Preview Racing


Rich Lee Berwick Futurity Headlines Closing-Night Stakes Bonanza at Delta Downs
The fastest qualifier Jess Pretty N Black drew post 2 in the $654,014 Lee Berwick Futurity (RG1) at Delta Downs Saturday night.

© Hodges Photography
Rich Lee Berwick Futurity Headlines Closing-Night Stakes Bonanza at Delta Downs

VINTON, LA–JULY 10, 2024–Eight official stakes -- led by the 350-yard, $654,014 Lee Berwick Futurity (RG1) -- are scheduled for Delta Downs on Saturday, the closing night of the track’s 46-date American Quarter Horse meet.

Post time for the first race on the 11-race program is set for 5:15 p.m. (CDT).

In addition to the on-track racing action during what is known as “Louisiana Showcase Night,” the Louisiana Quarter Horse Breeders’ Association will conduct drawings for five college scholarships worth a total of $10,000. Scholarship entrants must be Louisiana high school graduates or a Louisiana high school student graduating in 2024, and they must be planning to attend an institution of higher education in the state.

Also, Delta Downs track announcer and simulcast host Don Stevens will be joined by renowned Quarter Horse personality and handicapper Martha Claussen during the Showcase Night program. Claussen will serve as co-host and racing analyst during the night.

Ten Louisiana-bred 2-year-olds are entered back in Saturday’s Lee Berwick Futurity, which is named after Delta Downs’ founder Lee Berwick, who served as president of the American Quarter Horse Association in 1969 and was inducted into the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame in ‘94.

Golden Answerr, a graded stakes placed daughter of the One Famous Eagle stallion Gold Heart Eagle V trained by Paul Leal for owner BM AQ Racing, is coming off of a two-length victory in one of 12 trials on June 21. The fifth-fastest qualifier, Golden Answerr has earned $41,113 from three races -- all at Delta Downs -- and the filly’s record includes a third-place finish, three-quarters of a length behind winner RF Fast Dash N Train, in the 330-yard, $291,000 Louisiana Breeders’ Lassie Futurity (RG2) for state-bred fillies on May 24.

Golden Answerr was a $28,000 purchase at last year’s LQHBA Yearling Sale. The filly drew post 9 and will be ridden by Leonardo Rodriguez.

Fastest qualifier Jess Pretty N Black is a black daughter of The Louisiana Cartel racing for Eleazar Martinez Sr. from the barn of trainer Guillermo Martinez. A $33,000 yearling buy, the filly is coming off of a neck victory in the first Lee Berwick Futurity trial.

Jess Pretty N Black drew post 2 and will be ridden by Jasiel Aquino.

The complete lineup, in post-position order, including jockey assignments and morning-line odds:

  1. San Lorenzo Hustle (Martin Osuna), 7-2
  2. Jess Pretty N Black (Jasiel Aquino), 5-2
  3. RF Imperial Choice (Noe Castaneda), 20-1
  4. San Lorenzo Jezz (Ubaldo Luna), 6-1
  5. Ace Trains R Forever (Guadalupe Lucio Jr.), 8-1
  6. Making The Bar (Victor Urieta Jr.), 12-1
  7. Carte Blanch (Juan F. Garcia Jr.), 15-1
  8. San Lorenzo Patrona (Arturo Alvarez), 8-1
  9. Golden Answerr (Leonardo Rodriguez), 5-1
  10. Beleavin (Arnulfo Gutierrez), 20-1


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Party Tyme Racing’s Eyesa  Freighttrain B, an open-graded stakes winner during the Remington Park spring meet, heads a field of 10 Louisiana-bred 3-year-olds entered back in Saturday’s 400-yard, $137,415 Delta Downs Derby (RG3).

A bay son of Freighttrain B trained by Jose R. Espinosa, Eyesa Freighttrain B has banked $88,375 from just three outs this season, and his record includes a head victory in the 350-yard, $218,000 Oklahoma Derby (G3) on March 23.

Eyesa Freighttrain B drew post 9 and will be ridden by Sabino Reyes.

Trainer Juan Diaz Jr. will send out the fastest qualifier, Hoztile Takeover. A gelded son of One Sweet Jess racing for Amanda St. Amant and Luis Armando Castellanos, Hoztile Takeover has won both of his outs at Delta Downs this season, including the second of two trials on June 20.

Hoztile Takeover drew post 3 and will be ridden by Ubaldo Luna.

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Rogelio Marquez Jr.’s One Sweet Sugar drew post 10 for Saturday’s 400-yard, $139,647 Delta Downs Oaks (R) for Louisiana-bred 3-year-old fillies.

A homebred daughter of One Sweet Jess trained by Jeremy Derozin, One Sweet Sugar is coming off of a fifth-place finish in the second of two trials on June 19. However, the filly has won four of her seven races at Delta Downs -- including last year’s $625,000 Lee Berwick Futurity (RG1) -- and she has banked $500,374 over the track.

One Sweet Sugar will be ridden by Jasiel Aquino.

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Jose H. Rodriguez’s PK Pure Rogue brings a three-race win streak into Saturday’s 440-yard, $75,000 Louisiana Classic Stakes (RG2).

PK Pure Rogue’s streak includes victories in the 300-yard, $40,000 Open Me A Corona Stakes (RG2) on April 26, and the 400-yard, $50,000 Vals Fortune Stakes (RG2) on June 19. Barbara Alcantara trains the 4-year-old gelded son of Heza Fast Rogue.

PK Pure Rogue drew post 4 and will be ridden by Leonardo Rodriguez.
 

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The graded stakes placed Thetrainrobbersace drew post 5 for Saturday’s 350-yard, $75,000 Louisiana Juvenile Stakes (R) for state-bred 2-year-olds.

Racing for Robert Witsiepe and trainer Jose R. Espinosa, Thetrainrobbersace is a son of Freighttrain B who was purchased for $45,000 at last year’s LQHBA Yearling Sale. The gelding has earned $65,828 from four outs, and his record includes a second-place finish, a head behind winner Gold Gun Z, in the 330-yard, $292,000 Louisiana Breeders’ Laddie Futurity RG2 on May 25.

Thetrainrobbersace drew post 5 and will be ridden by Sabino Reyes.

Corona Blue Estrella is one of 10 state-bred distaffers entered in Saturday’s 330-yard, $50,000 Flashy Hemp Stakes (R).

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A sophomore daughter of Jess Louisiana Blue trained by Kenneth Weeks for owners Lester Colomb Jr. and Raymond Loup, Corona Blue Estrella has won her last three races, including the open 400-yard, $50,000 Miss Polly Classic Stakes (G3) at Delta Downs on April 26. The filly has won five of nine starts, including four of six at Delta Downs.

Corona Blue Estrella drew post 5 and will be ridden by Ricardo Hernandez Jr.


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Eight state-bred distance specialists will face the starter in Saturday’s 870-yard, $50,000  Live Oak Stakes (R).

Early favorite One Fast Cajun is coming off of a one-length victory in the 870-yard, $25,000 Virgil Bond Stakes on June 8. A 6-year-old son of Heza Fast Dash trained by Shane Ladner for owners Darrin Ladner and Norman Ladner, the bay gelding has won 11 of his 17 outs at the 870 trip, and his seven wins in 14 starts at Delta Downs include last year’s 870-yard, $30,000 Faubourg St. John Stakes (R).

One Fast Cajun drew post 4 and will be ridden by Ubaldo Luna.

Dania Castellanos’ Konnan Cartel drew post 8 for Saturday’s 220-yard, $50,000 Flying Breed Stakes (R) for Louisiana-bred sprinters.

Konnan Cartel will be making his first start at the 220 distance. However, the 4-year-old Five Bar Cartel gelding will be returning to Louisiana off of a Remington Park spring campaign during which he earned $41,910 from three starts and scored a 1 1/4-length victory in the 350-yard, $50,000 Eastex Stakes (G2) on March 16.

Konnan Cartel will be ridden by Victor Urieta Jr. for trainer Juan Diaz Jr.

All Delta Downs races can be seen at Q-Racing Video.com.