Six set to go in Sham Stakes

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Arcadia, CA (Sports Network) - Delta Jackpot winner Goldencents will take on five rivals in Saturday's $100,000 Sham Stakes at Santa Anita Park. The winner of the Sham will receive 10 points towards entering the Kentucky Derby.

Goldencents, trained by Doug O'Neill, will start from post two with his regular jockey Kevin Krigger in the saddle. O'Neill is seeking his second straight win in both the Santa Anita Derby and Run for the Roses after claiming both races in 2012 with I'll Have Another.

Owned in part by University of Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino's RAP Racing, Goldencents won the $1 million Delta Jackpot on Nov. 17 at Delta Downs in Louisiana.

"He worked (six furlongs) in 1:10.20 last Thursday and if you didn't have a stop watch, you'd have thought he went in 1:14 or 1:15, just cruising," said O'Neill. "I did have a stop watch on him, and as I looked down and saw one-ten and change, it was just, 'wow!' It was really amazing.

"He came out of it in great shape, full of energy, and it's just one day at a time. He's got to stay injury-free but he's a real exciting prospect."

The colt won his first time racing and finished second in the Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park on Oct. 6 behind eventual Breeders' Cup Juvenile champ Shanghai Bobby. In his three starts Goldencents has banked $722,000.

O'Neill has also entered Greeley Awesome in the Sham. The colt will be ridden by Kentucky Derby winning jockey Mario Gutierrez from post three. Greeley Awesome finally won for the first time on Nov. 30 after six previous attempts. The Sham will be the colt's first stakes.

Here is the complete field for the Sham in post position order: Den's Legacy, Garrett Gomez; Goldencents, Kevin Krigger; Greeley Awesome, Mario Gutierrez; Dry Summer, Joe Talamo; Dirty Swagg, Tyler Baze and Manando, Martin Garcia.

Post-time for the Sham will be approximately 4:31 p.m. (ET).