BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI

VINTON, LA–APRIL 25, 2022–Delta Downs Racetrack opens its 46-day Quarter Horse meet with a nine-race card on Friday. Post time for the first race is set for 6:15 p.m. (CDT).

Friday's feature race, the 250-yard, $20,000 Delta Dash Stakes, has drawn a field of 10 sprinters, headed by Alejandro Sanchez Jr.'s Steam Rollyr. A 5-year-old Freighttrain B gelding trained by Ruben Chavez, Steam Rollyr began his current campaign with a half-length victory as the odds-on favorite in a 110-yard, $11,000 open-condition allowance dash at Louisiana Downs on January 25.

Steam Rollyr has earned $97,955 from 26 starts, and his six wins include a three-quarter length win in last year's 300-yard, $25,000 Gentilly Dash at Evangeline Downs. The gelding drew post 2 and will be ridden by Everardo Rodriguez.

The compete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:

1. Diane To Be A Hero (Rolando Cabrera)
2. Steam Rollyr (Everardo Rodriguez)
3. Hennessy XO TLC (Pedro C. Espinosa)
4. Quorumm (Arturo Alvarez)
5. A Political Toast (Heriberto Aguilar-Orozco)
6. Jess Send Fletcher (Jasiel Aquino)
7. Hold On Hez Fast (David Alvarez Jr.)
8. Five Bar Miracles (Ubaldo Luna)
9. PK Sugar Daddy (Guadalupe Lucio Jr.)
10. KR Apollitical Chick (David A. Alvarez)

Also on Friday, stakes winner Shesa Knockoutcartel is one of 23 sophomores entered in three 350-yard Old South Derby trials.

Trained by Martin Trejo for owner BM AQ Racing LLC, Shesa Knockoutcartel will be making her season debut. The sorrel Five Bar Cartel filly is coming off of a 2-year-old campaign during which she banked $63,500 from seven starts and scored a 1 1/4-length victory in the July 31, $75,000 Louisiana Juvenile Stakes (R) at Delta Downs.

Shesa Knockoutcartel drew post 2 and will be ridden by Everardo Rodriguez in the third heat.

The 10 fastest qualifiers will meet in the May 20, $50,000-added Old South Derby final.

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