OVER $800,000 IN TOTAL PURSE MONEY TO BE AWARDED TO LOUISIANA’S BEST THOROUGHBREDS DURING A STAR-STUDDED 11-RACE PROGRAM
VINTON, LA. – Delta Downs is gearing up for the richest day of the season on Saturday when the track hosts Louisiana Premier Night. The annual event features 10 stakes races for Louisiana-breds highlighted by the $150,000 Louisiana Premier Night Championship going as the sixth race on the card. The exciting program is set to kick off at 5:15 pm. This marks the 21st renewal of Louisiana Premier Night.
In addition to the top-notch racing on the track, fans will also be able to enter a ‘Bundle of Bets’ drawing in the OTB between 5-6 pm; college students can enter a special drawing for two (2) $1,000 Louisiana scholarships, awarded by the Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association; and expert handicapper and national horse racing personality Martha Claussen will co-host the simulcast show along with track announcer Don Stevens to give the fans insight and selections throughout the evening.
The $150,000 Louisiana Premier Night Championship for older horses competing at 1-1/16 miles will serve as the main event on the LAPN card. This year’s headliner attracted a field of six headed by Set-Hut, LLC’s (Jake Delhomme) Touchuponastar (3-5 morning line), who will be ridden by jockey Tim Thornton. The Jeff Delhomme trainee enters the event on a three-race winning streak and most recently defeated fellow Championship combatant Cosmic Train in the $150,000 Louisiana Classic at Fair Grounds Race Course. Cosmic Train is conditioned by Delhomme’s father Jerry.
Touchuponastar is undefeated at Delta Downs and will be defending his crown in the Championship after taking the race last year. Earlier this season he tallied victories in the $100,000 Gold Cup and the $100,000 Delta Mile. Overall, the 5-year-old gelding has banked $618,100 for his connections.
The Championship field also includes Jeffery A. Reeves’ Ballinonabudjet (8-1), who won the Boyd Rewards Stakes at Delta Downs on December 29. The 6-year-old son of Sky Kingdom enters Saturday’s showdown as the second leading earner with a total of $332,314. The Jeffery A. Reeves, Jr. trainee will be ridden by jockey Devin Magnon.
The second race field on Saturday features millionaire mare Free Like a Girl (4-5), who goes postward in the $125,000 Distaff for owners Gerald Bruno, Jr., Chasey Deville Pomier and Jerry Caroom. The bay daughter of El Deal is coming off a very close second to Bellamore in the Grade 3 $300,000 Houston Ladies Classic last Saturday night. The Chasey Deville Pomier trainee has earned a staggering $1,136,378 during her spectacular career. She will be ridden by Delta Downs currently leading jockey Vicente Del Cid.
Returning to defend his title in the $100,000 Sprint will be the Mark Casse trainee Bron and Brow. The Gary Barber-owned gelding comes into the race as the top earner in the field with a total of $384,370 and most recently won the $100,000 Gary P. Palmisano Memorial Stakes at Fair Grounds on January 6. Jockey Reylu Gutierrez will get a leg up for the race on Saturday night.
Listed below are all 10 Louisiana Premier Night stakes races for 2024 in program order.
Race # Purse Stakes Distance Age
2 $125,000 LAPN Distaff 1 mile 4yo & up FM
3 $100,000 LAPN Matron 5 furlongs 4yo & up FM
4 $60,000 LAPN Ladies Starter 1 mile 4yo & up FM
5 $50,000 LAPN Bon Temps Starter 5 furlongs 4yo & up FM
6 $150,000 LAPN Championship 1-1/16 miles 4yo & up
7 $60,000 LAPN Gentlemen Starter 1-1/16 miles 4yo & up
8 $100,000 LAPN Starlet 1 mile 3yo Fillies
9 $100,000 LAPN Prince 1 mile 3yo
10 $100,000 LAPN Sprint 5 furlongs 4yo & up
11 $50,000 LAPN Ragin Cajun Starter 5 furlongs 4yo & up
For more information about Louisiana Premier Night and the remainder of Delta Downs’ season, which runs through February 24, visit the track’s website at www.deltadownsracing.com. Fans can also follow the track on Facebook and Twitter (X).
