Delta Jackpot Stakes

Each year there’s a lull in the racing schedule as winter approaches and the hard knockers of the year are either retired or put to bed for a spring freshening.

For the past six years Delta Downs in Vinton, La. has provided a purse big enough to be a graded stakes race and the goal to improve it’s G3 standing among Kentucky Derby hopeful owners and trainers.

On December 4 Delta Downs Racetrack and Casino will host the highlight of their meet when they contest the G3 $750,000 Delta Jackpot for two year olds going 1 1/16 miles.

In the deep south, the bayous and the people move a little slower than most but when the horses are running at Delta Downs the pace really picks up.

When Boyd Gaming purchased the track in the early 90′s and debuted the Jackpot as it’s premier racing event it put Delta Downs on the map. Before that the obscure little track located a few hours west of New Orleans wouldn’t have been considered by today’s horseman on the road to the derby.

The pre-entries for the Delta Jackpot, which drew 10 horses including Rule who set a track record when he won the local prep for the race, the $175,000 Jean Lafitte.

The race also drew stakes winners Grand Slam Andre, Fenway Faithful, Man Chester Man, Bench the Judge, My Time to Star, and Oak Motte. It’s good to see this much interest in the race which will anchor a $1.6 million evening of stakes racing. Traditionally, the track has played favorably to the speed horses like Big Drama who won last years running but failed to carry his speed longer then the mile distance.

We’ll see what Pletcher has up his sleeve as he looks for his first Kentucky Derby winner of his career.