Super Derby's distance and purse reduced
The Grade 2 Super Derby will return to a 1 1/8-mile distance this year after being run at 1 1/4 miles last year for the first time since 2001. Louisiana Downs in Bossier City, La., announced the change to its marquee race on Thursday, when it also released its stakes schedule for the upcoming meet, which opens May 5.
Louisiana Downs also has reduced the purse of the Sept. 23 Super Derby to $500,000 after raising it to $750,000 for last year's running. Purse increases have been made to the supporting stakes on Super Derby Day. In the most significant change, the Marie P. DeBartolo Oaks, which last year was worth $75,000, is now worth $200,000.
Louisiana Downs has also increased the purse of the Harrah's Louisiana Downs Breeders' Cup Handicap to $200,000, up from $125,000 a year ago. That race, along with the Super Derby, DeBartolo Oaks and $100,000 Harrah's Juvenile, are worth a cumulative $1 million and will form an all-stakes pick four on Sept. 23.
In other changes to the schedule, the purse of the Prelude, which is the local prep for the Super Derby, has been increased from $50,000 to $100,000. It will be run on Sept. 1.
The annual Breeders' Festival will be run on Aug. 19, with 12 stakes for Louisiana-breds to be decided, each worth $100,000. Of the 12 stakes, four are for Quarter Horses.
Louisiana Downs originally was scheduled to race through Nov. 4, but the schedule has been revised and the meet will run through Oct. 21 instead. Last year, the meet closed on Oct. 9. Louisiana Downs is owned by casino giant Harrah's.
2006 stakes schedule
| DATE | EVENT | CONDITIONS | DISTANCE | PURSE |
| Fri.,May 5 | John Franks Memorial | 3YO & Up* | 1 mile (T) | $50,000 |
| Sat.,May 6 | Honeymoon | F&M, 3YO & Up | 1 mile (T) | 50,000 |
| Sat.,May 13 | Fantasia | 3YO F* | 6 furlongs | 50,000 |
| Sat.,May 20 | Arcadia | 3YO F* | 6 furlongs | 50,000 |
| Sat.,May 27 | Chapel Belle | 3YO F | 1 mile (T) | 50,000 |
| Mon.,May 29 | Barksdale Handicap | 3YO & Up | 1 mile (T) | 50,000 |
| Sat.,June 3 | Kings Court | 3YO & Up | 6 furlongs | 50,000 |
| Sat.,June 10 | Airline | 3YO F | 6 furlongs | 50,000 |
| Sat.,June 17 | Seven Stars | F&M, 3YO & Up* | 1 1/16 miles | 50,000 |
| Sat.,June 24 | Suthern Accent | F&M, 3YO & Up | 6 furlongs | 50,000 |
| Mon.,July 3 | Independence Handicap | 3YO & Up | 1 1/16 miles (T) | 75,000 |
| Sat.,July 8 | Excalibur | 3YO F | 1 mile (T) | 50,000 |
| Fri.,July 14 | Elge Rasberry | 3YO F* | 1 mile (T) | 50,000 |
| Sat.,July 15 | Dixie Miss | 3YO F | 6 furlongs | 50,000 |
| Fri.,July 21 | A. L. (Red) Erwin | 3YO F* | 1 mile (T) | 50,000 |
| Sat.,July 22 | Ark-La-Tex Handicap | 3YO & Up | 1 1/16 miles | 75,000 |
| Sat.,July 29 | Folklore Handicap | 3YO & Up | 6 1/2 furlongs | 75,000 |
| Sat.,Aug. 5 | Senorita | 3YO F | 1 1/16 miles | 50,000 |
| Sat.,Aug. 12 | Old South Handicap | F&M, 3YO & Up | 1 1/16 miles (T) | 50,000 |
| Sat.,Aug. 19 | Stardust | 2YO F* | 6 furlongs | 100,000 |
| Sat.,Aug. 19 | Cajun | 3YO & Up* | 6 furlongs | 100,000 |
| Sat.,Aug. 19 | Shiskabob | 3YO & Up* | 1 1/16 miles (T) | 100,000 |
| Sat.,Aug. 19 | LA. Breeders' Derby | 3YO F* | 1 1/16 miles | 100,000 |
| Sat.,Aug. 19 | Laurel Lane | 2YO F* | 6 furlongs | 100,000 |
| Sat.,Aug. 19 | Victoria | F&M, 3YO & Up* | 6 furlongs | 100,000 |
| Sat.,Aug. 19 | Walmac Farm Matchmaker | F&M, 3YO & Up* | 1 1/16 miles (T) | 100,000 |
| Sat.,Aug. 19 | LA Breeders' Oaks | 3YO F* | 1 1/16 miles | 100,000 |
| Sat.,Aug. 19 | La.-Bred Quarter Horse StakeS | C&G, 4YO & Up, QH* | 400 yds. | 100,000 |
| Sat.,Aug. 19 | La.-Bred Quarter Horse StakeS | 3YO F, QH* | 350 yds. | 100,000 |
| Sat.,Aug. 19 | La.-Bred Quarter Horse StakeS | F&M, 4YO & Up, QH* | 400 yds. | 100,000 |
| Fri.,Aug. 25 | Minstrel | 2YO F | 6 furlongs | 50,000 |
| Sat.,Aug. 26 | Lyrique Handicap | 3YO F | 1 1/16 miles (T) | 75,000 |
| Fri.,Sept. 1 | Prelude | 3YO F | 1 1/16 miles | 100,000 |
| Sat.,Sept. 2 | Sport City Handicap | 3YO & Up | 1 1/16 miles (T) | 75,000 |
| Mon.,Sept. 4 | Total Rewards Breeders' Cup | 3YO & Up | 5 furlongs (T) | 100,000 |
| Sat.,Sept. 9 | Princess | 2YO F | 6 furlongs | 50,000 |
| Sat.,Sept. 16 | Majorette Handicap | F&M, 3YO & Up | 5 furlongs (T)5 | 0,000 |
| Sat.,Sept. 23 | SUPER DERBY XXVII (G2) | 3YO F | 1 1/8 miles | 500,000 |
| Sat.,Sept. 23 | LAD Breeders' Cup Handicap | 3YO F&Up | 1 1/16 miles (T) | 200,000 |
| Sat.,Sept. 23 | Harrah's Juvenile | 2YO F | 1 1/16 miles (T) | 100,000 |
| Sat.,Sept. 23 | Marie P. DeBartolo Oaks HCP. | 3YO F | 1 1/16 miles (T) | 200,000 |
| Sat.,Sept. 23 | Donnie Wilhite Memorial | 3 YO | 1 1/16 miles (T) | 75,000 |
| Sat.,Sept. 30 | River Cities Breeders' Cup | F&M, 3YO & Up | 1 1/16 miles (T)1 | 00,000 |
| Sat.,Oct. 7 | Lady Razorback Futurity | 2YO F** | 6 furlongs | 50,000 |
| Sat.,Oct. 7 | Razorback Futurity | FC&G, 2YO** | 6 furlongs | 50,000 |
| Sat.,Oct. 14 | Delicada | F&M, 3YO & Up | 1 1/16 miles | 50,000 |
| Sat.,Oct. 21 | Lady Luck | 2YO F | 1 mile (T) | 50,000 |
*La.-breds; **Ark.-breds