Delta set to begin off successful Evangeline meet

Boyd Gaming is riding a wave of momentum into its Delta Downs meet that opens Friday night with a pair of stakes that drew both reigning Louisiana-bred of the year Free Like a Girl, and a leading candidate for the same honor in 2023 in Touchuponastar.

Jockey Tim Thornton is named to ride both horses, with Free Like a Girl in post 10 for the $100,000 Magnolia and Touchuponastar in gate 4 for the $100,000 Gold Cup. The races will be run over seven furlongs, which is a two-turn configuration at Delta.

Delta’s sister track is Evangeline Downs, which is coming off a banner meet in which, according to figures compiled by Daily Racing Form, it handled $100.6 million over 61 dates for a daily average of $1,650,032. That’s up from last season’s $80.8 million over 84 dates, for an average $962,981.

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Delta will race 76 dates through Feb. 24. First post will be 5:15 p.m. Central.

“We’ll run all nights, with the only change the two days before Thanksgiving and the week leading up to Christmas,” said Chris Warren, director of racing for both Delta and Evangeline. “We’ll have day racing, at 12:55 p.m.”

Warren said Delta’s purses are projected to average $240,000 a card. The track’s $2 million stakes schedule includes four notable $100,000 races in November. The Delta Mile for 3-year-olds and up and the Treasure Chest for fillies and mares at the same distance share a card Nov. 3, while 2-year-olds will be in the spotlight in a pair of seven-furlong stakes Nov. 10, the Jean Lafitte and the My Trusty Cat.

Delta’s stakes program is again led by the Louisiana Premier Night card of stakes Feb. 3.

Warren said Delta has drawn trainers coming off titles at a number of different tracks, including Lee Thomas, winner of the title at Evangeline; Joel Berndt, Canterbury; Jon Arnett, Prairie Meadows; Justin Evans, Emerald Downs; Isai Gonzalez, Fonner; and Karl Broberg, who won last season’s title at Delta.

Trainer Robertino Diodoro, who was granted stalls at Delta, said he has decided to turn over his Louisiana division to longtime assistant Kent Knudsen.

“He’ll have his first starter Friday night,” Diodoro said. “He’s going out on his own. He’s got a good base to start, roughly 20 horses, and I know he’s more than capable.”

Diodoro said for the past year he has debated reducing the number of divisions he carries at certain times of the year. “It’s just something I’ve been wanting to do,” he said. “Not necessarily cut back on numbers, but on locations.”

Warren said patrons returning Friday will find a new toteboard in the paddock area. In another change, Warren will be wrapping up his more than 20-year tenure with Delta and Evangeline around Christmas.

“My first full week was the week of 9/11,” he said. “I was 42 and now I’m 64. My wife and I, we live in Ruidoso. I grew up there. She wants me to come home.”

Warren said racing secretary John Simon will take over as director of racing at Delta, while Tracey Coonce will be the director of racing at Evangeline, where Corey Veazey remains racing secretary.

◗ Ray Sibille, the retired jockey who is part of the clocking crew at Evangeline, is to be inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame, said Warren.

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