Delta Downs

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Delta Downs Racetrack, Casino and Hotel is an American thoroughbred and quarter horse racetrack in Vinton, Louisiana.

[edit] History

The track initially opened in the 1970s. It conducted low-level quarter horse and thoroughbred race meetings. In the 1990's it was bought by developer Shawn Scott for $10 million. Shortly thereafter it was sold for over $100 million to Boyd Gaming. This was after Mr. Scott managed to get a law passed allowing for slot machines at Delta Downs. After the purchase, Boyd Gaming made over $120 million capital improvements. The casino hotel and the track itself were badly damaged by Hurricane Rita in 2005. The Casino and Hotel were partially opened two months later. The track was closed for about six months after the hurricane.

[edit] Physical attributes

The track is a six-furlong oval. There is a 550-yard quarter horse chute in addition to a five-furlong and 1 1/16-mile thoroughbred chute. The track surface is a mixture of sand (from the Sabine river) and clay with a limestone base. The track has stabling for 1200 horses. The casino has over 1,400 slots. The racino has only slots due to restrictions in state law. The luxurious hotel has 203 rooms, with 36 of them being spacious suites. The Delta Downs grounds now also includes horse pastures as you drive in. There are draft horses, miniature horses, and thoroughbred horses on view.

[edit] Racing

The track races from November to mid-July in a normal year with the thoroughbred meet commencing in November and the quarter horse meet commencing in April. The track conducts the Grade III $1,000,000 Delta Jackpot Stakes for 2 year olds. The other major stakes is the $250,000 Delta Princess Stakes for 2 year old fillies. Both the Jackpot and Princess races will have Grade 3 status in 2008.