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Fastest Qualifier Pappacito Favored in $108,615 Old South Derby at Delta Downs


Fastest qualifier Pappacito in the morning-line favorite for the $108,615 Old South Derby at Delta Downs.

© Coady Photography

VINTON, LA – MAY 18, 2023 – A full field of 3-year-olds will contest the 350-yard $108,615 Old South Derby at Delta Downs on Friday, led by fastest qualifier Pappacito.

The Old South Derby field was determined from four trials on April 28. Pappacito won the first trial in :17.720, a time that would withstand the next three races as the fastest qualifier.

M. Heath Taylor trains the Ivory James gelding for owner Robin Redding. He was bred in Texas by Bobby Cox, out of Heritage Place Futurity (G1) qualifier Apolitical Pac, by Apollitical Jess.

Pappacito has $46,587 from six lifetime starts and has only finished out of the money once. As a 2-year-old, he finished third in the $305,865 Firecracker Futurity (G2), also at Delta.

Gilbert Ortiz has ridden the gelding in every start and will return on Friday as the pair breaks from post 3.

Pk Pure Rogue holds the next fastest time of :17.865; the Heza Fast Rogue gelding won his trial narrowly in his 11th career start for trainer Dustin Rhodes.

The leading money earner in the field, Pk Pure Rogue has earned $55,707 and is multiple stakes placed. He was second in the LQHBA Sale Juvenile Stakes at Delta last fall and was the runner up in the Mardi Gras Derby last month at Louisiana Downs.

Jose Luis Sanchez III trains three entries, including Im First in Firstout, the sixth fastest qualifier who finished second in her trial behind Pappacito.

Sanchez also trains the two horses on the outside, TQHA Sires’ Cup Futurity (RG2) qualifier Lil Freighttrain, and Moon Diamond, in search of her third consecutive win.

The $108,615 Old South Derby is Race 8 at Delta on Friday, May 19. Post time is 9:05 PM C.T.

The complete lineup, in post position order including jockeys and morning-line odds:

  1. Freighttrainacumin (Sabino Reyes), 15/1
  2. Feature Five Bar (Jorge Garcia), 12/1
  3. Pappacito (Gilbert Ortiz), 3/1
  4. A Secret to Catch (J.R. Ramirez), 15/1
  5. Jj Freight Star (Guadalupe Lucio, Jr.), 12/1
  6. This Train Flies (Juan Garcia, Jr.), 9/2
  7. Im First in Firstout (Leonardo Rodriguez), 6/1
  8. Pk Pure Rogue (Ubaldo Luna), 4/1
  9. Lil Freighttrain (Benito Baca), 8/1
  10. Moon Diamond (Arturo Alvarez), 10/1

 


Courtesy Ses