Delta Downs: Casse has contenders for three biggest stakes on Jackpot card

Trainer Mark Casse will attack Saturday’s $2.2 million Delta Downs Jackpot card with starters in the three major races among the day’s eight stakes. Casse has Coastline for the Grade 3, $1 million Delta Downs Jackpot; Appreciating and Tepin for the Grade 3, $500,000 Delta Downs Princess; and Uncaptured for the $150,000 Delta Mile.

The Jackpot card will have an afternoon first post of 1:15 Central. The fields for the races were to be drawn Tuesday. Delta plans to offer a $200,000-guaranteed pick four that will include the Princess and Jackpot.

Casse has been a longtime participant on what is annually the biggest card of the meet at the Vinton, La., track. He sent out Turf War to a dead-heat win in the Jackpot in 2007 and last year captured the Delta Mile with Prospective. Casse is hopeful the horses he is sending this year will adapt to the six-furlong oval.

“All four horses we’re bringing, we had that in mind,” Casse said. “We’ve been there enough now to know who likes it and who doesn’t like it, and we feel like these horses fit. Hopefully, we’re right.”

Coastline could be favored in the Jackpot, a 1 1/16-mile race for 2-year-olds, after winning the $61,000 Street Sense at a mile at Churchill Downs. He dominated by three lengths and was flattered when fourth-place finisher Almost Famous came back and romped in a highly rated allowance at Churchill. Coastline, meanwhile, was tabbed for a trip to Delta for the Jackpot.

“I think he suits there very well,” Casse said. “He’s got some speed. I don’t think the distance is going to be a problem. I think he has a legitimate chance to win it, so there’s a million reasons to go.”

Coastline is to be ridden by Shaun Bridgmohan, who also has the mount on Appreciating in the Princess, a one-mile race for 2-year-old fillies. Casse said Miguel Mena will ride Tepin and Uncaptured. The horses are to fly in Wednesday from Kentucky. They are scheduled to arrive in Houston, then van two hours to Delta Downs.

Coastline was one of 14 horses pre-entered in the Jackpot on Nov. 12. The field will be limited to 10. Others pre-entered include Best Plan Yet, Rise Up, Casiguapo, Rum Point, and Intense Holiday. Yes I’m Lucky, a three-time stakes winner also among the pre-entries, may not be entered in the Jackpot, trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. said Monday.

“I’m leaning against it right now,” he said. “But I’m not going to say no.”

Plesa said an alternative for Yes I’m Lucky is the $100,000 Pulpit at Gulfstream on Nov. 30.

Pre-entries for the Princess included graded stakes winners Miss Behaviour, Concave, and Bahnah.

The Jackpot is to be broadcast on both HRTV and TVG. The race will have a post time of 4:15 p.m. Central. It also will be featured live on Sirius XM Radio as part of a two-hour program hosted by Dave Johnson, Bill Finley, and Chris McCarron.