Longshot of the Day: Race 2 at Delta Downs

Track: Delta Downs

Race 2: $20K claimer going 7 furlongs (two turns) on dirt for 3+ fillies and mares

Post Time: 6:18 PM ET

Horse: #7 Jovie G (10/1 morning line). Use as a win bet at 7/1 or higher.

I don’t venture down to Delta Downs often, but I do like their second race on Tuesday evening. Speed can be an equalizing force at a track like Delta and Jovie G would seem to be in a good position to outrun her 10/1 morning line odds for new trainer Jonathan Wong. There is no doubt that #1 Lady of Devon (5/2) is a worthy top choice seeing as the horse is dropping down from allowance competition, but while she is making a class drop, this is still a higher-level claiming race than she’s faced her first two times being in for the tag against winners. Meanwhile, Jovie G is the type of horse I like to key in on in verticals because she has some muddied form. Each of her poor performances have legitimate excuses. One was her first time out over a sloppy track, another was the first race back in four months, and her only other poor race was three back against stakes competition when she stumbled out of the gate and was eventually rushed up to the lead before fading. Her other races have all been solid and she is coming off a Louisiana-bred stakes victory last time out where she went gate-to-wire going 6 ½ furlongs at Delta. She broke her maiden going 7 ½ furlongs on the turf so I am not concerned with her being able to handle the distance or configuration. She has very good early speed and should be stalking Lady of Devon or potentially even going straight to the lead. New trainer Jonathan Wong has had success early during the Delta Downs meet winning 20% of his entries and has been a consistent 20% trainer over the last five years when horses get moved into his barn. At 10/1 you are getting a stakes winning horse with very good early speed compared to the rest of the field who is running for a barn that is firing off winners at the meet. If 10/1 is too high of a price, I do think #6 Pulpit’s Dream (5/1) is a more moderately priced option as well making her fourth career start after winning the first two races of her career and faltering against optional claiming company last time out. My only hesitation with that horse is she tends to leave herself a little too much to do coming for home as she prefers to close from off the pace. However, at the right price, she might be an appealing alternative as well.