A full field
of 10 juveniles has been entered to Friday’s $1 million Delta Jackpot S.
(G3), the richest Grade 3 race in North America. The 1 1/16-mile event is
graded for the first in its 33-year history, making it the first graded race
ever held at the Vinton, Louisiana, oval. Top contenders include OFFICER
ROCKET (GB) (Officer), dead-heat winner of the Arlington-Washington
Breeders’ Cup Futurity (G3); Sapling S. (G3) hero XCHANGER (Exchange Rate);
and BIRDBIRDISTHEWORD (Pure Prize), who exits a fourth in the Breeders’
Futurity S. (G1).
Officer Rocket defeated eventual Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) winner
Street Sense (Street Cry [Ire]) in the Arlington-Washington Futurity two
starts back but failed to fire when fifth in the Iroquois S. (G3) last out
due to a breathing problem.
“He had entrapped his soft palate in the Iroquois and we did a myectomy
on him,” trainer Bob Holthus explained. “Of course, we were disappointed at
the time (after the Iroquois), but we were able to fix the problem.”
Xchanger will enter the Delta Jackpot off a third in the Nashua S. (G3)
at Aqueduct. Birdbirdistheword broke his maiden three starts back on
Arlington Park’s turf course, then captured the grassy Harrah’s Juvenile S.
at Louisiana Downs. The Ken McPeek charge finished a good fourth when
switching to Keeneland’s Polytrack in the Breeders’ Futurity.
Trainer Bob Baffert will be represented by two starters: California Cup
Juvenile S. runner-up PIRATES DEPUTY (Bertrando) and MALT MAGIC (Cherokee
Run). The latter exits an unplaced finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.
California Cup Juvenile winner FREESGOOD (Free House) will test open company
for conditioner Bill Currin, and Scott Blasi, who earned his first training
title at the recently completed Churchill Downs meet, will send out SCATTER
THE TAK (Mutakddim), the third-place finisher in the Grey Breeders’ Cup S.
(Can-G3) two starts back at Woodbine.
Two-time stakes winner GO POPPA FOOZE (Exciting Story) is lone entrant
with a race over the track, winning the Jean Lafitte S. by nine lengths last
time out.
The complete field, from the rail with riders and morning-line
odds, is Xchanger, Joe Bravo, 6-1; Malt Magic, Victor Espinoza, 20-1; Scatter
the Talk, Donnie Meche, 12-1; Go Poppa Fooze, Jamie Theriot, 9-2; Officer
Rocket, Tracy Hebert, 7-2; ICE MAN COMETH (Trippi), Rafael Bejarano, 15-1;
MISTYCAL LIGHT (Festival of Light), Brian Hernandez, 30-1; Birdbirdistheword,
Robby Albarado, 3-1; Pirates Deputy, Garrett Gomez, 8-1; and Freesgood, Kent
Desormeaux, 6-1.
The $300,000 Delta Princess S. for juvenile fillies highlights
Friday’s undercard and features a pair of Grade 1 winners in
APPEALING ZOPHIE (Successful Appeal) and MEADOW BREEZE (Meadowlake).
Spinaway S. (G1) heroine Appealing Zophie exits a commendable fourth
in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1). Meadow Breeze captured
the Matron S. (G1) three starts back and will enter Friday’s
one-mile test off a victory in the My Trusty Cat S. at Delta Downs
on November 3.
Stakes winner MISS ATLANTIC CITY (Stormy Atlantic) will lead the
post parade under Desormeaux and is listed at 8-1 on the morning
line. Next comes GAL WONDER (Three Wonders), Hebert, 10-1; Meadow
Breeze, Steve Bourque, 8-5; Appealing Zophie, Meche, 6-5; STAGE STOP
(Valid Expectations), Luis Quinonez, 6-1; WINE DIVA (Pine Bluff),
Elvis Perrodin, 15-1; and SPLENDID IN SPRING (Best of Luck),
Bejarano, 30-1.
The card also includes the $100,000
Sam’s Town S., and its filly and mare counterpart, the $100,000
Treasure Chest S. Both races will be decided at one mile.
In
the Sam’s Town, Come Summer S. winner CHARLEY TANGO (Maria’s Mon) has been
installed as the 7-5 morning line favorite. The Michael Stidham-trained colt set
the early pace before finishing a close fifth against third-level allowance
company at Keeneland in his last start.
The speedy NO SLEEP (Robyn Dancer)
will likely be the one to catch in the Treasure Chest. The Eric Guillot-trained
filly comes off three straight stakes victories at three different tracks and is
the 3-2 morning line favorite.
The five-furlong, $50,000
Zydeco S. for three-year-olds and up will also be run.