Delta Downs Picks – Thursday, March 4, 2021

Delta Downs brings us a nine-race schedule of mostly maiden and claiming matches for our Thursday betting enjoyment. You’ll find that I discovered underdog contenders worth a win bet in all three of the races I reviewed.

After weeks of winter storms, Vinton, Louisiana, is once again enjoying good weather, and if you attend the races at Delta Downs Thursday, you can expect the skies to be sunny, the temperatures to be around 70 degrees, and the winds at a mild six mph.

Now, read on for my Delta Downs picks and betting tips for Thursday, March 4, 2021.

This is a maiden claiming race for Louisiana-bred three-year-olds running a distance of one mile for a purse of $24,000.

I like the second-favored underdog at 7/2 here — Custom Pancho, ridden by Gerardo Mora. This gelding moneyed two of his four career starts, the two most recent.

There are three 20/1 longshots in this race, but neither they nor any of the other long-odds entries (10/1 and longer) look hard-pressed to accomplish more than successfully chase the other horses across the finish line.

This is a claiming race for three-year-old fillies running a distance of seven furlongs for a purse of $19,000.

I’m buying a win ticket on the third-favored (9/2) entry in this race — A.K.A. Grams, with Diego Saenz in the irons. This filly moneyed two of her three career starts, winning one — which means she has the best starting record in this field. And it doesn’t hurt that she’s got one of the top jockeys on board for the ride.

Incidentally, there’s also an 8/1 sleeper in this eight-horse race that demands our attention: Lil Eva Jane, with Alex Castillo in the irons. This filly moneyed four of her six career starts, winning one.

This is an allowance race for Louisiana-bred four-year-olds and upward running a distance of 6-1/2 furlongs for a purse of $38,000.

I like the second-favored (4/1) entry in this race — Unwanted Intruder, with Tim Thornton aboard. This four-year-old gelding finished in the money four of his nine career starts, winning three.

I see no long-odds entries in this run that warrant the risk of a show bet.

Don’t miss out on wagering opportunities at the other two tracks I reviewed for Thursday: