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Delta Downs Opens Meet with Two Stakes, Old South Derby Trials
Two-time stakes winner Moonin Rusty will make his 4-year-old season debut in Friday's 400-yard, $50,000 Miss Polly Classic Stakes (G3) at Delta Downs Friday.

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Delta Downs Opens Meet with Two Stakes, Old South Derby Trials

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI

VINTON, LA–APRIL 22, 2024–Delta Downs opens its 2024 American Quarter Horse meet with a nine-race program featuring two stakes and four Old South Derby trials.

Post time for the first race of the season is set for 6:15 p.m. (CDT).

Gene Cox's Moonin Rusty will make his 4-year-old season debut in Friday's 400-yard, $50,000 Miss Polly Classic Stakes (G3). A homebred gelding trained by Dwayne Breaux, Moonin Rusty ended his sophomore campaign with a three-race win streak that included a two-length victory in the December 16, $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Derby (RG2) at Evangeline Downs.

Moonin Rusty drew post 3 and will be ridden by Juan F. Garcia Jr. Other contenders include One Sweet Boss, a homebred 6-year-old son of One Sweet Jess trained by Phillip Calais Jr. for owner Flying K Ranch. One Sweet Boss is coming off of a 5-year-old season during which he earned $46,577 from eight races and scored a head victory in the Miss Polly Classic.

One Sweet Boss drew post 5 and will be ridden by Everardo Rodriguez.

A total of 10 state-bred sprinters are entered in Friday's 300-yard, $40,000 Open Me A Corona Stakes (R).

Carlos Campos' LRH Heart Of Glass banked $28,800 and won both of her outs during the Louisiaan Downs winter meet, including the 330-yard, $30,000 Billy Montgomery Stakes (R) on February 8. The 5-year-old Five Bar Cartel mare drew post 8 and will be ridden by Arturo Alvarez for trainer Francisco Campos Sr.

Also on Friday, 36 3-year-olds are entered in four 330-yard Old South Derby trials.

Party Tyme Racing's B Second Cowboy will be shortening in distance off of his second-place finish, a head behind winner Eyesa Freighttrain B, in the March 23, 350-yard Oklahoma Derby (G3) at Remington Park. Jose R. Espinosa trains the sorrel Flying Cowboy 123 gelding.

B Second Cowboy drew the rail post and will be ridden by Sabino Reyes in the first trial.

One Sweet Sugar will make her 3-year-old season debut in the third Old South Derby trial. A homebred daughter of One Sweet Jess trained by Jesus M. Marquez for ownerr Rogelio Marquez Jr., the filly has banked $544,788 from eight races -- all in Louisiana -- and her four wins in as many outs at Delta Downs include last year's 350-yard, $625,000 Lee Berwick Futurity (RG1) and 330-yard, $327,000 Louisiana Breeders' Lassie Futurity (RG2).

One Sweet Sugar drew post 4 and will be ridden by Jasiel Aquino.

The 10 fastest qualifiers will meet in the May 17, $50,000-added Old South Derby final.

All Delta Downs races can be seen at Q-Racing Video.com.