Delta Downs Racetrack Casino & Hotel today announced its 2017-18 Thoroughbred stakes schedule. The track will offer 32 stakes races during an 84-day season that runs from October 18, 2017 through March 10, 2018. The schedule includes $4.275 million in total purse money.
The annual highlight of this year's stakes activity will come on Saturday, November 18 when the track hosts the 15th edition of Jackpot Day featuring the $1,000,000 Delta Downs Jackpot (Gr. 3) for 2-year-old competing at 1-1/16 miles over a dirt surface. The race is once again expected to be part Churchill Downs' 'Road to the Kentucky Derby' series of races and will offer qualifying points to the top four finishers.
Jackpot Day will also include the Delta Downs Princess for 2-year-old fillies. The one-mile event is a grade 3 race and this year will see a purse increase from $400,000 to $500,000. The Delta Downs Princess horses have a chance to earn qualifying points toward entry in next year's Kentucky Oaks (Gr. 1) at Churchill Downs. Overall, Jackpot Day will offer eight stakes races and total purse money of more than $2.3 million.
Delta Downs will also host a pair of important stakes races at the beginning of the season which could have a major impact on the Jackpot Day program. The winner of the $100,000 My Trusty Cat on October 20 will score first preference into the $500,000 Delta Downs Princess and the winner of the $200,000 Jean Lafitte Stakes on October 21 will get first preference for entry into the $1,000,000 Delta Downs Jackpot.
On Saturday, February 10 the track will host another edition of Louisiana Premier Night featuring 10 stakes races for Louisiana-bred horses. The highlight of the program will be the $150,000 Louisiana Premier Night Championship for older horses competing at 1-1/16 miles. The Louisiana Premier Night card will offer a total of $895,000 in stakes purses.
Delta Downs will race Wednesdays through Saturdays during the upcoming season. First post time each evening is scheduled for 5:30 pm Central Time.
