Delta Downs: $1 million Jackpot headlines upcoming meet
The Grade 3, $1 million Delta Downs Jackpot for 2-year-olds will once again be the centerpiece of the track’s 32-race stakes schedule during the upcoming meet, Delta Downs announced Tuesday. Purses for the stakes program will total $4.6 million.
Delta opens for an 84-date meet Oct. 19. The season will run through March 11.
The Jackpot, to be run at 1 1/16 miles, will anchor eight stakes races on a special afternoon card Nov. 19. The races will collectively be worth more than $2.3 million. They include the Grade 3, $400,000 Delta Downs Princess for 2-year-old fillies at a mile; the $250,000 Delta Mile for 3-year-olds and up; and the $200,000 Treasure Chest Stakes for fillies and mares.
Exaggerator won last year’s Delta Downs Jackpot and went on to win this year’s Preakness and Haskell. The Jackpot is the second richest 2-year-old race for Thoroughbreds in the country, according to Delta. It has traditionally carried eligibility points for the Kentucky Derby on a sliding scale of 10-4-2-1.
Delta’s preps for its premier 2-year-old races are the $200,000 Jean Lafitte Stakes on Oct. 22 and the $100,000 My Trusty Cat Stakes on Oct. 21. The Jean Lafitte winner will earn an automatic berth into the Jackpot, and the My Trusty Cat winner will receive the same for the Princess.
Champion Take Charge Brandi, who won the Princess in 2014, is being honored with a race at Delta. Officials have renamed the By the Light Stakes the Take Charge Brandi, with the $75,000 race for 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs to be run March 3.
Other highlights of the stakes schedule include the $1 million Louisiana Premier Night program of stakes. The divisional races for Louisiana-breds will be run Feb. 11. The main event is the $200,000 Championship. The $100,000 Gold Cup, which is a stepping-stone to the Championship, will be run Oct. 29 at Delta.
2016-17 Delta Downs stakes schedule
| DATE | RACE | CONDITIONS | DISTANCE | PURSE |
| Fri., Oct. 21 | My Trusty Cat | 2YO Fillies | 7F | $100,000 |
| Sat., Oct. 22 | Jean Lafitte | 2YO Open | 1M | $200,000 |
| Fri., Oct. 28 | Magnolia | 3YO & UP F&M* | 1M | $100,000 |
| Sat., Oct. 29 | Gold Cup | 3YO & UP Open* | 1M | $100,000 |
| Sat., Nov. 19 | Delta Downs Princess (G3) | 2YO Fillies | 1M | $400,000 |
| Sat., Nov. 19 | Delta Downs Jackpot (G3) | 2YO Open | 1 1/16M | $1 million |
| Sat., Nov. 19 | Delta Mile | 3YO & UP Open | 1M | $250,000 |
| Sat., Nov. 19 | Treasure Chest | 3YO & UP F&M | 1M | $200,000 |
| Sat., Nov. 19 | Louisiana Legacy | 2YO C&G* | 1M | $150,000 |
| Sat., Nov. 19 | Louisiana Jewel | 2YO Fillies* | 1M | $150,000 |
| Sat., Nov. 19 | Orleans | 3YO & UP F&M** | 7F | $75,000 |
| Sat., Nov. 19 | Sam's Town | 3YO & UP Open** | 7F | $75,000 |
| Fri., Dec. 30 | Lookout | 3YO & UP F&M* | 7 1/2F | $65,000 |
| Sat., Dec. 31 | B-Connected | 3YO & UP Open* | 7 1/2F | $65,000 |
| Fri., Jan. 6 | Azalea | 3YO Fillies* | 7F | $100,000 |
| Sat., Jan. 7 | Pelican | 3YO Open* | 7F | $100,000 |
| Fri., Jan 20 | El Dorado | 4YO & UP F&M** | 1M | $70,000 |
| Sat., Jan. 21 | Fremont | 4YO & UP Open** | 1M | $70,000 |
| Sat., Feb. 11 | Premier Night Starter | 4YO & UP F&M* | 5F | $50,000 |
| Sat., Feb. 11 | Premier Night Starter | 4YO & UP Open* | 5F | $50,000 |
| Sat., Feb. 11 | Premier Night Starter | 4YO & UP F&M | 1M | $65,000 |
| Sat., Feb. 11 | Premier Night Starter | 4YO & UP Open* | 1 1/16M | $65,000 |
| Sat., Feb. 11 | Premier Night Matron | 4YO & UP F&M* | 5F | $100,000 |
| Sat., Feb. 11 | Premier Night Sprint | 4YO & UP Open* | 5F | $100,000 |
| Sat., Feb. 11 | Premier Night Starlet | 3YO Fillies* | 1M | $125,000 |
| Sat., Feb. 11 | Premier Night Prince | 3YO Open* | 1M | $125,000 |
| Sat., Feb. 11 | Premier Night Distaff | 4YO & UP F&M* | 1M | $150,000 |
| Sat., Feb. 11 | Premier Night Championship | 4YO & UP Open* | 1 1/16M | $200,000 |
| Fri., Mar. 3 | Take Charge Brandi | 3YO Fillies | 7F | $75,000 |
| Sat., Mar. 4 | Big Drama | 3YO Open | 7F | $75,000 |
| Sat., Mar. 11 | Owners' Appreciation Day Distaff | 4YO & UP F&M** | 1M | $75,000 |
| Sat., Mar. 11 | Owners' Appreciation Day | 4YO & UP Open** | 1M | $75,000 |
*Louisiana-bred
**Restricted