VINTON, LA. – Race fans were treated to a pair of stakes races at Delta Downs on Friday night as the track embarked on its final race weekend of calendar year 2023. The featured races were the $70,000 Boyd Rewards and the $70,000 Rosewater Stakes.

A field of 10 went postward in the Boyd Rewards, a Louisiana-bred event for 3-year-olds and up competing at 7-1/2 furlongs. The race was won by Jeffery A. Reeves’ Ballinonabudjet under jockey Devin Magnon.

Ballinonabudjet, who is trained by Jeffery Reeves, Jr., dropped back in the field early after the break before moving into contention up the backstretch. In the meantime, it was Jack Bob and Larry who set the early pace of 23.62 seconds for the opening quarter mile and 48.27 for the half mile while being pressed by Venn. That pair reached the far turn together before Jack Bob and Larry threw in the towel and receded.

At the head of the lane Play Mo took a narrow lead while battling with a tenacious Venn through the stretch before Ballinonabudjet rallied late to collar the pair just before the finish line. The winning margin for Ballinonabudget was one length while Venn settled for second, a head better than Play Mo. The final running time for the race was 1:33.72 over a fast track. It was the first career stakes winner for trainer Reeves.

The win by Ballinonabudjet was the seventh of his 30-race career. He banked $42,000 for the effort and has now earned $332,314.

Bred in Louisiana by Spartan Team Investments LLC, Ballinonabudjet is a 5-year-old bay gelding by Sky Kingdom, out of the Wildcat Heir mare Heir to Glory.

Sent off at odds of 6-1, Ballinonabudjet paid $14.20 to win, $6.80 to place and $4.60 to show. Venn was worth $13.20 to place and $8.40 to show. Play Mo returned $3.60 to show.

 

The Rosewater appeared to be a two-horse race on paper and that’s what it turned into until the final strides. Basalt Street and World War hooked up in a speed duel for most of the 7-1/2 furlongs while setting fractional times of 23.81 seconds for the opening quarter mile and 48.28 for the half. But as the pair turned for home World War backed off and left the lead to Basalt Street, who appeared to be a clear winner until Muchmorethanready launched a furious late rally that resulted in a tight photo finish. The result was a narrow win by Basalt Street over Muchmorethanready while World War wound up third, another 2-3/4 lengths behind the top pair.

The final time for Basalt Street, who was ridden to victory by jockey Tim Thornton, was 1:34.35.

Owned by Al and Bill Ulwelling and trained by Gary Scherer, Basalt Street has now won seven of 24 starts. The $42,000 paycheck on Friday night raised her overall bankroll to $311,613.

Bred in Louisiana by Paul Pruett & Lindsay Syler, Basalt Street id a 4-year-old dark bay or brown filly by Uncaptured, out of the Stormy Atlantic mare Shirley Street.

Basalt Street paid $4.60 to win, $3.20 to place and $2.40 to show. Muchmorethanready returned $4 to place and $2.80 to show. World War paid $2.60 to show.