Delta Downs Jackpot

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

Saturday's Delta Downs Jackpot S. (G3) will offer an early preview of the

upcoming Triple Crown season as 10 juveniles line up for their share of the $1

million purse. Whoever wins this race is practically guaranteed a spot in the

Kentucky Derby (G1) starting gate, but five months is a long time to keep a

horse fit and ready, as many Triple Crown hopefuls have found out to their

disappointment. For now, we'll leave the Derby talk for the New Year and

concentrate on picking a winner for Saturday's 1 1/16-mile event.

Despite entering the Jackpot riding a three-race win streak, BUG JUICE (Mingun)

could offer a nice price on Saturday. The bay gelding ran third in his

initial try at Belmont Park, but trainer Bruce Levine wasn't discouraged.

Instead, he entered Bug Juice back one month later, at Saratoga, and

the juvenile romped home a dominating 6 1/4-length winner. Levine played it

conservative with his charge, skipping a return run in any of the stakes at the

Spa and instead shipping him to Finger Lakes, where the gelding proceeded to

triumph in the the Aspirant S. and New York Breeders' Futurity by a total of 17

lengths. Bug Juice will be facing open company for the first time here, but the

bay's numbers for his two stakes wins compare favorably with others in here who

have already gone up against unrestricted rivals. The New York-bred has a long

way to go before becoming the next Funny Cide, but this is a good spot for him

to pick up another win on that journey. Javier Castellano, aboard for his

Saratoga romp, takes back the mount.

RUSH NOW (Tiznow) is the third choice on the morning-line at 9-2 and owns

winning experience going 8 1/2 furlongs. The Tony Dutrow runner captured his

maiden by 13 3/4 lengths while traveling a mile and 70 yards, then returned to

to take the 1 1/16-mile Dover S. by 3 3/4 lengths. He earned a nice 97 BRIS

Speed rating for that latter race and has been working bullets at Delaware Park

to prepare for this one. The bay colt is looking to continue a win streak of his

own and could do just that under jockey Robby Albarado.

GOURMET DINNER (Trippi) was going for a sweep of the Florida Stallion S. at

Calder last out, but suffered his first loss when second in the In Reality

division of that series while making his first start for new trainer Steve

Standridge. Prior to that, the bay colt scored easy wins in the Dr. Fager and

Affirmed divisions for conditioner Peter Gulyas and broke his maiden at first

asking on July 17. Gourmet Dinner will be looking to return to his winning ways

in this one, and the previous experience at 8 1/2 furlongs can only help his

chances. Regular jockey Sebastian Madrid retains the ride.

SWEET DUCKY's (Pulpit) only loss to date came over a muddy, sealed track at

Monmouth Park, but the Kelly Breen trainee rebounded two months later to add the

Garden State S. to his resume and followed that with a four-length score in the

Seton Hall University S. While he has no actual racing experience at Delta

Downs, Sweet Ducky worked a nice bullet half-mile over the track in :47 4/5 to

gear up for this. The dark bay colt could be dangerous in this spot.

DECISIVE MOMENT (With Distinction) has yet to visit the winner's circle since

breaking his maiden in late July, but the dark bay did finish fourth and third,

respectively, in the Dr. Fager and In Reality divisions of the Florida Stallion

S. series. He earned some nice E2 Pace ratings for those efforts and could be

rounding into form at just the right time. Consider for the top three. ACES N

KINGS (Jet Phone) would be ranked higher if he hadn't been running in turf

contests in his past three. The Henry Johnson Jr. trainee won his first three on

dirt and then his next two on the grass, including the Minstrel S. and Sunny's

Halo S., but was headed in the Sunday Silence S. last out. His BRIS numbers are

a bit lower than we like, so we'll just include the gelding in some exotics.

BLUE LASER (Bluegrass Cat) is the 3-1 favorite on the morning line following

his half-length victory in the Grey S. (Can-G3) on October 10, but the Mark

Casse pupil will be trying a conventional dirt track for the first time here.

Also, the chestnut's works at Churchill haven't been all that great. We can't

recommend for anything more than a check until he shows us something on the

dirt. CLASSIC LEGACY (Macho Uno) was third in the Grey last out and will be

trying to turn the tables on Blue Laser in this spot, but the same logic

applies. We'll not back until the Bob Baffert-trained gray proves his ability on

dirt.

DREAMSRUNWILD (Offlee Wild) has been running on both the dirt and turf at

Louisiana Downs, getting beat by Aces n Kings twice along the way, and might not

be quite up to our top ones at this time. CLUBHOUSE RIDE's (Candy Ride [Arg])

only try on dirt resulted in a 2 1/4-length win in the Barretts Juvenile S., but

he only earned a 76 Speed rating for that effort. The Craig Lewis runner will

have to do better than that to threaten here.