Exaggerator heads baker’s dozen pre-entered to Delta Jackpot

Edited Press Release

A total of 13 pre-entries were received for this year’s $1 million Delta Downs Jackpot (G3), which will be run on November 21. The race for 2-year-olds competing at 1 1/16 miles on a dirt surface will be the main event on a Jackpot Day program that will include eight stakes races in all and more than $2.3 million in total purse money.

The most accomplished pre-entrant is Exaggerator, who won the Saratoga Special (G2) in August before his runner-up effort to Brody’s Cause in the Breeders’ Futurity (G1) at Keeneland. The J. Keith Desormeaux trainee most recently finished fourth to likely 2-year-old Eclipse Award winner Nyquist in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1), also run at Keeneland.

Other horses of note pre-entered on Tuesday were the Al Stall Jr.-trained Forevamo, who took the Jean Lafitte Stakes at Delta Downs on October 24; Sunny Ridge, who finished second to Greenpointcrusader in the Champagne Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park on October 3 for trainer Jason Servis; and Found Money, who won the Santa Anita Juvenile back in June prior to a couple of runner-up performances in state-bred stakes company at Del Mar. Found Money is trained by Doug O’Neill, who won the Jackpot in 2012 with Goldencents.

Listed below are this year’s pre-entrants to the $1,000,000 Delta Downs Jackpot in order of career earnings:

Horse		Trainer		Earnings
Exaggerator		J. Keith Desormeaux		$383,120
Sunny Ridge		Jason Servis		$194,752
Found Money		Doug O’Neill		$179,100
Forevamo		Al Stall Jr.		$130,550
Siding Spring		Mark Casse		$97,000
Rare Candy		David Hofmans		$81,000
Harlan Punch		Tom Amoss		$55,400
Memories of Winter		Anthony Margotta Jr.		$44,460
Texas Jambalaya		Terry Eoff		$33,096
Whitmore		Ron Moquett		$33,000
Roman’s Chance		Gennadi Dorochenko		$24,998
Iron Dome		Kenneth Marshall		$16,250
Cowboy Classic		David B. Anderson		$14,910

Final entries and post positions will be drawn for this year’s Delta Downs Jackpot on Monday, November 16. First preference for the race will be given to Forevamo, by virtue of his win in the Jean Lafitte Stakes. After that, preference will be given to those horses that have finished first, second or third in a Grade 1 or Grade 2 race, then preference goes to those horses that have finished in the money in any graded stakes. The final determinant to get into the field will be lifetime earnings at the time of pre-entries closing. The Delta Downs Jackpot field is limited to a maximum of 10 starters. There will be up to two also eligible horses drawn on entry day.

For the fourth consecutive year, the Delta Downs Jackpot is part of the “Road to the Kentucky Derby” series, which this year includes 35 stakes leading up to next year’s big race at Churchill Downs on May 7.

Delta Downs also accepted pre-entries for the $400,000 Delta Downs Princess (G3) on Tuesday morning with 10 2-year-old fillies making the list. Steve Asmussen’s La Appassionata, who won the My Trusty Cat Stakes at Delta Downs on October 23, is one of the top talents expected to vie for the $240,000 first place prize and 10 qualifying points toward a possible start in next year’s Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs.

There is a special post time of 1:15 p.m. (CT) on Jackpot Day.

Exaggerator winning the Saratoga Special courtesy of Adam Coglianese Photography