Plenty of Players in Jackpot

With 10 juveniles in the main body of the field and a pair of colts hoping to draw in, Saturday’s $1-million GIII Delta Downs Jackpot appears to be almost anyone’s for the taking. Mr. Z (Malibu Moon) figures to vie for favoritism, but the D. Wayne Lukas-trained Zayat Stables colorbearer has built his reputation on second-place finishes rather than victories. He just missed after a terrible trip behind subsequently sidelined Big Trouble (Tiz Wonderful) in July’s GIII Sanford S. at Saratoga, and filled the same slot behind another Tony Dutrow trainee in I Spent It (Super Saver) in the GII Saratoga Special S. in August. Fifth in Churchill’s GIII Iroquois S. Sept. 6, the chestnut bounced back to finish a distant runner-up to”TDN Rising Star” Carpe Diem (Giant’s Causeway) in Keeneland’s GI Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity S. Oct. 4. Mr. Z faded to fifth after chasing a meltdown pace in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Nov. 1. Carpe Diem was second. Among those set to challenge Mr. Z is Conquest Stables’s Conquest Tsunami (Stormy Atlantic). The easiest of winners in his first three starts sprinting on synthetic–including Woodbine’s Victoria S. and Colin S.–the Mark Casse pupil added a narrow allowance tally when confidently ridden going seven panels over the Woodbine sod Aug. 23. Sixth after setting the pace in the Breeders’ Futurity in his route and dirt debut, Conquest Tsunami bounced back to prove he could handle the conventional stuff with a comfortable score in Churchill’s one-mile Street Sense S. Oct. 26. Casse dead-heated for the win in this race in 2007 with Turf War (Dixie Union), and took last year’s GIII Delta Downs Princess S. with Tepin (Bernstein). Thoroughbred Champion Training Center’s Golden Actor (Curlin) is the lone runner in this field with experience over the track. He donned cap and gown second out at Gulfstream Park West Oct. 13, and saved every inch of ground before drawing off to a good-looking 4 1/4-length win in the local Jean Lafitte S. Oct. 25. The chestnut has remained in Louisiana rather than returning to his Florida base since that last outing, and has recorded a pair of bullet works over the strip in the interim. Prime Engine (Northern Afleet) figures to have a say in the outcome here–at least early. A 10 1/4-length first up winner sprinting at Emerald Downs Sept. 13, the Mark DeDomenico colorbearer was transferred from Michael Puhich to Jerry Hollendorfer for this after a 5 1/2-length score in the 8 1/2-panel Gottstein Futurity S. in Washington Sept. 28. PR Racing’s Saratoga Heater (Temple City) earned his diploma second out in the Saratoga slop against New York-breds for Al Stall, Jr. Aug. 31, and ran away with the restricted Bertam F. Bongard S. at Belmont Sept. 21 when saddled by Lisa Lewis. The bay is back here with Louisiana native Stall, who is seeking his first Jackpot win. DP Racing’s Ocho Ocho Ocho (Street Sense) might not have shown up here if not for rare rain in Southern California forcing the Nov. 1 Juvenile Turf Sprint off its intended surface. After a solid maiden breaker at Santa Anita Oct. 11, trainer James Cassidy worked the $200,000 OBS April grad on the grass and the colt reportedly relished the going. He didn’t get to show off his turf prowess in the afternoon, but Ocho Ocho Ocho dueled and drew off by 5 3/4 lengths to garner the”TDN Rising Star” distinction.