Delta Downs received approval on Monday from the Louisiana State Racing
Commission to conduct 40 days of live racing beginning January 18, 2006.
Originally scheduled to begin an 86-day meet on October 21, the season was
postponed due to damage from Hurricane Rita and Evangeline Downs stepped forward
to help its fellow Louisiana track. Delta Downs will open for 26 days of racing
at Evangeline on Thursday with a 1ST race post of 6:45 p.m. (CST).
Mondays through Wednesdays are dark.
The schedule switches to a Wednesday through Saturday format when racing resumes at
Delta Downs on January 18. The Vinton, Louisiana, oval was forced to cancel its
first graded race, the $1 million Delta Jackpot S. (G3), but the 1 1/16-mile
event will return in 2006. Originally scheduled for December 2, the 2004 Delta
Jackpot was won by Texcess (In Excess [Ire]), who edged runner-up Closing
Argument by 1 1/2 lengths. Closing Argument went on to finish second in the
Kentucky Derby (G1).
Delta Downs will run through March 25. One of the meet’s highlights is Louisiana
Premier Night on February 4.