Mocito Rojo at favorite venue for Owner Appreciation Cup

Mocito Rojo has done some of his best work at Delta Downs and will attempt to keep that trend going Saturday night in the $60,000 Owner Appreciation Cup. The one-mile race is for 3-year-olds and up who have run in the overnight ranks at Delta since the meet opened Oct. 17. The Owner Appreciation Cup is the final stakes of the meet, which closes with a special afternoon card Tuesday.

A full field of 10 will run in Owner Appreciation Cup on the six-furlong track at Delta. The group includes Line Judge, who defeated Mocito Rojo in a local allowance Jan. 18, and Midnight Ruler, who won the 2018 Owner Appreciation Cup.

There is a special first post Saturday of 4:55 p.m. Central.

Owner Appreciation Cup (Race 10)

KEY CONTENDERS

Mocito Rojo, by Mutadda
Last 3 Beyers: 92-94-95

◗ He is a 12-time winner, and six of those victories have come at Delta Downs. Mocito Rojo has made nine starts at the Vinton, La., track and put up a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 95 in his 3 1/4-length win in the $75,000 Delta Mile on Nov. 17. He was winning the second stakes race of his career, following the $100,000 Evangeline Mile last June.

◗ Mocito Rojo is making his first start since Jan. 18, when he was second by a head in the allowance won by Line Judge. He’s been working regularly at his base of Delta.

◗ Shane Wilson trains Mocito Rojo for Wayne T. Davis. Filemon Rodriguez has the mount from post 3.

Line Judge, by Spring At Last
Last 3 Beyers: 93-89-89

◗ He is 3 for 5 at Delta, with two of those wins coming this meet. His first came in a Dec. 29 allowance at 7 1/2 furlongs, and the second was the one-mile allowance over Mocito Rojo.

◗ Gerard Melancon has the mount from post 4 for owner Maggi Moss and trainer Tom Amoss.

Midnight Ruler, by Sonny Dom’s Day
Last 3 Beyers: 83-87-89

◗ Arkansas-bred was an allowance winner at Delta on Nov. 30 and last out was third in the same Jan. 18 race as Line Judge and Mocito Rojo.

◗ Last year, Midnight Ruler led throughout to capture the Owner Appreciation Cup by three lengths, one start after finishing second in an allowance at Delta.