LEE BERWICK TRIALS THIS THURSDAY & OTHER NEWS

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Lee Berwick Trials Thursday Night at Delta Downs



Track record holder First Dashin Bye will
compete in Thursday night's trials.

VINTON, LA—June 27, 2007—Delta Downs Racetrack Casino & Hotel will conduct its 11th week of American Quarter Horse racing between Thursday, June 28 and Sunday, July 1. The current season spans 52 days and wraps up on July 15. Post time each night is at 6:30 p.m.
One of the most anticipated race days of the season will take place at Delta Downs Thursday night when the track hosts qualifying trials for this year’s restricted Grade I $439,450 Lee Berwick Futurity, which will take place on closing weekend, Saturday, July 14 during another edition of Louisiana Showcase Night.

The Lee Berwick is named after that man who built Delta Downs in Vinton, Louisiana back in 1973. The race for Louisiana breds is the richest event of the year.

Some of the top names schedule to take part in the Lee Berwick trials include Native Shine, who comes off an impressive win in the Grade II Louisiana Laddie Futurity at Delta Downs on May5; First Dashin Bye, who set a new track record while winning the Grade II Louisiana Lassie Futurity on the same day; and Toastin To Memory, who won the Grade II Mardi Gras Futurity at Louisiana Downs on March 11.

Native Shine, a First To Shine gelding, will compete in the eighth trail. First Dashin Bye, a daughter of Dashin Bye, will run in the ninth race. The Toast to Dash gelding, Toastin To Memory will take part in the 10th.


Celebrate Independence Day With Firecracker Races On Sunday

Delta Downs will host a quartet of stakes races on Sunday as part of an 11-race program that begins at 6:30 p.m. The highlight of the evening will come in the Grade II $230,150 Firecracker Futurity and the Grade II $92,800 Firecracker Derby.

The Firecracker Futurity field is headed by fastest qualifier Coronas Leaving You, who covered the 350–yard distance of the trials on June 14 in a time of :17.602. The Corona Cartel colt is one of three finalists trained by M. Heath Taylor.

On June 15 Taylor also qualified a trio of sophomores for this year’s Firecracker Derby, including fastest qualifier Goinbye, who covered 400 yards in :19.910.

Rounding out the stakes action on Sunday night will be the $35,000 Miss Polly Classic Stakes for older horses going 400 yards, and the $20,000 Virgil Bond Stakes for 3-year-olds and up traveling around the ‘hook’ at 870 yards.


It’s Alvin Brossette Bobble Head Giveaway Night On Saturday, July 7

Delta Downs will honor Quarter Horse racing’s all-time winningest jockey with a bobble head giveaway of Alvin Brossette on Saturday, July 7.

The Louisiana native recently retired from the saddle to begin training American Quarter Horses after riding an amazing 3,631 winners from 1972 – 2006.

Fans can get their bobble head by purchasing a live racing program in the OTB on July 7 and receiving a ticket good for one bobble head doll. The tickets can be redeemed at the promotions table set up in the OTB starting at 5:30 p.m. Supplies are limited so patrons are urged to come to the track early.

Alvin Brossette will be on hand to autograph the bobble heads in OTB at the promotions table from 6-7 p.m.


Major Dates Yet To Come

There are two major race dates remaining in this year’s Quarter Horse Meeting at Delta Downs. They are Sunday, July 1 and Saturday July 14.

On Sunday, July 1 Delta Downs will feature this year’s Firecracker Futurity and Firecracker Derby, two of the most important Quarter Horse races in the country each year.

And on closing weekend of the season, Saturday, July 14, Delta Downs will host Louisiana Showcase Night, featuring seven stakes races for horses bred right here in Louisiana. The top offering on Louisiana Showcase Night is the Grade I Lee Berwick Futurity, named in honor of the man who built Delta Downs in 1973.


Jockey And Trainer Standings

Alfonso Lujan continues to lead the jockey colony at Delta Downs. Entering this week’s action Lujan has bagged 52 wins and his mounts have earned a total of $705,809.

Following Lujan in the standings are Danny Lavergne (40 wins), J. R. Ramirez (37), Gilbert Ortiz (34), and Orlando Baldillez (29).

Heading up the trainer standings as this week begins is M. Heath Taylor with 29 tallies to his credit and $506,811 in total earnings.

Rounding out the top five on the trainers list is Ray Robbins (23), Kenneth L. Roberts, Sr. (22), Janet Van Bebber (19), and Bobby Martinez (18).

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Lee Berwick Futurity-RG1 (07/14/2007)



Race: LEE BERWICK FUTURITY-RG1
Track: DELTA DOWNS
Trials: JUNE 28, 2007
Final: JULY 14, 2007
Purse: $439,450
Age: 2-YEAR-OLDS BRED IN LOUISIANA
Distance: 350 YARDS

Horse Sex Sire-Dam, Dam Sire Time Owner Breeder Trainer Jockey

Native Shine g. First To Shine--Bag Of Natives (TB), by Bag (TB) :17.652 Noe and Starla Martinez, Jr. Chiasson/Harter & L/J Farms (LA) M. Heath Taylor Gilbert Ortiz

Senor Seabolt g. Heza Fast Dash--Love A Rascal, by Raise A Rascal (TB) :17.697 Stacey Moak Stacey Moak (LA) Danny Joe Eldridge Alfonso Lujan

Dash To Celebrate g. Toast To Dash--Yahoo Lets Celebrate, by Royal Quick Dash :17.756 Mars Racing and Robicheaux Ranch, Inc. Narciso Flores (LA) Bobby Martinez J.R. Ramirez

Zathura f. Dashin Bye--Dashing Obession, by Mr Jess Perry :17.768 W.A. Darling W.A. Darling (LA) Danny Joe Eldridge Alfonso Lujan

Indubitably Gone g. Dashin Bye--Indubitably Dashing, by Special Effort :17.804 Bryon Ladner Colomb and Loup (LA) Phillip Calais, Jr. Alfonso Lujan

Gt Warlock g. Dashin Bye--The Village Witch, by Village Hero :17.822 N.B. Cormier and Julien Stevens, III Brenda M. Touchet (LA) M. Heath Taylor Gilbert Ortiz

First Dashin Bye f. Dashin Bye--Fast N Smoth 880, by Speedy Hemp :17.824 Jorge Meraz Jorge Meraz (LA) Jeff Acuna J.R .Ramirez

Warning Im Good f. Quick To Flare Up--Truck Note, by Dreams For Us :17.885 Karl H. Smithand Susan Stewart Karl H. Smith or Susan Stewart (LA) Ray Robbins Jerry L. Yoakum

Skip Dash N Run g. Dashin Bye--Yippie Skippie, by Streakin La Jolla :17.889 Teddy Abrams, Lyle Guillory and Lou Phillips Narciso Flores (LA) Ray Robbins Jerry L. Yoakum

Just Like Angel f. Jess Special--Cayenne Angel, by Royal Sovereign :17.909 Belinda Vincent and Malcom Chiasson M. Chiasson & B. Vincent (LA) Phillip Calais, Jr. Alfonso Lujan

Trial Notes: Native Shine won the eighth of 10 trials by 1-1/2 lengths to post the fastest qualifying time. Second year sire Dashin Bye sired half the field.

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Native Shine Tops Qualifiers in $439,350 Lee Berwick Futurity Trials




VINTON, LA—June 29, 2007—Native Shine kept his record perfect at 3-for-3 Thursday night with a 1-1/2 length win the $439,450 Lee Berwick Futurity(RG1) trials at Delta Downs.
Racing for Noe and Starla Martinez, Jr., the First To Shine gelding covered 350 yards in :17.652 seconds to post the fastest mark of the evening.

The Heath Taylor trainee came into the race off a May 5 win in the Louisiana Laddie Futurity and with earnings of $112,808. He was ridden by Gilbert Ortiz.

Senor Seabolt, a Heza Fast Dash gelding, also kept his record perfect at 3-for-3 while winning the second trial in :17.697 seconds for the second best time on the night. Saddled by Danny Joe Eldridge for owner/breeder Stacey Moak, Senor Seabolt won his trial for the Laddie Futurity in his first start on April 20, but failed to quality. He then took a one-length win in an allowance race on May 12.

First Dashin Bye was an easy 2-1/2 length winner in the ninth trial while coasting to the seventh best time on the evening. The Dashin Bye filly broke the 330 yard Delta Downs track record in her last outing when she won the Lassie Futurity.

Racing for owner/breeder Jorge Meraz and saddled by Jeff Acuna the filly went :16.524 seconds when she broke the track record. She has the most stakes appearances of the ten qualifiers with the Lassie Futurity win and a second place finish on March 24th in the Harrah's Entertainment Futurity.

Ridden by regular rider J.R. Ramirez, First Dashin Bye has earned $177,185 this season with a 4-1-0 record from five starts.

Second year sire Dashin Bye had a strong showing in the trials siring half the field of ten. The ten qualifers will return on July 14 to contest the 350 yard final for Louisiana bred two-year-olds.