04/27/2024..VINTON, LA. – Delta Downs hosted a nine-race program on Saturday night to close out opening weekend of the 2024 American Quarter Horse season. Each race served as a qualifying trial for this year’s 213,210 Old South Futurity, which will be contested at the track on Saturday, May 18.

THE RICH FINAL WILL TAKE PLACE ON SATURDAY, MAY 18

The fastest qualifier of the night came in the fourth trial as Heavy Hitters Racing Stables’ Hawkabye Baby rocketed down the racetrack to score an easy win in her debut while posting at time of 16.641 for 330 yards. That clocking equaled a speed index of 97.

Ridden by jockey Victor Urieta, Jr., who got a leg up by trainer Juan Diaz, Jr., Hawkabye Baby scored her win while breaking from the inside post position in a field of nine. Each race on the program was contested over a fast track and with a strong crosswind from the south.

Hawkabye Baby is a 2-year-old chestnut filly by Hawkeye, out of the Jodys Money Pop mare Little Affection. She was bred in Texas by Tyler & Naia Graham and was purchased at the 2023 TQHA Sale for $8,500 as a yearling.

Listed below are the 10 finalists for this year’s Old South Futurity from the fastest time down.

Horse Jockey Trainer Time_
1 Hawkabye Baby Victor Urieta, Jr. Juan Diaz, Jr. 16.641
2 Dm Nite Hawk Eleazer Hernandez Daniel Luna 16.762
3 Captain Tal Sabino Reyes Jose R. Espinosa 16.887
4 Ghost Power Claudio Aguilar Adrian Huitron 16.889
5 Freckles Brown Sabino Reyes Jose R. Espinosa 16.893
6 Konfettis Dynasty Leonardo Rodriguez Larry Keith 16.916
7 Tempting Grand Gl Arturo Alvarez Jose Sanchez 16.955
8 Cc Valiant Martin Osuna Adalberto Miranda 16.957
9 Ca Onefamouscorona David Alvarez Fidel Perez 16.986
10 A Fabulous Fling Arturo Alvarez Jose Sanchez 16.996

Delta Downs will conduct live racing next week, Wednesday through Saturday. A total of 12 qualifying trials for this year’s Lassie Futurity will be conducted on Wednesday and another dozen trials for the Laddie Futurity will take place on Friday. There will be a special early post time of 4:45 pm on those trial nights. The regular post time of 6:15 will be in effect on Thursday and Saturday.

For more information about the season, visit the track’s website at www.deltadownsracing.com.

Delta Downs Racetrack Casino Hotel, a property of Boyd Gaming Corporation, is the premier racing and gaming entertainment venue in Vinton, LA. Named “America’s Best Horse Racing Track” by readers of USA TODAY 10Best, Delta Downs features a six-furlong oval track, 15,000 square feet of casino space and more than 1,500 of the most popular slot machines. Amenities include two restaurants, chart-topping entertainment at the Delta Event Center and the FanDuel Sportsbook.

Delta Downs is located in Vinton, Louisiana, on Delta Downs Drive. From Lake Charles, take Exit 7 and from Texas, take Exit 4.