News March  28, 2024

Delta Downs Set To Kick Off Its 2015 Quarter Horse Season, 46-Day Meet Highlighted By 26 Stakes


Game, winning the 2014 edition of the Lee Berwick Futurity at Delta Downs.

© Coady Photography

VINTON, LA—APRIL 21, 2015—Delta Downs Racetrack Casino & Hotel will begin its 2015 American Quarter Horse season Wednesday night. The 46-day meeting runs through July 11 and will feature live programs on a Wednesday through Saturday basis with first post times scheduled for 6:15 pm CT each night.

The first week of the season will feature two stakes races and some of the most important time trials of the year. On Wednesday night the track will host the $50,000 John Alleman Memorial (RG3) for Louisiana-bred 3-year-olds and up competing at 350 yards. Thursday’s card will include the $25,000 Delta Dash for older horses traveling 250 yards.

The first time trials of the season will take place on Friday and Saturday night. Friday’s action will be headed by the $75,000-added Louisiana Lassie Futurity trials and on Saturday night the $75,000-added Louisiana Laddie Futurity trials will take center stage. The finals for the Lassie and Laddie will take place on May 15 and 16 respectively.

Another important set of stakes dates this season include July 3 and 4 when the track will host the richest open-bred stakes activity of the season. On July 3 fans will be treated to the $100,000-added Firecracker Derby for 3-year-olds and on Independence Day, July 4 the main event will be the $100,000-added Firecracker Futurity.

The racing season will wrap up at Delta Downs on July 11 with another edition of Louisiana Showcase Night, which features eight stakes races for Louisiana-bred horses and the richest race of the season, the Lee Berwick Futurity (RG1). Last year’s Lee Berwick marked the richest Quarter Horse race in the track’s 41-year history with a purse of $645,645. The race was won by Joseph Landreneau’s gelding Game.

Some of the nation’s top horsemen and women will be back at Delta Downs this season. Jockey John Hamilton will attempt to win his fourth consecutive riding title while Kenneth Roberts, Sr. will bring another strong barn to Vinton in search of his seventh local trainer title and fourth in a row. Joan Rood won her first leading owner title at Delta Downs last year and is expected to vie for the same position in 2015.

For more information about the upcoming season visit the track’s website at www.deltadownsracing.com or on the Facebook page, ‘Delta Downs Racing’.

Delta Downs Racetrack Casino and Hotel, a property of Boyd Gaming Corporation (NYSE:BYD), features exciting casino action, live horse racing and fun dining experiences. Delta Downs is located in Vinton, Louisiana, on Delta Downs Drive. From Lake Charles, take Exit 7 and from Texas, take Exit 4.


Courtesy Ses