Exaggerator Morning-Line Choice for Jackpot

Big Chief Racing's Exaggerator, a steady fourth in the Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I), was installed the 2-1 morning-line choice for the $1 million Delta Downs Jackpot Stakes (gr. III) Nov. 21 in southwestern Louisiana.

The 1 1/16-mile Jackpot for 2-year-olds is a "Road to the Kentucky Derby" qualifying event. The winner will earn 10 points toward a 2016 Derby berth, with four points for second, two for third, and one for fourth.

The Jackpot drew a field of 10 with no horses on the also-eligible list. It's the seventh race on a special Saturday afternoon program at Delta Downs Racetrack Casino & Hotel that begins at 1:15 p.m. CST.

Exaggerator, trained by Keith Desormeaux and to be ridden by his brother, Kent, drew post 9 and is the 122-pound topweight as the only winner of a graded stakes—the grade II Saratoga Special at Saratoga Race Course in August. The Curlin   colt shipped back to his California base after the Breeders' Cup at Keeneland and worked five furlongs in 1:00 4/5 handily at Santa Anita Park Nov. 14.

Dennis Drazin's Sunny Ridge, trained by Jason Servis and to be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. from post 3 at 119 pounds, is the 7-2 second choice in the Jackpot. In his last start Oct. 3 at Belmont Park, the Holy Bull gelding had the lead in the one-turn-mile Champagne Stakes (gr. I) in the stretch only to finish second, 4 1/2 lengths behind Greenpointcrusader. Before that Sunny Ridge had no trouble with two turns in winning the one-mile Sapling Stakes at Monmouth Park from off the pace.

Brittlyn Stable's Forevamo, by Uncle Mo  , has the advantage of a race at Delta Downs. He won the Oct. 24 Jean Laffite Stakes, a prep for the Jackpot, going one mile under Colby Hernandez, who has a return call from post 1 at 119 pounds. Forevamo, who broke his maiden in his third start in the Jean Lafitte, is 4-1 on the morning line.

Robert LaPenta, Harry Rosenblum, and Southern Springs Stables' Whitmore (8-1) enters the Jackpot one-for-one, and his first start was quite good. The Pleasantly Perfect gelding won a six-furlong maiden event at Churchill Downs by 7 1/4 lengths after a slow start and may enjoy the added distance for trainer Ron Moquett. Robby Albarado will ride from post 4 at 117 pounds.

Probable post time for the Jackpot is 4:15 p.m. There are eight stakes on the 11-race card with total purses of about $2 million.