Take Charge Brandi favored in Delta Downs Princess

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Vinton, LA (SportsNetwork.com) - Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Take Charge Brandi has been made the 2-1 morning line favorite for Saturday's $400,000 Delta Downs Princess Stakes at Delta Downs.

The Princess Stakes shares the card with the $1 million Delta Downs Jackpot for 2-year-old colts and geldings.

Trained by Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas for Willis Horton, Take Charge Brandi will be ridden for the first time by Paco Lopez in the mile stakes for 2-year- old fillies and start from post 6 in the 12-horse field.

"She came out of the Breeders' Cup great," Lukas said recently.

Sent off as a 61-1 longshot, Take Charge Brandi, with Victor Espinoza riding, set the pace from the start and rolled to victory in the $2 million Juvenile Fillies and stopped the timer for the 1 1/16-mile race at 1:41.95.

Take Charge Brandi, who returned $125.40 for the win, earned $1.1 million as she registered her second victory from six starts. The 2-year-old has banked $1,170,126.

"I think she definitely proved she should be in the conversation from her Breeders' Cup performance," Lukas said about possible champion 2-year-old filly honors. "Will it be enough? I'm not sure. If we decide to go to the Golden Rod with her and win, it obviously helps our chances."

Take Charge Brandi broke her maiden in her debut at Churchill Downs in June. She was second at Saratoga in the Schuylerville and fifth in the Adirondack Stakes. The filly followed with a fifth in the Pocahontas at Churchill and was eighth in Keeneland's Alcibiades.

Here is the field for the Princess from the rail out: Danessa Deluxe, Jesus Rios, 12/1; Lil Super Bear, Quincy Hamilton, 20/1; Temper Mint Patty, Joel Rosario, 8/1; Miss Mandate, Shaun Bridgmohan, 10/1; Skipalute, Corey Lanerie, 6/1; Take Charge Brandi, Paco Lopez, 2/1; Vivian Da Bling, Chris Rosier, 3-1; Spooled, Fernando De La Cruz, 15/1; Sharla Rae, Kyle Frey, 10/1; Majestic Presence, Russell Baze, 8/1; Divine Dawn, Kerwin Clark, 12/1 and Lovely Maria, Kerwin Clark, 12-1.

The Delta Downs Princess has an approximate post time 4:43 p.m. ET.

Lukas also has the favorite for the 1 1/16-mile Delta Downs Jackpot. Mr. Z, owned by Zayat Stables, has drawn post 3 in the 10-horse field and will be ridden by Paco Lopez for the first time as well.

Mr. Z finished fifth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita on Nov. 1. Ridden by Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith in the 1 1/16-mile Juvenile, the chestnut colt raced third for most of the race, but faded to fifth.

The colt finished second as a 17-1 longshot in Keeneland's Breeders' Futurity behind 2-1 favorite Carpe Diem who would finish second to Texas Red in the Juvenile as the 9-5 favorite.

Mr. Z has earned $259,726 with one win and three seconds from six starts.

In post position order, here is the field for the Delta Downs Jackpot: Prime Engine, Russell Baze, 8-1; Dekabrist, Jesus Rios, 30-1; Mr. Z, Paco Lopez, 5-2; Conquest Tsunami, Shaun Bridgmohan, 4-1; Saratoga Heater, Joel Rosario, 15-1; Golden Actor, Jose Gallego, 7-2; Red Button, Tyler Baze. 12-1; Wake Up Nick, Mario Gutierrez, 10-1; Far Right, Corey Lanerie, 10-1 and Ocho Ocho Ocho, Mike Smith, 6-1. The also eligibles are Unblunted and Two Six Wins.

The Jackpot will have an approximate post time of 5:15 p.m. ET.

For the third consecutive year, the Delta Downs Jackpot is part of the 'Road to the Kentucky Derby' series. The top four finishers in this year's Delta Downs Jackpot will be awarded points on a 10-4-2-1 scale toward a possible starting position in the Run for the Roses, first leg of the 2015 Triple Crown, on Saturday, May 2.

Two-time Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner Goldencents won the 2012 Delta Downs Jackpot.