Delta Downs: Bargain buy Drinking Fund should be primed for El Dorado

Drinking Fund has established herself as one of the best claims in Louisiana. She was haltered for $5,000 at Delta Downs in January 2012 and has gone on to win nine races and $210,324 for her owner and trainer, Joey Foster. Her r é sum é includes a win in the $50,000 Honeymoon at Louisiana Downs in June.

“Horse of a lifetime,” Foster said.

Drinking Fund will attempt to add to her reputation Friday night, when she runs in the $65,000 El Dorado at Delta. The one-mile race is restricted to fillies and mares who have raced for a claiming price at either Delta or Evangeline Downs during 2012-13. Both tracks are owned by Boyd Gaming.

The field of seven in the El Dorado also includes Sweettalkin Hottie, fourth in the $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Ladies Classic at Fair Grounds on Dec. 14, and Amazing Saint, who boasts an 8-for-11 record at Delta.

Drinking Fund will be making her second start since August. She enters off a second-place finish in an optional $30,000 claimer Dec. 18, beaten 1 1/2 lengths in the seven-furlong race run at two turns at Delta.

“My mare came up a little short on the end, but she was supposed to,” Foster said. “We gave her that little 90-day break this summer. That was her first race back. I think she’s looking good in this spot.”

Foster said one concern is that Drinking Fund will be wheeling back in eight days as the race she exits did not fill when originally scheduled and ended up being run closer than anticipated to the El Dorado.

Drinking Fund, who dueled from the rail last out, will break from post 7 on Friday, under regular rider Chris Rosier.

“I like the seven-hole,” Foster said. “She can sit right off the pace if she needs to. I like the seven-hole a lot better than the one-hole.”

◗ Jockey Gerard Melancon, thrown in a sixth-race spill at Delta the night of Dec. 19, did not break any bones in the incident, said his agent, Louis Coco. Melancon was to revisit with doctors Monday and from there a timeline for his return will be set, Coco said. Melancon won last month’s Grade 3, $1 million Delta Downs Jackpot aboard Rise Up. He is the fourth-leading rider in wins this meet at Delta.