Ten set for $1 million Jackpot

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.