DELTA DOWNS CLOSES OUT ANOTHER EXCITING MEET OF THOROUGHBRED RACING - HEBERT, BREAUX AND HEILIGBRODT CLAIM TITLES -

VINTON, LA. – March 30, 2011 - Delta Downs Racetrack Casino & Hotel wrapped up its 2010-2011 Thoroughbred Meeting last Saturday night. The 88-day stand included numerous highlights, including some that could have a bearing on this year’s Triple Crown races.

The richest day of the season came on November 20, when the track hosted a program that featured the $1,000,000 Delta Downs Jackpot (Gr. III) for 2-year-olds. The 1 1/16-mile race was won by Our Sugar Bear Stable’s Gourmet Dinner, who defeated Decisive Moment by 2-1/4 lengths.

Gourmet Dinner and Decisive Moment are both candidates for a possible run in this year’s Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville. Their graded stakes earnings from the Delta Downs Jackpot virtually assure them a spot in the starting gate for the ‘Run for the Roses’ on the first Saturday in May.

Traditionally a night-time race card, the $1,000,000 Delta Downs Jackpot Day program was run during the day in 2010 with the first post time at 1 p.m. CST. The 11-race set, which included eight stakes races and total purse money of more than $3 million, produced an all-time record handle of $3,817,849.

In the category of human achievement, jockey Tracy Hebert rode 98 winners from 479 mounts to capture his second local riding title this season. Hebert’s first crown came in 2006-2007 when he booted home 121 winners.

Hebert went on a tear during the second half of the meet. After Saturday’s final race, Hebert stood 24 wins ahead of second-place Gerard Melancon, who finished with 74 tallies. Melancon did win the race for top mount earnings however, as his rides earned a tidy sum of $1,619,920.

Sam Breaux won his first training title at Delta Downs this season. Breaux saddled 46 winners from 259 starters and his barn earned a season-leading total of $849,045. Alex K. Dunn finished second to Breaux in both categories with totals of 43 winners and $721,547 in earnings.

Heiligbrodt Racing Stable snared their second leading owner title this year with 21 wins from 88 starts and total earnings of $530,160. The Texas-based owner, which consists of L. William and C. C. Heiligbrodt, won their first leading owner title at Delta Downs in 2008-2009 with 18 wins and $785,745 in earnings.

The winningest horse during the season this year was Rolando Cabral’s Jetabilityprospect, a 5-year-old Florida-bred son of Sasha’s Prospect. The chestnut gelding won five races from seven starts, including tallies at three different distances. Jetabilityprospect was trained by Olivo Inirio and was ridden by three different jockeys during the season, Junior Inirio, Luis Negron, and Hector Santiago.

With its Thoroughbred season now complete, Delta Downs turns its attention to the 2011 American Quarter Horse Meet. The 46-day stand will open on Saturday, April 16 and run through Sunday, July 3. Live racing will take place each Thursday through Saturday night beginning at 6:45 p.m. The first post time on Sundays will at 3:05 p.m.

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.