Hunka Burning Love has strong connections in his corner for Delta Downs Mile

Mocito Rojo, Stephen’s Answer, and Jack the Umpire all bring strong local records into the $100,000 Delta Downs Mile on Saturday, while Hunka Burning Love has strong local connections.

Hunka Burning Love will be making his first start over the Delta surface. But in his corner are connections quite familiar with the six-furlong, sand-based track.

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Karl Broberg, who trains Hunka Burning Love, and Tim Thornton, who has the mount on the multiple stakes winner, teamed to win five of the nine races on the opening-day card Tuesday at Delta. Thornton has won the last two titles at the track, while Broberg has reigned as the meet’s leading trainer every season dating back to 2011.

“Delta or bust,” Broberg said.

It’s been the barn’s motto the last couple of months. Broberg said the goal has been to try and position the barn to have an exceptional season.

“We’ve got big, hairy, audacious goals for the meet,” he said. “We’re hoping to win 120 at the meet and run out $2 million” in earnings.

Hunka Burning Love can put some money in the till Saturday. He will start as a top choice on the move back to two turns, where over the summer he won both the $75,000 Governor’s Cup at Remington Park and the $75,000 Lone Star Park Mile. Hunka Burning Love enters Saturday’s race off a fifth-place finish in the $60,000 David M. Vance, which was run over six furlongs Sept. 27 at Remington.

“I’m still self-loathing going short with him,” Broberg said. “I knew better. This is what he wants to do. The big question is, some horses take to Delta and some don’t. He’s been training absolutely wonderful. He looks like a million dollars, and he just wants to do more and more and more. He’s real happy.”

Mocito Rojo is 7 for 10 over the local strip and his wins include a past running of the Delta Mile. He was third to Hunka Burning Love in the Governor’s Cup in his last start Aug. 21 and now shortens up some in distance to the mile trip of his last win, an allowance in July at Evangeline. Gerard Melancon has the mount from post 10 for Wayne T. Davis and trainer Shane Wilson.

Stephen’s Answer is 4 for 5 over the local strip, among his wins last year’s Delta Mile.

Jack the Umpire is 3 for 3 at Delta, among his wins last year’s Jean Lafitte.

Also in the 10-horse field is multiple stakes winner Pioneer Spirit, who like Hunka Burning Love is making his first start at Delta.