Rich juvenile turf stakes joins lineup

Louisiana Downs has created a prep race for the new $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf and part of its 34-race, $3.4 million stakes schedule released Wednesday. The $200,000 Sunday Silence for 2-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles on turf will be run on Sept. 22, on the undercard of the track's richest race, the Grade 2, $500,000 Super Derby.

"The Sunday Silence gives us something unique in having the richest prep race in the country for the new $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf," said Mark Midland, vice president of racing operations for Louisiana Downs. "We just thought it fit perfect on the calendar as a lead into the race."

Louisiana Downs will open May 4 and race through Oct. 20. The Super Derby program this year will be worth a record $1.3 million. The card will comprise five stakes, with the four undercard races all to be run on turf, and each worth $200,000. In addition to the Sunday Silence, officials have added the Happy Ticket to the card, and that 1 1/16-mile turf race for 2-year-old fillies could produce starters for a $250,000 undercard stakes on the Juvenile Turf program at Monmouth Park on Oct. 26.

Also new this meet, Louisiana Downs has created a Super Derby Prelude Day, when five stakes will be run on Aug. 18, all preps for the Super Derby card. Other top days include Louisiana Downs Champions Day, a program of Louisiana-bred stakes worth more than $1 million on July 21.