Super Derby

The Super Derby is an American thoroughbred horse race held annually in September at Louisiana Downs in Bossier City, Louisiana.

Inaugurated in 1980, the Super Derby is open to three-year-olds and the distance is  1 ¹⁄₈ miles on the dirt. Currently a Grade III event, it is the richest race held at Louisiana Downs. In its history, the Super Derby has attracted some of the top horses in the country including winners of all three American Classic Races.

The Super Derby was a Grade I race from 1983 to 2001. In 2002, it was downgraded to Grade II and in 2016, it was downgraded again to Grade III. It was originally run at the American classic distance of  1 ¹⁄₄ miles, but since 2002 has normally been run at  1 ¹⁄₈ miles (the exception being 2005 when the distance reverted to  1 ¹⁄₄ miles). In summary: ^[1]

•  1 ¹⁄₈ miles – 2002-2004, 2006-present
•  1 ¹⁄₄ miles – 1980-2001, 2005

Records

Speed record:

•  1 ¹⁄₈ miles - 1:48.36 – My Pal Charlie (2008)
• At the previous distance of  1 ¹⁄₄ miles, in 1984 that year's Preakness Stakes winner, Gate Dancer, set the stakes and Louisiana Downs track record at 2:00 ¹⁄₅. In 1995, Mecke equaled the stakes record. In 2000, Tiznow set a new stakes and track record of 1:59.84 before going on to win the Breeders'Cup Classic.

Most wins by an owner:

• 2 - Russell L. Reineman Stables (1986, 1990)

Most wins by a jockey:

• 3 - Eddie Maple (1980, 1985, 1986),
• 3 - Laffit Pincay, Jr. (1981, 1983, 1984)
• 3 - Chris McCarron (1987, 1997, 2000)

Most wins by a trainer:

• 2 - D. Wayne Lukas (1981, 1996), Jack Van Berg (1984, 1987), Wallace Dollase (1997, 2003)

Winners of the Super Derby

References

• Louisiana Downs site
• Ten Things You Should Know About the Super Derby at Hello Race Fans!