The Sam’s Town Stakes at Delta Downs is set to be an exciting race with a purse of $75,000, featuring a competitive field of horses aged four years and older. This five-furlong race will see a mix of seasoned veterans and rising stars vying for the top prize. Here’s a detailed analysis of the contenders:
- Autumns Strong Man (LA)
- Jockey: J P Vargas
- Trainer: G J Husak
- Weight: 117 lbs
- Morning Line Odds: 8/1
- Pedigree: Strong Mandate – Thescreenisred, by Van Nistelrooy
- Owner: Gary Husak and Earl Conrad Sanderson, Jr.
- Breeder: Autumn Hill Farms Racing Stables, Inc.
- Tape to Tape (FL)
- Jockey: T Thornton
- Trainer: A Ramirez-Rodriguez
- Weight: 119 lbs
- Morning Line Odds: 7/2
- Pedigree: Uncaptured – Trippi Honor, by Trippi
- Owner: End Zone Athletics Inc. (Karl Broberg and Matt Johanson)
- Breeder: Honors Stable Corporation
- General Shipman (NE)
- Jockey: J Dominguez
- Trainer: S M Asmussen
- Weight: 121 lbs
- Morning Line Odds: 9/5
- Pedigree: Midshipman – Impish, by Into Mischief
- Owner: Jason Cline
- Breeder: Jason Cline
- Old Homestead (FL)
- Jockey: V Del-Cid
- Trainer: B A Brinkman
- Weight: 119 lbs
- Morning Line Odds: 9/2
- Pedigree: Overanalyze – Pearl de Vere, by Songandaprayer
- Owner: Marablue Farm, LLC (Allen D. Henderson) and Pegasus Stud, LLC (Melinda Smith)
- Breeder: Marablue Farm LLC & Pegasus Stud LLC
- Empire of Gold (KY)
- Jockey: J Melancon
- Trainer: T Eoff
- Weight: 117 lbs
- Morning Line Odds: 12/1
- Pedigree: Goldencents – Empire Diva, by Empire Maker
- Owner: Johnny B. Evans and Terry Eoff
- Breeder: W C Racing
- Hap Hot (MN)
- Jockey: C Fusilier
- Trainer: A Landry
- Weight: 117 lbs
- Morning Line Odds: 8/1
- Pedigree: Barbados – Fanfest (GB), by Fantastic Light
- Owner: Dale White, Sr.
- Breeder: Suzanne Stables
- Lagoon (KY)
- Jockey: E J Barrera
- Trainer: K Segura
- Weight: 117 lbs
- Morning Line Odds: 6/1
- Pedigree: Runhappy – Gulf, by Blame
- Owner: Howard Romero
- Breeder: Claiborne Farm & Adele B. Dilschneider
Analysis and Predictions
Favorite: General Shipman (NE) – With morning line odds of 9/5, General Shipman comes in as the favorite. Trained by the renowned S M Asmussen, this four-year-old gelding has shown consistent performance and is expected to be a strong contender.
Top Contenders: Tape to Tape (FL) and Old Homestead (FL) – Tape to Tape, at 7/2, is another strong competitor, trained by A Ramirez-Rodriguez. Old Homestead, with odds of 9/2, also presents a solid challenge under trainer B A Brinkman. Both horses have shown significant potential and could provide stiff competition to the favorite.
Dark Horses: Lagoon (KY) and Hap Hot (MN) – With odds of 6/1 and 8/1 respectively, Lagoon and Hap Hot could surprise the field. Lagoon, trained by K Segura, has a pedigree that suggests strong sprinting ability. Hap Hot, under trainer A Landry, has also demonstrated versatility and resilience in previous races.
Long Shot: Empire of Gold (KY) – At 12/1, Empire of Gold is considered a long shot. However, with jockey J Melancon and trainer T Eoff, there’s always a possibility for an upset in a competitive field.
The Sam’s Town Stakes promises to be an exhilarating race with a mix of experienced and emerging talents. With several strong contenders, it will be interesting to see who comes out on top in this five-furlong sprint at Delta Downs.
