O'Neill's Goldencents wins $1M Delta Downs Jackpot
- Favored Bern Identity, trained by Kelly Breen, finished second to Goldencents
- Goldencents has 14 points in the new points standings to determine Kentucky Derby eligibility
Doug O'Neill, who trained this year's Kentucky Derby winner I'll Have Another, may have another top prospect for the 2013 Run for the Roses after the O'Neill-trained Goldencents led virtually wire to wire to win the $1,000,000 Delta Downs Jackpot for 2-year-olds over Bern Identity by 1¾ lengths Saturday at Delta Downs Racetrack Casino Hotel.
Ridden by Kevin Krigger, Goldencents completed the 1 1/16 miles over eight rivals in 1:44.89 as the 5-2 second choice behind the favored Bern Identity. Goldencents and earned a $600,000 first prize in the 10th running of the Jackpot for owners W.C Racing, Dave Kenny and University of Louisville Basketball Coach Rick Pitino. Goldencents won his second race in just three starts. He broke his maiden at Del Mar by 7 lengths on September 2 and was then second to eventual Breeders' Cup Juvenile Champion Shanghai Bobby in the Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park by five lengths.
Breaking from the outside post position in the nine horse field, Krigger maneuvered Goldencents to the lead approaching the clubhouse turn and held a one length lead through three quarters of a mile in 1:11.18. Runner-up Bern Identity, trained by Kelly Breen, came into this race off a victory in the Jean Laffite Stakes at Delta Downs on Oct. 20, and also a victory this summer in the Grade II Sanford Stakes at Saratoga. He was shuffled back early and came very wide on the far turn, but closed strongly from eighth place in the stretch to finish second.
"Kevin knows this colt," said O'Neill after the race. "He's worked him nearly every out. When I heard the announcer give the early fractions I thought, 'uh oh we are going a little too quick,' but we all have so much faith in this colt. Kevin kept him out of trouble and didn't fight him and it worked out perfect. I don't know the exact path (to the Kentucky Derby), but we will probably look somewhere at Santa Anita after the first of the year. Maybe the Bob Lewis Stakes. This horse has been in New York and Louisiana in two of his three starts, so he travels great."
In winning Saturday's Jackpot, Goldencents earned 10 points in the new Road to the Kentucky Derby points system, which will determine starting positions for the 2013 Derby. Bern Identity earned four points for his second place finish, followed by Mylute with two points and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Sprint winner Hightail with one. Central Banker, Itsmyluckyday, Heaven's Runway, Know More and Show Some Magic completed the order of finish in the Jackpot. Goldencents now has 14 total points, second behind Shanghai Bobby's 20.