Berwick Futurity anchors rich Louisiana Showcase card
Louisiana Jewels and Rdd Lajollanfastdash will both be putting perfect 3-for-3 records on the line when the stakes winners meet in the $690,295 Lee Berwick Quarter Horse Futurity at Delta Downs on Saturday. Louisiana Jewels was the fastest qualifier for the race after 15 trials, while the second-fastest qualifier for the finale was Rdd Lajollanfastdash.
The Berwick Futurity is the centerpiece of the annual Louisiana Showcase program at Delta. The closing-night card of eight stakes for Louisiana-breds is worth more than $1.3 million. The Berwick will be the richest Quarter Horse race ever run at Delta, the Vinton, La., track that opened in 1973.
Louisiana Jewels won her June 18 trial by a length, covering 350 yards on a fast track in 17.73 seconds. Rdd Lajollanfastdash was a half-length winner of his trial the same night, covering the distance in 17.74.
Louisiana Jewels is already a stakes winner at the Delta meet, having captured the $298,000 Louisiana Lassie on May 20. In her other career start, she won her trial for the Lassie at Delta.
Rdd Lajollanfastdash became a stakes winner at Louisiana Downs when he captured the $273,000 Mardi Gras Futurity on March 20. In his other career start, he won his trial for the Mardi Gras at Louisiana Downs.
Louisiana Jewels will break from post 9, while Rdd Lajollanfastdash drew gate 2.
Other horses making up the Berwick field include Swinginstar, who is undefeated in two starts, and Blue Eyed Cartel, who is seeking to win his third straight start in a streak built this meet at Delta.
Also on the card, Jessa Louisiana Zoom, who won last year’s Berwick Futurity, returns as the fastest qualifier for the $244,430 Delta Downs Derby. She will break from the rail in the 400-yard race off a June 17 trial win in which she covered the distance in 19.61.
The $100,000 Louisiana Classic at 440 yards brings together such older horses as Heza Louisiana Dash and Open Me a Corona, who were separated by a nose when finishing one-two in the allowance prep, and Jls Dashn and Zoomn, who once won six straight races in a streak built in Louisiana.