ALTOONA, Iowa – Friday’s $125,000 Iowa Sprint Handicap, the featured event on opening night of the Iowa Festival of Racing, presents another opportunity for Delaunay to get an elusive first win here. Delaunay, a grand 8-year-old gelding who has won 18 races and earned $1,127,071, is based at Churchill Downs with trainer Tom Amoss and owned by Des Moines resident Maggi Moss, perennially one of the nation’s leading owners. In the 2013 Iowa Sprint Handicap, Delaunay was outpointed by Gentlemen’s Bet, who went on to finish third behind Secret Circle in that season’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint. In last year’s renewal, Delaunay had a spirited battle with Work All Week before falling short by a half-length. Work All Week went on to win the 2014 Breeders’ Cup Sprint on his way to winning the Eclipse Award as champion male sprinter.   brightcove.createExperiences(); Delaunay continued his excellence at Fair Grounds during the fall and winter, including a towering 112 Beyer Speed Figure for his win in the Thanksgiving Handicap on Nov. 27. After a poor start spoiled his chances in an allowance race April 18 at Keeneland, Delaunay found a new rival in Bobcat Jim, a Kenny Smith-trained 5-year-old who beat him by a neck May 23 in the Ed Skinner Memorial, the local prep race for the Iowa Sprint Handicap. Bobcat Jim will join four others in opposing Delaunay on Friday, and the Sharp Humor gelding again drew the rail. In career-best form, Bobcat Jim aims to extend his winning streak to three under jockey Shane Laviolette. Key contenders Bobcat Jim (Last 3 Beyers: 100-93-82) * Smith, who registered his 1,000th career victory earlier at this meet, is enjoying a 23-for-86 season. * Three of his five lifetime wins have come when ridden by Laviolette. Bruvver Max (Last 3 Beyers: 99-79-93) * Makes his stakes debut for trainer Tim Martin in his 21st lifetime start after a dominant 6 1/2-length win over allowance foes here June 26. * Was claimed off Smith by his current connections out of a $25,000 Oaklawn Park claiming race Feb. 5. Den’s Legacy (Last 3 Beyers: 78-94-86) * Makes a return to sprinting following a trio of subpar efforts around two turns. * Set the pace May 1 in the Grade 2 Alysheba at Churchill before tiring to fourth place. Z Rockstar (Last 3 Beyers: 77-78-83) * Deep-closing Oklahoma-bred gets a class test but is 4 for 7 at six furlongs and has earned $559,664 in his career. Delaunay (Last 3 Beyers: 99-85-102) * Signaled his readiness with a quick four-furlong breeze in 47.20 seconds June 18 at Churchill Downs. * Jockey Ramon Vazquez, who has ridden only twice for Amoss, gets the return call.