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Delta Downs: 96 Entered For Nine-Race Card On Nov. 24 Opening Day

Delta Downs' racing office took entries on Tuesday for the opening day program of its upcoming 2020-21 Thoroughbred season. The 84-day stand will kick off on Tuesday, Nov. 24 and run through April 16. First post time each day of the meet will be at 12:55 pm Central Time at the Vinton, La. track.

A total of 96 horses, including also eligible horses, were entered in the nine-race program to start the season. The first week of live racing will include programs on Tuesday and Wednesday, Nov. 24 and 25. The track will be dark on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday the 26th before the week wraps up with live cards on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 27 and 28.

Following opening week, Delta Downs will settle into a Monday through Thursday schedule for the remainder of the season with the only exception being Thursday, Dec. 24, when the track will be dark on Christmas Eve.

The opening day feature race is the $60,000 B Connected Stakes carded as the eighth event on the card. The race attracted a group of 12, which includes two also eligible horses. The top earner in the field is Thomas L. Holyfield's 7-year-old gelding Bistraya, who has banked $235,346 during his 38-race career. Bistraya is trained by David Gomez and will be ridden by Gerardo Mora.

Race fans will be treated to one stakes race per day for the first six days of the season. In addition to the B Connected on opening day, the $60,000 Lookout will take place on Wednesday of opening week. The $100,000 Treasure Chest takes center stage on Friday, and the $100,000 Delta Mile will headline the action on Saturday. On Monday, Nov. 30, it will be the $100,000 Jean Lafitte Stakes before the $100,000 My Trusty Cat spotlights the Tuesday, Dec. 1 card.

For more information about the upcoming season, including the entire stakes schedule, visit the track's website at www.deltadownsracing.com. Fans can also get information about the track through Facebook by visiting the page 'Delta Downs Racing'. The track's Twitter handle is @deltaracing.

Delta Downs Racetrack Casino and Hotel, a property of Boyd Gaming Corporation (NYSE:BYD), features exciting casino action, live horse racing and fun dining experiences. Delta Downs is located in Vinton, Louisiana, on Delta Downs Drive. From Lake Charles, take Exit 7 and from Texas, take Exit 4.

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$15,000 Purchase Lookin At Justice Kicks Clear To Win Indiana Futurity

A late rider change paired Jesus Castanon with Lookin at Justice in the 21st running of the $75,000 Indiana Futurity Tuesday, Nov. 17 at Indiana Grand. The move proved to be a winning connection as the duo scored a six and one-quarter length win in a time of 1:44.19 in the one mile and 70-yard event.

Starting from post four in the 12-horse lineup, Castanon had Lookin at Justice ready to roll out of the gate, getting good early positioning behind early leader A Few Too Many and Tommy Pompell. Lookin at Justice followed along comfortably down the backstretch as horses vied for position on the outside. Heading into the final turn, Lookin at Justice moved up and moved on to lead the field into the final portions of the race.

In the stretch, Lookin at Justice hit another gear and rolled out to a dominant lead for an easy win. Sudden Shift and DeShawn Parker rallied up late to finish second over Rockin All Night and Rodney Prescott, who also closed well for third place.

“Anytime you get to ride for Mr. Genaro (Garcia), you go out with a lot of confidence,” said Castanon. “I've been on him (Lookin at Justice) in the mornings so I knew him a little. He got somewhat confused turning into the stretch because he looked over and saw the starting gate and he picked up his ears. But I smooched to him one time to pick it up and he took off.”

It was the second win in six starts for Lookin at Justice, who is owned by Steve Lewis of Chicago and Genaro Garcia's Southwest Racing Stable. The juvenile son of Atreides was a $15,000 purchase last year at Fasig Tipton's October Yearling Sale in Kentucky. The Justice Farm product now has in excess of $80,000 in career earnings.

“I always thought two turns would be better for this colt,” said Garcia, who handles the training duties. “He would be much better for a distance because when he was in a sprint, you had to push him the entire time. I feel like he will be a nice 3-year-old. He's one of the special ones in the barn.”

Lewis and Garcia's Southwest Racing Stable is currently leading the owner standings with 19 wins heading into the final two days of racing. Garcia is leading the trainer standings with 41 wins. A title in 2020 would be Garcia's fourth straight training title at Indiana Grand.

The final two days of racing in 2020 offers a lot of action. A $115,522.76 carryover will kick off the Straight Fire 6 Jackpot Pick 6 in the second race Wednesday, Nov. 18. The card also includes two stakes, the 23rd running of the $100,000 To Much Coffee Stakes and the 24th running of the $100,000 Frances Slocum Stakes for older Indiana breds.

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Russian Influence Dominates Miss Indiana Stakes

All she needed was a little more time to shine, and that's exactly what she did. Russian Influence and Marcelino Pedroza scored the win in the 23rd running of the $75,000 Miss Indiana Stakes Tuesday, Nov. 17 at Indiana Grand. The race, which began at Hoosier Park in 1998, was the first 2-year-old pari-mutuel stakes race in the state and transferred to Indiana Grand when the program went to one breed, one track in 2013.

Russian Influence broke sharply and could have been a contender early, but Pedroza grabbed the reins and opted to settle in behind the field in next to last place. A herd of horses shot to the lead. America Rules and Tommy Pompell were the first to claim the top spot on the inside but were tracked closely by Hungarian Princess and Sammy Bermudez to their outside. Big If True and Eddie Perez were a lane further out. Horses were stacked three-wide through the first seven spots down the backstretch.

Pedroza began to move Russian Influence forward heading into the final turn of the one mile, 70-yard event, but ran into traffic trouble midway through the turn and was delayed a few strides. However, room opened up soon after and he was able to shoot through horses and was among the top three heading into the lane.

In the stretch, Russian Influence took over and sped out to the top spot, rallying home for the win by two and three-quarter lengths in a time of 1:45.88. Hungarian Princess held off Timeless Glory and Geena Lucille to finish second.

“I got on this filly after the last time she ran and really liked her and it gave me the opportunity to know what to recognize from her,” said Pedroza. “She just needed distance. She broke sharp but the plan for the race worked out perfectly. We let the speed go and at the 5/16ths, I was looking for a way to get through. Once we got through, I had a lot of horse left.”

It was the second win in three starts for Russian Influence and her first appearance in stakes action. She was purchased as a yearling at the Keeneland January All Ages Sale in 2019 for $120,000 by owner Stuart Grant of The Elkstone Group. He instantly liked what he saw.

“Stuart (Grant) texted me after the sale and told me he just bought the next Lady Fog Horn,” said trainer Tony Granitz, who campaigned two-time Indiana Horse of the Year Lady Fog Horn to more than $825,000 in earnings. “I told him those were big shoes to fill. We had to wait quite a while before we got her, but to this point, she's done everything right. We took the blinkers off of her tonight and it worked out great. We've been waiting for two turns.”

It was the first time Pedroza had been aboard Russian Influence in a race, but he was familiar with the Into Mischief Indiana bred filly from the mornings. With Andres Ulloa riding two of three entrants entered in the Miss Indiana Stakes for Granitz, he had to find a new pilot for Russian Influence.

“Andres (Ulloa) had just won on Taperinea so I told him we'd leave him on her and get someone for this filly (Russian Influence),” said Granitz. “We worked Russian Influence and Taperinea together last week and Marcelino came over and breezed her. It can be stressful having three in one race, but all three ran well today. I thought Timeless Glory ran really well to finish third. It's been a great year for all of our 2-year-olds.”

Russian Influence completes her two-year-old campaign with more than $70,000 in earnings in just three starts. The filly was bred by Deann and Dr. Greg Baer of Columbus, Ind.

For Pedroza, it was his third win on the program. The Panamanian jockey recently returned to riding after a three-month layoff due to an injury. In only two months of action, Pedroza has earned a spot among the track's top six riders and has accumulated more than $1 million in purses in the process.

The final two days of racing in 2020 are set for Wednesday, Nov. 18 and Thursday, Nov. 19 with a 2:05 p.m. start time. The Wednesday program offers the final two Thoroughbred stakes races of the year with the 23rd running of the $100,000 To Much Coffee Stakes and the 24th running of the $100,000 Frances Slocum Stakes for older Indiana breds on the program. The afternoon card will also feature a $115,522.76 carryover in the Straight Fire 6 Jackpot Pick 6, which begins in Race 2.

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‘Happy And Healthy’ Jesus’ Team Will Use Claiming Crown To Prep For Pegasus World Cup

Grupo 7C Racing Stables' Jesus' Team, who finished second in the $1 million Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) at Keeneland in his most recent start, is scheduled to make his next start in the $150,000 Claiming Crown Jewel at Gulfstream Park on Dec. 5.

Trainer Jose D'Angelo will use the Claiming Crown headliner, one of nine stakes for horses that have started for a claiming price at least once in 2019-2020, as a prep for the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park Jan. 23.

“I prefer a race before the Pegasus World Cup. I don't want to work him up to that race from the Breeders' Cup,” D'Angelo said. “He needs a race in December.”

The 1 1/8-mile Jewel is restricted to 3-year-olds and up that have started for a claiming price of $35,000. Jesus' Team broke his maiden in a $32,000 maiden claiming race at Gulfstream March 18 in his fifth career start. He came right back to score a seven-length victory for a $25,000 claiming tag May 8 before moving on to prove himself against graded-stakes company in his next six starts.

In his two most recent starts, Jesus' Team finished a distant third behind Swiss Skydiver and Authentic in the Oct. 3 Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico and second in the Dirt Mile, in which he closed from off the pace to finish 3 ½ lengths behind runaway winner Knicks Go.

“After he won the race for $25,000, I saw a big change in him,” D'Angelo said. “With every race, he gets better and better.”

D'Angelo's stable is based at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream Park's satellite training facility in Palm Beach County where Jesus' Team will prepare for Gulfstream's 2020-2021 Championship Meet that will get under way Dec. 2 and run through March 28.

“After the Breeders' Cup, we sent him to Ocala for rest in the paddock and round pen for a week. He's happy and healthy,” D'Angelo said “Now, he's at Palm Meadows and will start training again.”

Jesus' Team is among the most prominent names on the list of 25 nominees, which includes Grade 1 stakes winner Math Wizard and Grade 3 winner Harper's First Ride. Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained Math Wizard, who captured the 2019 Pennsylvania Derby (G1) at Parx, has breezed twice at Gulfstream since finishing fifth in the Sept. 5 Woodward (G1) at Saratoga. Harper's First Ride, a Claudio Gonzalez-trained Maryland-based gelding captured the Pimlico Special (G3) Oct. 2. Jack Sisterson-trained Dack Janiel's, who finished third in the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes (G2) at Keeneland Nov. 6, and defending Jewel champion Leitone are also nominated.

The nine Claiming Crown stakes attracted a total of 271 nominations, including 52 nominations for the $95,000 Emerald, a 1 1/16-mile turf race for 3-year-olds and up that have started for a claiming price of $25,000 or lower. Trainer Michael Maker, the all-time leading trainer in Claiming Crown history, has nominated 10 horses to the Emerald, including defending champion Muggsamatic.

The $95,000 Tiara, a 1 1/16-mile turf race for fillies and mares that started for a claiming price of $25,000 or lower, drew 27 nominations, including Herman Wilensky-trained Drop a Hint, who shipped from Gulfstream to Belmont for a third-pace finish in the Sands Point (G2) last time out.

The $90,000 Distaff Dash, a five-furlong turf sprint for fillies and mare that have started for a claiming price of $25,000 or lower, drew 34 nominations, including Maker-trained Jakarta, who captured the Powder Break during the Championship Meet at Gulfstream before finishing third in the Franklin County (G3) at Keeneland last time out.

The $90,000 Canterbury, a five-furlong turf dash for 3-year-olds and up who have started for a claiming price of $25,000 or lower, also drew 34 nominations, including Tom Albertrani-trained Fiya, who has won four straight races, including the Maryland Million Turf Sprint at Laurel last time out.

The Claiming Crown program will also include the $85,000 Rapid Transit, a seven-furlong sprint for 3-year-old and up that started for a claiming price of $16,000 or lower; the $80,000 Glass Slipper, a mile race for fillies and mares that started for a claiming price of $12,500 or lower; the $75,000 Express, a six-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and up that started for a claiming price of $8,000 or lower; and the $75,000 Iron Horse, a 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds and up that started for a claiming price of $8,000 or lower.

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