Delta Downs: Costa Rising returning

Costa Rising, who owns one of the year's best Beyer Speed Figures, will make his first start since September in Saturday night's $100,000 Gold Cup at Delta Downs. The 1 1/16-mile race is one of four Louisiana-bred stakes on the card. The races are expected to produce starters for the Louisiana Champions Day program at Fair Grounds on Dec. 8.

Costa Rising last raced on turf, finishing sixth in the $200,000 Unbridled Breeders' Cup at Louisiana Downs. Before that, he won an allowance at Evangeline with a Beyer Figure of 118, which ranks as the year's third highest at a mile or shorter. For the Gold Cup, a race Costa Rising won last year, he drew post 6 in a field of six when entries for the race were taken Wednesday. Trainer Glenn Delahoussaye has given the mount to Kerwin Clark.