Jimi's a Star seeks pace to chase in Pelican Stakes

Jimi’s a Star would seem best served by a quick pace in Saturday night’s $70,000 Pelican at Delta Downs. A closer, he will start as a strong favorite, but whether he gets the right kind of setup is a tough call.

The Pelican, a two-turn race at seven furlongs, is for 3-year-olds bred in Louisiana. It’s also restricted to nonwinners of a stakes race, and no horse in the field has come closer to stakes success than Jimi’s a Star. He’s run second or third in four stakes, including a late-running third in the $100,000 Louisiana Premier Night Prince in his last start Feb. 9 at Delta.

The Pelican pacesetter could be Conniejoe, who is stretching out to two turns after making the fractions in a five-furlong maiden special weight Feb. 16 at Delta. Crocodile Jacques also could show pace from his rail post after wiring the field in a mile allowance at Fair Grounds. In addition, trainer Bret Calhoun has a pair of starters in Power Jet and Mr. Four Sevens, who both can be closer to the pace than they found themselves at Delta in their last start.

Power Jet broke from post 10 and was a fast-closing fifth in a conditioned allowance around two turns Jan. 19.

“He was in the outside post and missed the break,” Calhoun said. “Far-outside horses sometimes kind of miss it. He just basically got left there and was left with too much to do. He ran very well.”

Power Jet will break from post 2 in the Pelican, with Ricardo Morales aboard for owner William T. Reed.

Mr. Four Sevens was seventh in the Premier Prince after having won the first two starts of his career, both at Delta. In his two victories he sat just off the pace, and he trailed in the Prince.

“He just did not show up,” Calhoun said. “Hopefully, he’ll go back to his previous form. He’s been really professional since his first start.”

Timothy Thornton has the mount for owner Roger Rashall from post 5.

Jimi’s a Star will start from post 4. Last year he ran second in three consecutive stakes – the $100,000 Louisiana Legacy in November at Delta and the $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Juvenile and $85,000 Louisiana Futurity, both in December at Fair Grounds.

H.B. Johnson trains Jimi’s a Star for the horse’s owner and breeder, James A. Boyd. Jimi’s a Star is a son of Star Guitar.