Delta Downs Racetrack, Casino and Hotel is an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 thoroughbred

Thoroughbred

The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...

 and quarter horse racetrack in Calcasieu Parish

Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana

Calcasieu Parish[p] is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Lake Charles. As of 2010, the parish population was 192,768...

, near Vinton, Louisiana

Vinton, Louisiana

Vinton is a town in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 3,338 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Lake Charles Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History of Vinton:...

 in the southwest portion of the state. The facility is owned by Boyd Gaming

Boyd Gaming

Boyd Gaming Corporation is a Paradise, Nevada based business engaged in the development, ownership and operation of hotels and casinos throughout the United States...

.

History

The track opened in September, 1973 under the direction of Lee Berwick. Berwick was primarily looking for a recognized facility to run Quarter Horses

American Quarter Horse

The American Quarter Horse is an American breed of horse that excels at sprinting short distances. Its name came from its ability to outdistance other breeds of horses in races of a quarter mile or less; some individuals have been clocked at speeds up to 55 mph...

, 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

Hurricane Rita

Hurricane Rita was the fourth-most intense Atlantic hurricane ever recorded and the most intense tropical cyclone ever observed in the Gulf of Mexico. Rita caused $11.3 billion in damage on the U.S. Gulf Coast in September 2005...

 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

Graded stakes race

A graded stakes race is a term applied since 1973 by the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to thoroughbred horse races in the United States and Canada to describe races that derive their name from the stake, or entry fee, owners must pay...

 horses in recent years.

Track

The track is a 6 furlongs (1.2 km) oval. There is a 550 yard Quarter-Horse chute, in addition to a five-furlong (1km) and 1 1/16-mile Thoroughbred chute. The track surface is a mixture of sand (from the Sabine River

Sabine River (Texas-Louisiana)

The Sabine River is a river, long, in the U.S. states of Texas and Louisiana. In its lower course, it forms part of the boundary between the two states and empties into Sabine Lake, an estuary of the Gulf of Mexico. The river formed part of the United States-Mexican international boundary during...

) and clay, with a limestone

Limestone

Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....

 base. The track has stabling for 1200 horses. The Delta Downs grounds features horse pastures which are visible from the entrance. Draft

Draft horse

A draft horse , draught horse or dray horse , less often called a work horse or heavy horse, is a large horse bred for hard, heavy tasks such as ploughing and farm labour...

 and miniature horse

Miniature horse

Miniature horses are found in many nations, particularly in Europe and the Americas. The designation of miniature horse is determined by the height of the animal, which, depending on the particular breed registry involved, is usually less than as measured at the last hairs of the mane, which are...

s 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.

Casino

The casino has over 1,600 slot machines; the racino

Racino

A racino is a combined race track and casino. In some cases, the gambling is limited to slot machines, but many locations are beginning to include table games such as blackjack, poker, and roulette....

 has only slots, due to restrictions in state law. The hotel has 203 rooms, with 36 suites

Suite (hotel)

A suite in a hotel or other public accommodation, denotes a class of luxury accommodations, the key feature of which is multiple rooms. Many properties have one or more "honeymoon suites", and sometimes the best accommodation is called the "presidential suite".Suites offer multiple rooms, with more...

.

Racing season

The track usually holds races from November to mid-July, with the Thoroughbred meet beginning in November and the Quarter
Horse meet commencing in April. Delta Downs hosts the Grade III, $750,000 Delta Jackpot Stakes

Delta Jackpot Stakes

The Delta Jackpot Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Delta Downs in Vinton, Louisiana. A Grade III stakes open to two-year-old horses, it is raced in December over a distance of 1 1/16 miles on dirt....

 for 2-year-olds. The other major stakes is the Grade III, $500,000 Delta Princess Stakes

Delta Princess Stakes

The Delta Princess Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Delta Downs in Vinton, Louisiana. A Grade III event for the first time in 2008, it is raced in early December. It is open to two-year-old fillies...

for 2-year-old fillies.