Delta Downs Jackpot 2016

November 20, 2016: Aqueduct Pick 6 Carryover and More, Video: 2016 Delta Downs Jackpot. The Delta Jackpot Stakes was an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Delta Downs in Vinton, Louisiana.A Grade III stakes open to two-year-old horses, it was raced in November over a distance of 1 1 ⁄ 16 miles (8.5 Furlongs) on dirt. The inaugural running of the Delta Jackpot took place in 2002. Run over a distance of one mile (1.6 km), it carried a purse of $500,000. Delta Downs hosts its flagship card this Saturday: Delta Jackpot Day. The card features eight stakes races, two graded. Both graded events, the $1,000,000 Delta Jackpot (GIII) and the $400,000. Indeed, it now shifts into another gear, as the later developing juveniles begin to assert themselves on the road to the 2017 Kentucky Derby (G1). We've still got a handful of Derby points races remaining in 2016, beginning with Saturday's $1 million Delta Downs Jackpot (G3).

Two dominating performances by juveniles happened in back-to-back races at Delta Downs on Nov. 19, capped by Gunnevera's 5 ½-length runaway victory in the $1 million, Grade 3 Delta Downs Jackpot Stakes.

Two dominating performances by juveniles happened in back-to-back races at Delta Downs on Nov. 19, capped by Gunnevera's 5 ½-length runaway victory in the $1 million, Grade 3 Delta Downs Jackpot Stakes.

In the previous race, the one-mile Delta Downs Princess, undefeated Shane's Girlfriend and jockey Flavien Prat won by 13 1/4 lengths. Both winners were awarded 10 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby and Road to the Kentucky Oaks, respectively.

Voodoo dreams casino. For most of the 1 1/16 miles, Peacock Racing Stable's Gunnevera, under jockey Javier Castellano, raced at the back of the 10-horse field as Our Stormin Norman and Hot Sean dueled for the early lead. The leading pair set quarter-mile fractions of :23.18, :47.05, and 1:12.52 through six furlongs. In a confident move, Castellano asked Gunnevera to go wide through the final turn and the 2-year-old colt responded, circling the entire field to drive well clear in the stretch and stop the clock in 1:45.15.

Hot Sean finished second, four lengths ahead of Dangerfield in third.

Delta Downs Jackpot 2016 Results

Sent off as the 5-2 favorite, Gunnevera returned $7.80, $4.40, and $3.40 across the board.

Two dominating performances by juveniles happened in back-to-back races at Delta Downs on Nov. 19, capped by Gunnevera's 5 ½-length runaway victory in the $1 million, Grade 3 Delta Downs Jackpot Stakes.

Two dominating performances by juveniles happened in back-to-back races at Delta Downs on Nov. 19, capped by Gunnevera's 5 ½-length runaway victory in the $1 million, Grade 3 Delta Downs Jackpot Stakes.

In the previous race, the one-mile Delta Downs Princess, undefeated Shane's Girlfriend and jockey Flavien Prat won by 13 1/4 lengths. Both winners were awarded 10 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby and Road to the Kentucky Oaks, respectively.

Voodoo dreams casino. For most of the 1 1/16 miles, Peacock Racing Stable's Gunnevera, under jockey Javier Castellano, raced at the back of the 10-horse field as Our Stormin Norman and Hot Sean dueled for the early lead. The leading pair set quarter-mile fractions of :23.18, :47.05, and 1:12.52 through six furlongs. In a confident move, Castellano asked Gunnevera to go wide through the final turn and the 2-year-old colt responded, circling the entire field to drive well clear in the stretch and stop the clock in 1:45.15.

Hot Sean finished second, four lengths ahead of Dangerfield in third.

Delta Downs Jackpot 2016 Results

Sent off as the 5-2 favorite, Gunnevera returned $7.80, $4.40, and $3.40 across the board.

A chestnut colt by Dialed In, Gunnevera also won the Grade 2 Saratoga Special Stakes, just like last year's Jackpot winner Exaggerator, who then went on to win the Santa Anita Derby, Preakness, and Betfair.com Haskell Invitational Stakes, all Grade 1 races.

Gunnevera now has a record of three wins from six starts for trainer Antonio Sano, with earnings of $771,000.

Out of the Unbridled mare Unbridled Rage, the chestnut colt was purchased by Sano for $16,000 from Brandywine Farm and Stephen Upchurch at the 2015 Keeneland September yearling sale.

Fastest Time (since 1976): 1:37:77
Greatest Winning Margin (since 1976): 6 lengths

Delta Downs has been something of a hot spot for trainer Mark Casse through the years. Tepin won the first stakes race of her career in the track's Grade 3 Princess in 2013, and Turf War dead-heated for the win in its signature event, the Grade 3, $1 million Jackpot, in 2007.

There have been other Delta stakes wins for the barn, too, and Casse will attempt to add to his numbers Saturday when he sends out Thirstforlife and Our Stormin Norman in the Jackpot.

The 1-1/16-mile race for 2-year-olds will anchor a card of eight stakes worth $2.3 million. The program is the richest of the season at Delta, which is located just across the border from Texas in the small town of Vinton, La.

'They always kind of lure me in,' Casse said of Delta. How to play roulette smart. 'It's a nice place. They give away a lot of money. What's the old story? If you build it, they will come. If they put the money up, they will come.'

Thirstforlife enters the Jackpot off a wire-to-wire win in a first-level allowance Oct. 20 at Keeneland.

'Last race, we weren't planning on being on the lead, but he was on the lead and he showed a lot of gameness,' Casse said.

Bo vegas casino. 'The race is better than it looks on paper.'

Delta Downs Jackpot 2016 2020

Thirstforlife earned a modest Beyer Speed Figure of 69, but Casse noted that the runner-up, Just Move On, returned in his next start to win a first-level allowance at Churchill Downs with a Beyer of 81.

'We thought he deserved a chance,' Casse said of targeting the Jackpot with Thirstforlife.

Thirstforlife, who is by the stallion Stay Thirsty, has long been well regarded by Casse.

'He's a horse with a huge pedigree,' said Casse. 'He's a half to Cavorting.'

Cavorting, a multiple Grade 1 winner, has compiled career earnings of more than $2 million.

Our Stormin Norman enters the Jackpot off a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 88, earned for his wire-to-wire win in a maiden special weight at seven furlongs Oct. 23 at Keeneland. It's the best Beyer Figure in the Jackpot.

Our Stormin Norman will be looking for his first two-turn win on Saturday.

'His last race was huge,' Casse said. 'We're hoping his speed will carry down there. We know speed normally is pretty important [at Delta].'

Julien Leparoux has the mount on Our Stormin Norman, while Florent Geroux will be aboard Thirstforlife.

Delta Downs Jackpot 2016 Winner

The Jackpot will be a final leg of an all-stakes pick four that runs on races 4-7. There will be a minimum guaranteed pool of $200,000. Other races making up the sequence are the Delta Mile, the Sam's Town, and the Grade 3, $400,000 Delta Downs Princess. There will be a reduced takeout of 12 percent on the pick four. Delta's card will start at 1:45 p.m. Central and the program will be streamed live at DRF.com.