Delta Downs’ 2021 American Quarter Horse Season Comes To Close Saturday With Louisiana Showcase Day

VINTON, LA—JULY 28, 2021—Delta Downs’ 2021 American Quarter Horse season will wrap up on Saturday afternoon with a special 10-race program tabbed as Louisiana Showcase Day.

The entire program is devoted to horses bred in Louisiana with eight stakes races and just over $1.4 million in total purse money up for grabs. The main event will be the $826,620 Lee Berwick Futurity (RG1), which will be the final race on the card. First post time for the exciting program will be at 3 pm.

$826,620 Lee Berwick Futurity[RG1] Highlights Richest Card Of The Year

This year’s Lee Berwick field is headed by the undefeated colt Blood Money (8-5), who has won all three of his career starts including a score in the $347,000 Laddie Futurity[RG2] earlier this season and in his trial for Saturday’s race, where he recorded the fastest trial time of :17.243 seconds for 350 yards. The Rojas Racing Stables runner will be ridden by leading jockey Everardo Rodriguez.

Sheza Fast Blood (8-1), who has won three of four starts including the $318,983 Lassie Futurity[RG2] will start from post 8 for owner Rayne Knight and trainer M.S. Zinglemann. Gilbert Ortiz will ride.

The Lee Berwick Futurity will run as Race 10 on the card with an approximate post of :6:45 (CDT).

$203,122 Delta Downs LA-Bred Derby[RG3] Second Richest Race On Card

The second richest race on the closing day program is the $203,122 Delta Downs LA-Bred Derby (RG3) where Mo Racing’s filly Fast Dashin Diamond has been installed as the 5-2 morning line favorite.

The Kenneth Roberts, Sr. trainee notched the top qualifying time of 19.672 seconds for 400 yards on July 9 and will attempt to add to her bankroll of $304,305 when she goes to the post under jockey David Alvarez.

The Delta Downs LA-Bred Derby[RG3] will run as Race 8 on the card with an approximate post of :5:55 (CDT).

Kenneth Roberts, Sr. will also saddle the morning line favorite, Lifeinthefastlanes, in the $100,000 Louisiana Classic (RG2) for older horses. The 4-year-old mare has won nine of 13 career starts and banked over $435,000 for owners Jason Richards and Michael J. Leblanc. She most recently won the Vals Fortune Teddy Abrams Memorial Stakes on July 5.

The Louisiana Classic (RG2) will run as Race 9 on the card with an approximate post of :5:55 (CDT).

In addition to great racing, Delta Downs will also honor the leading horsemen of the meet between races on Saturday afternoon. It appears the title of leading rider will go to Everardo Rodriguez, who began the week with a 15-win lead over David Alvarez. It would mark Rodriguez’s second title in Vinton, Louisiana as he also took the crown in 2019.

The race for leading trainer is also all but wrapped up entering closing week as Kenneth Roberts, Sr. holds a 12-win lead over Rosendo Valdez, Jr. starting the week. If Roberts holds on it would be his record-setting 10th leading trainer title during the Boyd Gaming era at Delta Downs.

LQHBA Scholarship Giveaway

The Louisiana Quarter Horse Breeders Association will conduct a drawing for four (4) college scholarships totaling $8,000 during the Louisiana Showcase Day program. Scholarship entrants must be a Louisiana high school graduate or a Louisiana high school student graduating in 2021 planning to attend a higher education institution.

Those eligible may sign up at the LQHBA Scholarship Registration Table beginning at 2 pm. Registration will close promptly after the fourth race and the winners will be announced in the winner’s circle after race 5. All entrants must be present to win.

Delta Downs track announcer and simulcast host Don Stevens will be joined by renowned Quarter Horse expert Martha Claussen during the Louisiana Showcase Day program. Claussen will serve as co-host, handicapper and racing analyst during the star-studded final day of racing.

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After Saturday, Delta Downs will be dark until its 2021-22 Thoroughbred season gets underway on October 13. The 84-day meeting will run through March 5 and feature live racing each Wednesday through Saturday.

Post times on Wednesdays and Thursdays will be at 12:55 pm and the first race on Fridays and Saturdays will go off at 5:55 pm. Full card simulcasting is offered to race fans in the OTB six days per week, Monday through Saturday, year ‘round.

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For more information about the season visit the track’s website at deltadownsracing.com.

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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.