DELTA DOWNS SET TO BEGIN 2018-19 THOROUGHBRED SEASON

By Don Stevens —-

DIODORO AND POMPELL TOP LIST OF NEW FACES FOR THE 84-DAY MEETING –

VINTON, LA. – Delta Downs Racetrack Casino & Hotel will kick off its 2018-19 Thoroughbred season on Wednesday, October 17. The 84-day stand will feature live racing Wednesdays through Saturdays with first post time set for 5:25 pm Central Time each night.

During the new season, Delta Downs will offer a stakes schedule that features 28 races and a total of $2.175 million in total purse money.

The stakes activity kicks off on opening weekend with the $100,000 Magnolia and the $50,000 My Trusty Cat taking place on Friday, October 19. On Saturday, the track will host the $100,000 Gold Cup and the $50,000 Jean Lafitte Stakes. The Magnolia and Gold Cup races are each restricted to Louisiana-bred horses.

The richest program of the year will happen on Saturday, February 9 when the track hosts another edition of Louisiana Premier Night. The exciting card will feature some of the best Louisiana-breds competing in 10 stakes races worth total purse money of $895,000. The headliner on Louisiana Premier Night is the $150,000 Louisiana Premier Night Championship for 4-year-olds and up competing at 1-1/16 miles.

The leading horsemen from last year at Delta Downs are expected to vie for top honors once again this season. Diego Saenz will be seeking his fifth leading rider title while Karl Broberg will compete for this eighth consecutive leading trainer title during the meet. Broberg has been the leading trainer in North America by wins for four consecutive years and currently leads all conditioners in 2018 with over 400 winners thus far.

End Zone Athletics Inc., which is made up of the team of Karl Broberg and Matt Johanson, will attempt to win their fourth straight and seventh overall leading owner title this season at Delta Downs.

There will also be a few new faces at Delta Downs. Most notable are jockey Thomas Pompell and trainer Robertino Diodoro. Pompell is a journeyman rider who has notched over 2,500 wins during his career which began in 1996. Diodoro has been training since 1995 and has saddled over 2,000 winners. His horses have earned just over $32 million

For more information about racing at Delta Downs visit the track’s website at www.deltadownsracingcom. Fans can also get information about through Facebook by visiting the page ‘Delta Downs Racing’. The track’s Twitter handle is @deltaracing.

Delta Downs Racetrack Casino and Hotel, a property of Boyd Gaming Corporation (NYSE:BYD), features exciting casino action, live horse racing and fun dining experiences. Delta Downs is located in Vinton, Louisiana, on Delta Downs Drive. From Lake Charles, take Exit 7 and from Texas, take Exit 4.

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