Address: 2717 Delta Downs Dr, Vinton, LA 70668
Website: www.deltadowns.com
Delta Downs Racetrack & Casino: Lousy Restaurants & So So Casino - See 143 traveller reviews, 18 candid photos, and great deals for Vinton, LA, at Tripadvisor. DELTA DOWNS RACETRACK CASINO HOTEL Vinton, LA. Boasting an extensive collection of more than 1,600 of the most popular slots and video machines – including a separate high-limit area – Delta Downs combines fast action and friendly service to provide the ultimate destination for slots aficionados. Equipped with the best in slots.
Meeting: The thoroughbred meet at Delta Downs begins in early October and lasts until the end of February. The dirt-only meet was previously headlined by the $1 million Delta Jackpot for 2-year-olds, but the race was discontinued in 2018 at the behest of local horsemen, who felt the extraordinary prize money could be better allocated. The program is now anchored by a slew of Louisiana-bred stakes races, including ten such races on the same card on Delta’s Louisiana Premier Night, which boasts nearly $900,000 in purses total.
History: A bullring dirt track measuring just six furlongs around, Delta Downs opened in September 1973 in Vinton, LA and was used primarily as a facility for quarter horse racing. Thoroughbred racing was soon incorporated, and sometimes the two programs would share top billing, although now the Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse meets are kept separate. After Louisiana permitted slot machines to be installed at Delta in the early 2000’s, the track was bought for $100 million by Boyd Gaming, and the newly minted racino flourished with a capital investment of over $120 million. Higher purses boosted by slot revenue had the desired effect, as the track now attracts big names to its major races and the overall quality of racing has improved considerably.
Facilities: Delta Downs offers a racetrack, casino, and hotel all in one. The horse racing is a classic bullring measuring just six furlongs around with no turf course, the casino has more than 1,600 slot machines, and the hotel has 203 rooms with 36 suites. There is fine dining to be had at the Rosewater Grill & Tavern and The Lookout Restaurant and the grounds also features horse pastures which are visible from the entrance.
2017 Takeout Rates
Class Of Slot Machines At Delta Downs In Vinton La Zip
WPS: 17%
Exacta: 20.5%
Trifecta: 25%
Superfecta: 25%
Hi-5: 25%
Daily Double: 20.5%
Pick-3: 25%
Pick-4: 25%
Pick-5: 25%
2017 Avg. Field Size: 8.73
Stakes Schedules:
Date - Race - Purse - Age/Sex - Distance
Jan-04 - Orleans S. - $50,000g - 4&up, f/m - 5f
Jan-04 - Take Charge Brandi S. (BT) - $75,000g - 3yos, Fillies - 7.5f
Jan-05 - Big Drama S. (BT) - $75,000g - 3yos - 7.5f
Jan-05 - Sam's Town S. - $50,000g - 4&up - 5f
Feb-09 - LA Bred Premier Night Starlet S. (BT) - $100,000g - 3yos, Fillies - 8f
Feb-09 - LA Bred Premier Night Bon Temps Starter S. - $50,000g - 4&up, f/m - 5f
Feb-09 - LA Bred Premier Night Gentlemen Starter S. - $60,000g - 4&up - 8.5f
Feb-09 - LA Bred Premier Night Ragin Cajun Starter S. - $50,000g - 4&up - 5f
Feb-09 - LA Bred Premier Night Ladies Starter S. - $60,000g - 4&up, f/m - 8f
Feb-09 - LA Bred Premier Night Matron S. (BT) - $100,000g - 4&up, f/m - 5f
Feb-09 - LA Bred Premier Night Prince S. (BT) - $100,000g - 3yos - 8f
Feb-09 - LA Bred Premier Night Championship S. (BT) - $150,000g - 4&up - 8.5f
Feb-09 - LA Bred Premier Night Distaff S. (BT) - $125,000g - 4&up, f/m - 8f
Feb-09 - LA Bred Premier Night Sprint S. (BT) - $100,000g - 4&up - 5f
Mar-01 - Azalea S. (BT) - $70,000g - 3yos, Fillies - 7f
Mar-02 - Pelican S. (BT) - $70,000g - 3yos - 7f
Mar-08 - Owner Appreciation Distaff S. - $60,000g - 3&up, f/m - 8f
Mar-09 - Owner Appreciation Cup S. - $60,000g - 3&up - 8f
Oct-11 - Magnolia S. (BT) - $100,000g - 3&up, f/m - 8f
Oct-12 - Gold Cup S. (BT) - $100,000g - 3&up - 8f
Oct-18 - Louisiana Jewel S. (BT) - $100,000g - 2 yo, Fillies - 7f
Oct-19 - Louisiana Legacy S. (BT) - $100,000g - 2 yo - 7f
Nov-15 - Treasure Chest - $100,000 - 3&up, f/m - 8f
Nov-16 - Delta Mile S - $100,000 - 3&up, - 8f
Nov-22 - My Trusty Cat S - $100,000 - 2yo, f - 8f
Nov-23 - Jean Lafitte S - $100,000 - 2yo, - 8f
Dec-27 - Lookout R - $70,000 - 3&up, f/m - 7f
Dec-28 - B-Connected R - $70,000 - 3&up, - 7f
Class Of Slot Machines At Delta Downs In Vinton La Obituaries
| Delta Downs | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. of rooms | 200 | ||||||||||||||
| Total gaming space | 48,000 sq ft (4,500 m2) | ||||||||||||||
| Casino type | Racino | ||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | Coordinates: 30°11′38″N93°37′23″W / 30.194°N 93.623°W | ||||||||||||||
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Delta Downs Racetrack, Casino and Hotel is an Americanthoroughbred and quarter horse racetrack in Calcasieu Parish, near Vinton, Louisiana in the southwest portion of the state. The facility is owned by Boyd Gaming.
History[edit]
The track opened in September 1973, under the direction of Lee Berwick. Berwick was primarily looking for a recognized facility to run Quarter Horses, having earlier held races on his farm in St. Joseph, Louisiana. Delta Downs in Vinton would hold both Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred race meetings, some years in a mixed format. In the 1990s, the track was bought by developer Shawn Scott for $10 million. Shortly thereafter, it was sold for over $100 million to Boyd Gaming after a law was passed allowing for slot machines at Delta Downs. After the purchase, Boyd Gaming made over $120 million in capital improvements. The casino, hotel and track 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. Fueled by revenue from the slots casino, the quality of racing at Delta Downs has improved. The winter Thoroughbred meeting has produced several stakes-quality horses in recent years.
On January 11, 1990, jockey Sylvester Carmouche rode a 5-year-old named Landing Officer through a thick fog to a twenty-four length win. Landing Officer had gone off at 23-1 odds.[1] After the race it was determined that Carmouche had hid Landing Officer in the fog as the other eight horses in the race circled the track and the jockey was subsequently charged with felony theft by fraud.[2] Carmouche was convicted of the charges on March 14, 1990[3] and he was subsequently banned for ten years from state tracks by the Louisiana Racing Commission[4] but the ban lasted just eight years.[5] Aaron Kuriloff writing for ESPN put Sylvester Carmouche 11th of the top 25 cheats, frauds and scams perpetrated in sports around the globe.[6]
Track[edit]
The track is a 6-furlong (1.2 km) oval. There is a 550-yard (0.50 km) Quarter-Horse chute, in addition to a 0.625 miles (1.006 km) and 1.0625-mile (1.7099 km) Thoroughbred chutes. The track surface is a mixture of sand (from the Sabine River) and clay, with a limestone base. The track has stabling for 1,200 horses. The Delta Downs grounds features horse pastures which are visible from the entrance. Draft and miniature horses and thoroughbreds are on display. The Quarter Horse Red River Rebel, owned by Malcom Chiasson, holds the track record as of 2011; he is also the leading money-winning quarter horse in Louisiana.[7]
Casino[edit]
The casino has more than 1,600 slot machines; the racino has only slots, due to restrictions in state law. The hotel has 370 rooms, and 50 suites.
Racing season[edit]
The track usually holds races from November to mid-July, with the Thoroughbred meet beginning in November and the QuarterHorse meet commencing in April. Delta Downs hosts the Grade III, $1,000,000 Delta Jackpot Stakes for 2-year-olds, the Grade III, $500,000 Delta Princess Stakes for 2-year-old fillies, the Restricted Grade I Lee Burwick Futurity, and the Grade II Firecracker Futurity.
References[edit]
- ^'Phantom Rider Sylvester Carmouche Galloped Out of the Bayou Mists—and into a Peck of Trouble'. people.com. May 14, 1990. Archived from the original on 2017-04-19. Retrieved 2020-06-28.
- ^'Jockey Faces Felony Charge : Racing: Sylvester Carmouche, accused of hiding his horse in fog during a one-mile race, also was suspended by the Louisiana track'. Los Angeles Times. January 19, 1990. Archived from the original on 2015-03-30. Retrieved 2020-06-28.
- ^''Foggy' jockey convicted'. Tulsa World. Mar 15, 1991. Retrieved 2020-06-28.
- ^'Circumstances Remain Foggy on Suspension of Jockey Carmouche'. Los Angeles Times. April 18, 1990. Archived from the original on 2015-10-16. Retrieved 2020-06-28.
- ^'Perfect filly eyes sweet 16 ; Hallowed dreams a godsend'. New York Post. July 14, 2000. Retrieved 2020-06-28.
- ^'25 great hoaxes, cheats and frauds in sport'. espn.com. Apr 17, 2005. Archived from the original on 2017-04-19. Retrieved 2020-06-28.
- ^Delta Downs racing website Retrieved 2011-06-02.