Delta Downs track report

Delta Downs will close out its Thoroughbred meet this weekend with two six-figure stakes races: the $100,000 Goddess for fillies and mares at one mile Saturday, and the $150,000 Gulf Coast Classic at 1 1/16 miles Sunday.

Delta's purses reached record levels this meet with help from slot machines that were installed in February 2002. This meet, purses rose from $160,000 a day in November to $230,000 by February.

For the Gulf Coast Classic, Neon Shadow has been made the 121-pound highweight. He last raced in November, when he won a money allowance race over Parade Leader. Carl Bowman trains Neon Shadow, a winner of 13 races and $438,436.

In the Goddess, the David Kassen-trained Salty Farma, who finished second last time out in the $150,000 Chou Croute at Fair Grounds, will try to secure her first stakes win. Others in the race include top Louisiana-bred mare Prized Amberpro.

* The race for leading trainer will go down to the wire. Keith Bourgeois had a one-win lead over defending champ Doris Hebert on Wednesday. Bourgeois had 53 wins at the meet and stable earnings of $885,195.

* Among jockeys, defending champ Steve Bourque has a narrow lead over C.J. Woodley, 109 to 105. Bourque's mounts at the meet have earned $1,638,577, believed to be a meet record for Delta.