With the postponement of live racing at Delta Downs this season due to extensive damage from Hurricane Rita, the track has canceled its first graded stakes event, the $1 million Delta Jackpot Stakes (gr. III), as well as three other stakes that were scheduled for Dec. 2.The Louisiana Racing Commission, which earlier shifted most of Delta Downs' 88-day meeting to Evangeline Downs, has offered to review plans for reopening Delta Downs for live action in 2006.Boyd Gaming Corporation, parent company of Delta Downs, has been working to make repairs. Contractors were on site within days after the Sept. 24 storm.
But the Delta Jackpot – for 2-year-olds going 1-1/16 miles – is off for this year. Last year's race, which was run for the third time as a non-graded race, produced the 2005 Kentucky Derby (gr. I) runner-up Closing Argument.Also eliminated from this year's schedule was the $250,000 Delta Princess Stakes for 2-year-old fillies, the $75,000 Treasure Chest and the $75,000 Sam's Town Stakes.
