Horton Stable colors flying in My Trusty Cat, Jean Lafitte

The emerging owner-trainer team of Willis Horton Racing and Eddie Milligan Jr. will be represented in both 2-year-old stakes Friday night at Delta Downs.

Tapit Jenallie should vie for favoritism in the $100,000 My Trusty Cat, while Twirling Troillet takes on probable favorite Good Like Magic and multiple stakes winner Strong Promise in the $100,000 Jean Lafitte.

Both races are for 2-year-olds at seven furlongs, which is a two-turn configuration at Delta.

Tapit Jenallie is a Horton homebred by Tapit out of Take Charge Tressa, who is a half-sister to champion Take Charge Brandi. Tapit Jenallie was a 7 3/4-length debut winner Sept. 30 at Remington Park. The Beyer Speed Figure of 78 that she earned for her effort in the maiden special weight at 5 1/2 furlongs is the best career number in the My Trusty Cat.

Richard Eramia was aboard and is shipping in to ride for Milligan, who is looking forward to the two-turn test for Tapit Jenallie.

“She’s always acted like she wanted to go farther,” Milligan said. “She handled the five and a half really well. Richard galloped her on out past the wire. We’ve had longer works and she’s handled them well.”

Kevin Horton, son of the late Willis Horton, has continued to race in his father’s stable name to honor the longtime efforts Willis Horton put into breeding and racing. Kevin Horton brought on Milligan as a private trainer this summer, and next week the stable will set up shop at Horton’s home track of Oaklawn.

“Eddie broke Will Take Charge, Take Charge Brandi, Long Range Toddy,” Kevin Horton said of some of his father’s top horses. “I met Eddie a long time ago through my dad. He’s a heck of a horseman.”

Horton said when Milligan told him he was retiring from developing young horses, he asked the former jockey if he would be interested in training on the track for his stable.

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“Eddie and I sat down and put a plan together and so far everything is going really good,” Horton said.

Tapit Jenallie will break from post 2 in the field of 10 in the My Trusty Cat, which could propel her to the stakes program at Oaklawn.

“Kevin wants to target the Year’s End,” Milligan said, “and instead of jumping to a mile race, the five and a half to the seven-eighths is a nice stepping-stone.”

The field for the My Trusty Cat includes Kentucky shippers Pursuit of Liberty, a maiden winner in a one-turn mile race Sept. 30 at Churchill, and Noriskit Nobiscuit, a maiden winner at two turns last out at Keenland. Kant Resist It, winner of the Prairie Meadows Debutante, adds further depth to the field. She is making her two-turn debut and will be first Lasix.

The Jean Lafitte, which is the second race, also drew 10. Good Like Magic enters off a clear win in the $75,000 Kip Deville at six furlongs Sept. 24 at Remington. Timothy Thornton has the mount for Quality Racing Stable and trainer Brad Cox.

Strong Promise has a 4-for-4 career record after having his number put up last time out in the $100,000 Legacy at seven furlongs at Delta Downs. Prior to the race, in which he finished second, he won back-to-back stakes at Lone Star Park and Louisiana Downs.

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