Derby Hopefuls Line Up in Delta Downs Jackpot
A field of ten juveniles will head to the gate on Saturday in the $1 million Delta Downs Jackpot (G3) with a $600,000 payday awaiting the winner along with 10 points in the Road to the Kentucky Derby series.
There are 34 races in the Road to the Kentucky Derby series over the next six months, and points accumulated in the races will determine the starting field for the 2014 Run for the Roses.
Coastline is the 5-2 morning line favorite for the jackpot and is currently listed at 65-1 in Derby Future wagering at Bovada. The colt has won two of his three career starts and is coming in off a win in the Street Sense Stakes at Churchill Downs on Oct. 27.
The Tom Amoss trained Rise Up drew the outside post and is the 3-1 second choice on the morning line. The colt is currently 150-1 in early Derby betting.
Casiguapo faced Grade 1 company in his last two starts, last out a fourth in the Champagne (G1) at Belmont Park. The colt is 4-1 on the morning line for the Jackpot and is listed at 75-1 at Bovada for the Derby.
The betting favorite for the 2014 Kentucky Derby currently is Honor Code at 12-1. The well-bred colt broke his maiden in his debut and ran second in the Champagne in his most recent outing. The colt skipped the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and is pointing toward the Remsen (G2) at Aqueduct on Nov. 30.
For selections and analysis for the stakes action at Delta Downs and Aqueduct visit turfnsport.com.
Here is a look at Saturday’s Delta Downs Jackpot:
Delta Downs Race 7 Delta Jackpot G3 (4:15 CT)
8 Casiguapo 4-1
10 Rise Up 3-1
2 Coastline 5-2
5 Rum Point 5-1
Analysis: Casiguapo outran his odds in a couple of Grade 1 races in New York, a second in the Hopeful followed by a fourth in the Champagne, finishing behind a couple of highly regarded juveniles. The Champagne winner Havana came back to finish second in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) in his next outing. His second in the Hopeful was to Strong Mandate, who was third in the Juvenile.
The colt is based at Calder with Mario Morales and broke his maiden there by 11 lengths after running a decent third in the Frank Gomez Memorial in his debut. This will be his first trip around two turns.
Rise Up won the local prep for the Jackpot, the Jean Lafitte by 6 1/2 lengths in a good-looking effort. The colt is the lone two-time stakes winner in the field, also winning the Mountaineer Juvenile back in August in his first start against winners.
The colt owns solid early and mid pace numbers and should be able to get position before they hit the first turn on the six furlong track. The Tom Amoss barn has been live with his Delta runners, hitting at a 35% clip. The colt owns the top last out speed fig and drilled a bullet work on Nov. 15 at Fair Grounds.
Coastline was a sharp winner of the Street Sense last out at Churchill Downs going a one-turn mile in his first start against winners. The Mark Casse trainee broke his maiden on poly two back at Keeneland in his second career start.
The $190,000 Keeneland purchase has a nice pedigree, by Speightstown out of the stakes winner Culinary ($271,680). The colt has shown improvement in each outing and looks like a good fit here.
Wagering
WIN: #8 to win at 5-2 or better.
EX: 8,10 / 2,5,8,10
TRI: 8,10 / 2,5,8,10 / 2,5,8,9,10