BoydGaming

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WEDNESDAY APRIL 26, 2023
FOR MORE INFORMATION,
CONTACT DON STEVENS
337-589-7441 EXT. 1268
                                                                                                                                                     
DELTA DOWNS SET TO BEGIN 2023
AMERICAN QUARTER HORSE SEASON FRIDAY

- OPENING WEEKEND FEATURES STAKES, TRIALS AND CORGI RACES -


VINTON, LA. – Delta Downs Racetrack Casino & Hotel will open its 2023 American Quarter Horse season on Friday and Saturday, April 28 and 29. After opening weekend, the 46-day meeting will feature live programs every Wednesday through Saturday night. First post time each evening is at 6:15 pm.

Fans who attend the track on opening night will be treated to the $40,000 Open Me a Corona (RG2) and $20,000 Delta Dash Stakes as well four trials for this year’s $108,615 Old South Derby.

On Saturday afternoon the track will host four non-pari-mutuel exhibition races for Corgi dogs beginning at 3 pm. The event will be fun for the whole family as the furry athletes will compete for their share of a $6,000 Delta Downs donation pool, which will be donated to their choice of partner charities including Hopeful Paws Dog Rescue, Beaumont Pets Alive, and Do Good Dog Rescue.

The opening weekend of Quarter Horse racing will wrap up on Saturday night with a nine-race program including nine trials for this year’s $170,840 Old South Futurity. The Old South Derby and Old South Futurity finals will be contested on May 19 and 20 respectively.

Another important set of stakes races this season will take place on Friday, May 26 and Saturday, May 27 when the track hosts the $75,000-added Louisiana Lassie Futurity (RG2) and the $75,000-added Louisiana Laddie Futurity (RG2) finals respectively. Trials for the Lassie will take place on May 3 and 4 and trials for the Laddie will be featured on May 5 and 6.

The richest open-bred stakes races of the season will be run on Friday, July 7 and Saturday, July 8 when the $100,000 Firecracker Derby (G3) and the $100,000-added Firecracker Futurity (G2) are contested respectively. Qualifying trials for the Firecracker races will be held on June 16 and 17.

The racing season will wrap up at Delta Downs on July 15 with another edition of Louisiana Showcase Night, which features nine stakes races for Louisiana-bred horses and the richest race of the season, the Lee Berwick Futurity (RG1). In 2020 Lee Berwick purse set a record at $1,025,782. It was the largest purse ever awarded in the state of Louisiana regardless of breed.

Some of the nation’s top horsemen will be back at Delta Downs this season. Kenneth Roberts, Sr., who was honored with the AQHA World Champion Trainer Award in 2017, will attempt to win his 12th leading trainer title at Delta Downs this year.

The competition for leading rider should be wide open this season as last year’s top jockey, Juan F. Garcia, Jr. will return to defend his title against other talented reinsmen such as David Alverez, Gilbert Ortiz, Ubaldo Luna and Arturo Alvarez among others.

For more information about the upcoming season visit the track’s website at www.deltadowns.com/race,  Fans can also follow the track through social media on Facebook and Twitter.

Delta Downs Racetrack Casino Hotel, a property of Boyd Gaming Corporation, is the premier racing and gaming entertainment venue in Vinton, LA. Named “America’s Best Horse Racing Track” by readers of USA TODAY 10Best, Delta Downs features a six-furlong oval track, 15,000 square feet of casino space and more than 1,500 of the most popular slot machines. Amenities include two restaurants, chart-topping entertainment at the Delta Event Center and the FanDuel Sportsbook.

Delta Downs is located in Vinton, Louisiana, on Delta Downs Drive. From Lake Charles, take Exit 7 and from Texas, take Exit 4.