Super Derby to make return Sept. 2
Louisiana Downs will run the Super Derby for the first time since 2019 on Sept. 2, the Bossier City, La., track announced Wednesday.
Louisiana Downs has a new ownership group, which is bringing the race back at a distance of 1 1/8 miles. The purse will be $200,000.
Louisiana Downs is set to open a 61-date for Thoroughbreds on May 6. The season will run through Sept. 12.
The Super Derby is part of a stakes schedule that includes Louisiana Cup Day on Aug. 5. The program will feature six divisional stakes for Louisiana-breds, with each worth $75,000.
Louisiana Downs is racing Quarter Horses through April 1.
“We have made significant changes to the track and have enhanced many of the areas, including adding over 100 new slot machines to the casino floor, opening up two new restaurant concepts, adding our sportsbook and freshening up all aspects of the racetrack,” co-owner Kevin Preston said in a press release. “This year we have added many special features of our live race broadcasts. As we move into 2023, we have a lot of additional changes happening for this upcoming racing season.”
The new ownership of Louisiana Downs last year had expressed a desire to bring back the Super Derby in some fashion with the hope of building the race over time. At its height, the race was a Grade 1.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.