Ten Stakes Races Scheduled for Louisiana Premier Night

If you’re a fan of stakes-packed race cards, then you won’t want to miss Louisiana Premier Night on Saturday at Delta Downs, which features ten stakes races for Louisiana-breds with a combined purse of $1.055 million.

The latter half of the card looks particularly competitive. Let’s take a quick look at some of the best races….

Race 5, Starlet Stakes: The unbeaten Minit to Stardom holds a huge edge in speed figures in this one-mile event and looms as the filly to beat in her three-year-old debut. Of her seven rivals, Remember Daisy—who opened her career with a couple of solid efforts on turf at Fair Grounds—could have the best chance at an upset.

Race 7, Prince Stakes: Young three-year-olds will shine in this one-mile event, including the late-running Louisiana Futurity Stakes winner Pound for Pound and the accomplished Greeley Went West, who ran third in the Louisiana Futurity three weeks after winning the Louisiana Champions Day Juvenile Stakes. Gladyousawme, 2-for-2 at Delta Downs including a stakes win; Bitsy’s Afleet, unbeaten in two starts at Fair Grounds; and Ready Prospector, who competed in the Breeders’ Futurity (gr. I) last year, are others to consider.

Race 8, Sprint Stakes: This five-furlong sprint drew ten entrants plus two also-eligibles, with Jack Snipe’s the horse to beat based off a decisive allowance win over the Fair Grounds turf course last month. Though he’s been running on grass as of late, Jack Snipe’s is a stakes winner on dirt and could vie for favoritism with fellow stakes winner Laughingsaintsong and the veteran Forerun, who has won three of his last four starts at Delta Downs.

Race 9, Championship Stakes: With a purse of $170,000, the 8.5-furlong Championship Stakes is the highlight of the night and features the two-time Louisiana Champions Day Classic Stakes winner . The Victor Arceneaux-trained six-year-old has won his last three starts, but will have to be sharp while once again facing Grande Basin and Underpressure, who finished just a nose and a length behind Mobile Bay in the December 9th Classic Stakes.

Race 10, Matron Stakes: Handicappers will have plenty of horses to consider in this five-furlong sprint for fillies and mares. My Miss Chiff looms as the favorite off two straight stakes wins against Louisiana-breds at Fair Grounds, but she will be making her debut at Delta Downs and facing several talented mares with experience over the track, including the three-time winner Rachael’s Kiss (2-for-2 at Delta) and Diamond Cutter (who boasts four wins over the track).

Race 11, Distaff Stakes: Mr. Al’s Gal has been almost unstoppable so far in her career with eight wins from eleven starts, and she has been particularly dominant at Delta Downs, where she has won three stakes races. That stamps her as the clear favorite for the one-mile Distaff, in which her stiffest competition could come from Pacific Pink, likewise a multiple stakes winner but winless in five starts at Delta Downs.

Post time for the first race of the day is 6:20 p.m. Eastern.