Quarter Horse sets track record at Delta Downs

The 2-year-old Quarter Horse filly First Dashin Bye set a track record for 330 yards at Delta Downs on Saturday night when she ran the distance in 16.52 seconds to capture the $210,000 Louisiana Lassie Futurity. The race is a restricted Grade 2. First Dashin Bye earned a speed index of 104.

J.R. Ramirez rode the filly for trainer Jeff Acuna. First Dashin Bye won by three-quarters of a length, and has compiled a 3-for-4 record for owner Jorge Meraz. The Lassie was one of four Quarter Horse stakes at Delta last Saturday. Ramirez also won the $233,350 Louisiana Laddie Futurity, also a restricted Grade 2.

Delta will run six stakes for Quarter Horses on May 19. The stakes are part of the annual Bank of America East Regional Challenge Night and will produce starters for the Bank of America Challenge Championships. The featured race May 19 will be the $80,000-added East Championship Challenge. The 440-yard race is for 3-year-olds and up and is a Grade 2.

* The graded-stakes-placed Achieve a Link looks like the one to beat Friday night in the featured eighth race, a first-level allowance for Quarter Horse fillies and mares bred in Louisiana. The purse for the 350-yard race is $23,500.