by Steve Bailey

Grade 3 winners Terrain and West Side Bernie will meet for the second consecutive start in the $750,000 Boyd Gaming’s Delta Jackpot Stakes (G3) on Friday night at Delta Downs.

Terrain and West Side Bernie finished fourth and sixth, respectively, in the Bessemer Trust Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) on October 25 at the Oak Tree meet Santa Anita Park.

Trained by Albert Stall Jr. for owner-breeder Adele Dilschneider, Terrain has won three of five starts and finished second to Square Eddie in the Lane’s End Breeders’ Futurity (G1) on October 4 at Keeneland Race Course.

The chestnut Sky Mesa gelding won each of his first three starts, including a victory via double disqualification—he finished third but was placed first—in the Arlington-Washington Futurity (G3) on September 13 at Arlington Park.

George and Lori Hall’s West Side Bernie won each of his two starts prior to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile for trainer Kelly Breen.

The Bernstein colt won his career debut by 1½ lengths in a one-mile and 70-yard maiden special weight race on August 28 at Monmouth Park and captured the Kentucky Cup Juvenile Stakes (G3) by three lengths over Delta Jackpot challenger Retap on September 27 at Turfway Park.

Two-time stakes-placed winner Skipadate also will contest the 1 1/16-mile race for two-year-olds. The Delta Jackpot virtually guarantees the winner sufficient graded stakes earnings to secure a starting spot in the 2009 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1).

Skipadate finished second in both the With Anticipation Stakes at Saratoga Race Course and the Summer Stakes (Can-G3) at Woodbine prior to an 11th-place finish in the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf in his previous start for trainer Mark Casse.

Retap, who has one win and three seconds in four career starts, is one of two entrants for trainer Steve Asmussen, who also will send out unbeaten Trinity Magic. A multiple stakes-winning Performing Magic colt, Trinity Magic enters off a seven-length victory in the Sleepy Hollow Stakes on October 18 at Belmont Park.

Also on the card is the $500,000 Boyd Gaming’s Delta Princess Powered by Youbet.com Stakes (G3). The one-mile race for two-year-old fillies drew ten contenders, including Grade 3 winners Livin Lovin and C. S. Silk.

Livin Lovin has won two of four starts, including a victory in the Tempted Stakes (G3) on November 2 at Aqueduct in her previous start. The Birdstone filly also has a pair of second-place finishes for trainer Steve Klesaris and owners Puglisi Racing and Woodfield Racing.

C. S. Silk won two consecutive starts, including the Arlington-Washington Lassie Stakes (G3) on September 6, before finishing seventh of 13 in the Bessemer Trust Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) on October 24.


The field for the Delta Jackpot, in post-position order, including (sire), jockey, weight, and trainer:

1. Kick On (Wiseman's Ferry), Ken Tohill, 119, Joseph Petalino;

2. Terrain (Sky Mesa), Jamie Theriot, 122, Albert Stall Jr.;

3. Trinity Magic (Performing Magic), Calvin Borel, 119, Steve Asmussen;

4. Three Part Harmony (Concerto), Robby Albarado, 117, Jose Pinchin;

5. Retap (Tapit), Shaun Bridgmohan, 117, Steve Asmussen;

6. West Side Bernie (Bernstein), Elvis Trujillo, 122, Kelly Breen;

7. Big Drama (Montbrook), Eibar Coa, 119, David Fawkes;

8. Skipadate (Skip Away), Gerard Melancon, 117, Mark Casse;

9. Stimulus Plan (Jump Start), Kent Desormeaux, 117, Mark Casse; and

10. Valid Message (Valid Expectations), Curt Bourque, 119, Ellen Williams.


The field for the Delta Princess, in post-position order, including (sire), jockey, weight, and trainer:

1. Just Jenda (Menifee), Terry Thompson, 119, Larry Jones;

2. Four Gifts (Even the Score), Shaun Bridgmohan, 117, Steve Asmussen;

3. Garter Belt (Anasheed), Colby Hernandez, 117, Kenneth Decker;

4. Livin Lovin (Birdstone), Ramon Dominguez, 122, Steve Klesaris;

5. Smokin Again (Smoke Glacken), Kirk LeBlanc, 119, Charles Hukill;

6. C. S. Silk (Medaglia d'Oro), Robby Albarado, 122, Dale Romans;

7. Phoenician Moon (Malibu Moon), Martin Escobar, 119, Lynn Chleborad;

8. Loveyou Everybody (Five Star Day), Kent Desormeaux, 117, Ken McPeek;

9. Seacrettina (Sea of Secrets), Ken Tohill, 119, Joseph Petalino; and

10. Southern Yankee (Yankee Gentleman), Carlos Lozada, 119, Olivo Inirio.