The Super Derby (gr. II), the annual highlight of the meet, has been moved-up two weeks to Saturday, Sept. 10. The $500,000 event for 3 year-olds is the highlight on a card featuring five other stakes for a total purse value of $1 million. It is joined by four turf stakes, including the $150,000 Sunday Silence for 2 year-olds and the $100,000 Happy Ticket for 2-year-old fillies. The Unbridled and River Cities are worth $100,000 this year while the Temperence Hill, for sprinters on the dirt, remains at $50,000.

“We decided to move back the Super Derby to help draw more attention to the card,” said Trent McIntosh, the director of racing at Louisiana Downs. “It's a loaded line-up of stakes. We're looking forward to a big day.”

The Super Derby Prelude, the traditional local prep for the Super Derby, along with three supporting stakes, will be held on Saturday, Aug. 6. Louisiana Cup Day has been moved back to August, and will be held on Saturday, Aug. 20.

“Having the Louisiana Cup in August allows us to include the 2-year-old races on the program and it gives the horsemen good spacing amongst the other state-bred days in the state,” said McIntosh.

A new stakes-packed card will help round-out the meet as well. Southern Showcase on Saturday, Sept. 24 features six races for horses bred in Louisiana and Arkansas.

The 2011 meet runs from May 6 through Sept. 25. The first race post time is still to be determined.