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TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS
Eight juveniles will contest Friday night's lucrative $750,000 Delta Jackpot S. (G3) in Vinton, Louisiana, and RULE (Roman Ruler) is the one to beat. A smart 1 1/4-length maiden special weight winner at Belmont Park two starts back, the Todd Pletcher-trained colt shipped into Delta Downs and registered an impressive nine-length score in the one-mile Jean Lafitte S., negotiating the tight turns at the track with ease. His 101 BRIS Speed rating towers over every rival except UH OH BANGO (Top Hit), who will stretch out to two turns for the first time, and Rule will have John Velazquez in to ride. We like him wire to wire. LITIGATION RISK (Closing Argument) rolled to a good-looking win in his second career start last out, defeating maiden special weight rivals in wire-to-wire fashion at Belmont Park, and netted solid Speed (95) and Late Pace (98) ratings for the 2 3/4-length decision. The Richard Violette trainee will likely revert to rating tactics here, stalking in the first flight of runners beneath Javier Castellano, and the chestnut is eligible to challenge with a strong rally. We considered tabbing him for an upset (12-1 morning line), but we'll still get some value in the exacta. Uh Oh Bango threatened to win the Iroquois S. (G3) last time out at Churchill Downs before grudgingly giving way to finish a clear second, and the Kory Owens pupil thrashed stakes rivals at Prairie Meadows two starts back, garnering the Prairie Meadows Freshman S. by 10 1/2 lengths. With BRIS Speed ratings of 102 and 95, the dark bay ridgling merits respect in this spot, but we are a little concerned about his first trip at 8 1/2 furlongs. He did handle a mile last time, so we'll include the Arizona-bred in our top three. The Steve Asmussen-conditioned GRAND SLAM ANDRE (Grand Slam) looms as a possible contender with Shane Sellers in the irons. Second as the favorite in the Jean Lafitte, the chestnut colt broke his maiden at Churchill and won stakes at Lone Star Park and Remington Park prior to a sixth in the Hopeful S. (G1) at Saratoga. The well-traveled youngster doesn't own the best BRIS numbers, but he's got plenty of stakes experience and the pedigree to handle the added ground. We recommend his inclusion on the bottom of the exotics. Jean Lafitte third-placer OAK MOTTE (Valid Expectations) is another one to consider for the gimmicks. Trained by Tom Amoss, the bay colt broke his maiden on Polytrack and finished fourth in the Arlington-Washington Futurity (G3), but he proved adaptable when capturing a division of the Texas Stallion S. at Retama Park two back, registering a respectable 93 Speed rating. We like the addition of the hood, as BRIS Ultimate PP stats show Amoss winning at a 30-percent clip with first-time blinkers, but the stalker will have to overcome the far outside post. Norfolk S. (G1) third-placer GALLANT GENT (Yankee Gentleman) has been installed as the 2-1 favorite on the morning line, but he'll be the second choice at best. Seventh in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G2) last out, the Craig Lewis runner does show solid form on a bullring dirt track, winning the C. B. Afflerbaugh S. three starts back, but that was over a small group of questionable opponents. He'll face more formidable company in his second dirt start, and we'll let the former maiden claimer beat us. MY TIME TO STAR (Five Star Day) has posted a pair of an easy wins at Hawthorne, winning the Sun Power S. by seven lengths last time, and we have plenty of respect for trainer Dale Romans with two-year-olds. However, the Illinois-bred colt will be making his initial start against open company while stretching out past six furlongs for the first time, and we'll just watch for now. BENCH THE JUDGE (Benchmark) didn't run poorly when fourth in the Jean Lafitte, just a half-length back of second, but he could have class concerns in this spot.
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