Delta Downs Jackpot Stakes Racing Roundup

   Trainer Doug O’Neill just might have a golden opportunity today to cash in on the $1 million purse of the Delta Downs Jackpot Stakes (G3) at Delta Downs racetrack and casino when he sends the 5-2 morning line favorite Goldencents and Know More, the 5-2 third-choice, to the starting gate in a field of nine 2-year-old thoroughbreds.
   Goldencents won his maiden debut with an impressive 7¼-length romp at Del Mar on September 2. He followed that performance with a respectable second-place finish in the Champagne Stakes (G1) to Shanghai Bobby who went on to win the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Stakes (G1) and will most likely be selected as the champion 2-year-old.
   As a 2-year-old, Into Mischief, the sire of Goldencents, finished second in the Hollywood Prevue Stakes (G3) and won the 8½-furlong CashCall Futurity (G1) in a time of 1:40.82 – just a few ticks off of the record time of 1:40.74 set by Afternoon Deelites and the second fastest time of 1:40.78 set by Valiant Nature.    
   Banker’sGold, the sire of Goldencents’ dam Golden Works, was a pretty good sprinter that was able to carry his speed to victory in the 9-furlong Peter Pan Stakes (G2).
   If Goldencents repeats the form of his previous races, he should be competitive in the Jackpot.
   Know More comes into the race off of a disappointing effort in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) at Santa Anita Park where he finished 13^th in a 14-horse field. Prior to that, Know More won his maiden debut in the Best Pal Stakes (G2) and he finished second in both the Del Mar Futurity (G1) and the Frontrunner Stakes (G1).
   Know More is a much better horse than his performance on the turf would suggest and I’m willing to overlook his last race. A return to his previous form will make him competitive. 
   Central Banker, a son of Speightstown, is an interesting long shot at 6-1 morning line odds. In four starts, Central Banker has never been out of the money and he comes into today’s race off of an impressive 5-length romp in a 6½-furlong race at Churchill Downs on October 28.
   Central Banker has never run in a route race but he shouldn’t have a problem stretching out to 8½-furlongs.
   Speightstown was a champion sprinter but his son Haynesfield was competitive at routes winning the 9-furlong Discovery Handicap (G3) and Empire Classic Handicap (twice). He also won the 9-furlong Suburban Handicap (G2) and 10-furlong Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1). 
   Go For Gin, the damsire of Central Banker, was a competitive route racer. As a 2-year-old, He won the one mile Chief’s Crown Stakes and the 9-furlong Remsen Stakes (G2). As a 3-year-old, Go For Gin won the Kentucky Derby (G1) and finished second in the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2), Wood Memorial Stakes (G1), Preakness Stakes (G1) and Belmont Stakes (G1).
   I look for Central Banker to be competitive in the Jackpot. 
   Bern Identity (7-2) has never been out of the money in five starts. He comes into today’s race a 3-length victory in the one mile Jean Laffitte Stakes at Delta Downs and he’s been training good at the track with a bullet work out on November 10.
   Jockey Paco Lopez who guided Bern Identity to victory in the Jean Laffitte Stakes retains the mount for today’s race.
   The Jackpot is a qualifying race for the Kentucky Derby. The winner will receive 10 points, the second-place finisher will receive four points, the third-place finisher will receive 2 points and the fourth-place finisher will receive 1 point.
   After the race, I’ll post the updated list of Kentucky Derby qualifying leaders at the end of this blog.

Kentucky Derby 2013 Leaderboard

(Updated November, 17, 2012)

Individual Leaders, total points

Shanghai Bobby, 20

Goldencents, 14

Joha, 10

Power Broker, 10

River Seven, 10

Steeler, 10

Artigiano, 4

Bern Identity, 4

Capo Bastone, 4

Dynamic Sky, 4

He’s Had Enough, 4

Know More, 4

Tesseron, 4

Fortify, 3

Al Waab, 2

Indiano Jones, 2

Java’s War, 2

Mylute, 2

Archwarrior, 1

Carving, 1

Birdman, 1

Five Iron, 1

Hightail, 1

Pataky Kid, 1

Royal Lodge Stakes (Group 2), Newmarket, September 29, 2012

1. Steeler,10

2. Artigiano,4

3. Al Waab,2

4. Birdman,1

Frontrunner Stakes (G1), Santa Anita Park, September 29, 2012

1. Power Broker, 10

2. Know More, 4

3. Capo Bastone, 2

4. Carving, 1

Foxwoods Champagne Stakes (G1), Belmont Park, October 6, 2012

1. Shanghai Bobby, 10

2. Goldencents, 4

3. Fortify, 2

4. Archwarrior, 1

Dixiana Breeders’ Futurity (G1), Keeneland, October 6, 2012

1. Joha, 10

2. Dynamic Sky, 4

3. Java’s War, 2

4. Pataky Kid, 1

Grey Stakes (G3), Woodbine, October 7, 2012

1. River Seven, 10

2. Tesseron, 4

3. Indiano Jones, 2

4. Five Iron, 1

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Stakes (G1), Santa Anita Park, November 3, 2012

1. Shanghai Bobby, 10

2. He’s Had Enough, 4

3. Capo Bastone, 2

4. Fortify, 1

Delta Downs Jackpot (G3), Delta Downs, November 17, 2012

1. Goldencents, 10

2. Bern Identity, 4

3. Mylute, 2,

4. Hightail, 1