downs Jackpot following last year's success with Sabercat. Mylute: The Jean Lafitte runner-up has also been spending time at Fair Grounds where he drilled five furlongs Friday morning in 1:02 3/5. The son of sprint champion Midnight Lute is expected to van over to Delta Downs on Saturday morning before his big test later that day. If Mylute is victorious on Saturday it will mark his first win over dirt as his only other tally came on a synthetic surface at Arlington Park on August 11. For more information about the $1 million Delta Downs Jackpot, including the special $100,000 guaranteed Pick 4 wager that will take place during the program, visit www.deltadownsracing.com. Additional information about the race can also be found on the "Delta Downs Racing" page on Facebook, and by following Delta Downs on Twitter with the account @deltaracing. Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com
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