Delta winners covet bigger goals

Meadow Breeze and rider Steve Bourque defeat Stage Stop Friday night at Delta Downs. Next race for the winner is the Delta Princess on Dec. 1.P

Meadow Breeze and Go Poppa Fooze are both likely to advance to Delta Downs's richest races next month after winning preps for the $300,000 Delta Princess and Grade 3, $1 million Delta Jackpot on Friday night. Meadow Breeze was a half-length winner of the $100,000 My Trusty Cat, and Go Poppa Fooze rolled to a nine-length score in the $150,000 Jean Lafitte.

The races, both for 2-year-olds, were two of four stakes run at Delta on Friday. The program was called Jackpot Preview Night, and it was designed to give horses a chance to prep for the upcoming Delta Jackpot program of five rich stakes to be run here on Dec. 1.

Meadow Breeze ($4.60) will start as one of the top choices in the Delta Princess after defeating a number of stakes winners in the My Trusty Cat. She stalked early leader Glamorous Cat through an opening quarter in 23.63 seconds in the seven-furlong race run around two turns, then took over through a half-mile in 48.06. Meadow Breeze defeated Stage Stop by a half-length, covering the distance over a fast track in 1:26.92.

Earlier this year, Meadow Breeze won the Gradeo1 Matron at Belmont Park. On Friday, she was making her first start following corrective throat surgery, and was ridden by Steve Bourque. Meadow Breeze, trained by Carl Deville, paid $4.60. She has now won 4 of 8 starts and $275,969 for owner Willow Rock Stable.

Trainer Cole Norman said last month that he was excited about the prospects of Go Poppa Fooze, and that he had penciled in the Delta Jackpot as a long-term goal for the colt. But the race's prep was the first objective, Norman said, and Go Poppa Fooze passed that test on Friday, when he led throughout in the Jean Lafitte.

Go Poppa Fooze ($5.40) set fractions of 23.32 seconds for the opening quarter, 48.19 for the half-mile and 1:13.25 for six furlongs. He proceeded to cover the mile in 1:38.75, while finishing clear of favorite and runner-up Tortuga Straits. Jamie Theriot rode Go Poppa Fooze.

Go Poppa Fooze has now won 3 of 4 starts and $136,740. He races for the Dream Walkin Farms operation of country artist Toby Keith.

* Stockholder ($4.20) was a 2 1/4-length winner over Mean Butterbean in the $50,000 Marshland, a seven-furlong race run around two turns. It was another 2 1/2 lengths back in third to High Strike Zone, who set fractions of 23.45 seconds for the opening quarter and 47.18 for the half-mile. Stockholder overtook that one, and went on to cover the distance in 1:25.34. Donnie Meche rode the winner for trainer Scott Blasi.

* I.B.'s Halo ($4) became a stakes winner in the $50,000 Golden Triangle, when she stalked and pounced for a half-length win over Comalagold in the seven-furlong race for fillies and mares. I.B.'s Halo covered the distance, run around two turns, in 1:28.24. Jeff Burningham rode the winner for trainer Pamela Simpson. I.B.'s Halo has now won 9 of 35 starts and $177,405. - Mary RampelliniMeadow Breeze and rider Steve Bourque defeat Stage Stop Friday night at Delta Downs. Next race for the winner is the Delta Princess on Dec. 1.P

Meadow Breeze and Go Poppa Fooze are both likely to advance to Delta Downs's richest races next month after winning preps for the $300,000 Delta Princess and Grade 3, $1 million Delta Jackpot on Friday night. Meadow Breeze was a half-length winner of the $100,000 My Trusty Cat, and Go Poppa Fooze rolled to a nine-length score in the $150,000 Jean Lafitte.

The races, both for 2-year-olds, were two of four stakes run at Delta on Friday. The program was called Jackpot Preview Night, and it was designed to give horses a chance to prep for the upcoming Delta Jackpot program of five rich stakes to be run here on Dec. 1.

Meadow Breeze ($4.60) will start as one of the top choices in the Delta Princess after defeating a number of stakes winners in the My Trusty Cat. She stalked early leader Glamorous Cat through an opening quarter in 23.63 seconds in the seven-furlong race run around two turns, then took over through a half-mile in 48.06. Meadow Breeze defeated Stage Stop by a half-length, covering the distance over a fast track in 1:26.92.

Earlier this year, Meadow Breeze won the Gradeo1 Matron at Belmont Park. On Friday, she was making her first start following corrective throat surgery, and was ridden by Steve Bourque. Meadow Breeze, trained by Carl Deville, paid $4.60. She has now won 4 of 8 starts and $275,969 for owner Willow Rock Stable.

Trainer Cole Norman said last month that he was excited about the prospects of Go Poppa Fooze, and that he had penciled in the Delta Jackpot as a long-term goal for the colt. But the race's prep was the first objective, Norman said, and Go Poppa Fooze passed that test on Friday, when he led throughout in the Jean Lafitte.

Go Poppa Fooze ($5.40) set fractions of 23.32 seconds for the opening quarter, 48.19 for the half-mile and 1:13.25 for six furlongs. He proceeded to cover the mile in 1:38.75, while finishing clear of favorite and runner-up Tortuga Straits. Jamie Theriot rode Go Poppa Fooze.

Go Poppa Fooze has now won 3 of 4 starts and $136,740. He races for the Dream Walkin Farms operation of country artist Toby Keith.

* Stockholder ($4.20) was a 2 1/4-length winner over Mean Butterbean in the $50,000 Marshland, a seven-furlong race run around two turns. It was another 2 1/2 lengths back in third to High Strike Zone, who set fractions of 23.45 seconds for the opening quarter and 47.18 for the half-mile. Stockholder overtook that one, and went on to cover the distance in 1:25.34. Donnie Meche rode the winner for trainer Scott Blasi.

* I.B.'s Halo ($4) became a stakes winner in the $50,000 Golden Triangle, when she stalked and pounced for a half-length win over Comalagold in the seven-furlong race for fillies and mares. I.B.'s Halo covered the distance, run around two turns, in 1:28.24. Jeff Burningham rode the winner for trainer Pamela Simpson. I.B.'s Halo has now won 9 of 35 starts and $177,405. - Mary Rampellini