Year: 2017

Two Scholarships Will Be Awarded At Louisiana Champions Day

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NEW ORLEANS, La. – Louisiana Champions Day will take place on Saturday, December 9, at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots in New Orleans, La. The Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association will award a total of two scholarships, each valued at $1,000, during the event.
The requirements for the scholarship are as follows:
  • Must be a college student enrolled full-time for Spring 2018.
  • Must be in good standing with the college or university.
  • Must be present to win at the Winner’s Circle when the announcement is made.
  • Must have college ID and government issued ID.
For Louisiana Champions Day:
  • Registration: 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. at the designated booth.
  • Races begin: 12:30 p.m.
  • Drawing time: The scholarships will be awarded after the fifth race.The scholarship will be deposited directly into the student’s account at the college or university. The student is asked to know the name and address of the college that they are attending.
Louisiana Champions Day is Louisiana’s rendering of the Breeders’ Cup, the Louisiana Champions Day brings together the top Thoroughbreds to compete in the stakes that carry a total purse of $1.1 million. Three Quarter Horse and eight Thoroughbred races will lead up to the day’s highlight – the $150,000 Louisiana Champions Day Classic. Post time is at 12:30 pm.
Louisiana Champions Day Stakes Races (Louisiana Bred)
  • $50,000 LA CHAMPIONS DAY HANDICAP STAKES 3YOIUP 1 MILE* (T)
  • $100,000 LA CHAMPIONS DAY QH JUVENILE STAKES- GRADE II 2YO 3 50 YARDS
  • $100,000 LA CHAMPIONS DAY QH DERBY- GRADE Ill 3YO 400 YARDS
  • $100,000 LA CHAMPIONS DAY QH CLASSIC -GRADE II 4YO/UP 440 YARDS $100,000 LA CHAMPIONS DAY LADIES TURF 3YO/UP FILLIES & MARES 1 1/16 MILES* (T)
  • $100,000 LA CHAMPIONS DAY JUVENILE 2YO 6 FURLONGS
  • $100,000 LA CHAMPIONS DAY SPRINT 3YOIUP 6 FURLONGS
  • $100,000 LA CHAMPIONS DAY LADIES SPRINT 3YO/UP FILLIES & MARES 6 FURLONGS
  • $100,000 LA CHAMPIONS DAY LASSIE 2YO FILLIES 6 FURLONGS
  • $150,000 LA CHAMPIONS DAY CLASSIC 3YOIUP 1 1/8 MILES
  • $100,000 LA CHAMPIONS DAY TURF 3YO/UP 1 1/16MILES* (T)
Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots is the third oldest race track in North America, and has been hosting horse racing events since 1872. Located in the mid-city area of New Orleans, it is warmly referred to as New Orleans Fair Grounds. The race track is conveniently situated about 10 minutes from the Central Business District and French Quarter and 20 minutes from New Orleans International Airport.
In true Louisiana racing tradition, the track offers not only first-class thoroughbred stakes, such as the Louisiana Derby, but also slot betting, making it a winner’s paradise. The track features a dirt oval track with a total circumference of one mile, as well as a seven-furlong turf course. One mile races start and finish at the sixteenth pole to prevent a short run towards the first turn. The distance from the last turn to the finish line measures 1.346 feet.
History of Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots
  • Founded in 1852 as the Union Race Course, the race track was forced to shut after just five years, due to stiff competition from the Metairie Course.
  • In 1859 the track reopened, this time as the ‘Creole Race Course’.
  • It became officially known as Fair Grounds in 1863, with the first race taking place in 1872.
  • Under the gambling regulation of New Orleans, the track was forced to terminate horse racing from 1908 to 1915.
  • Later on, in 1919, disaster struck the race track when a fire destroyed the grandstand.
  • By 1971, Fair Grounds had experienced enough track highlights to open its own ‘Hall of Fame’. William Lee Shoemaker, Marion H. Van Berg and John Letellier were some of the first jockeys and prominent names in horse racing to be inducted alongside thoroughbred champions Tenacious, Tippity Witchet and Monarchist.
  • In 2004,Churchill Downs Incorporated took on ownership of the track and providing new investment for development.
  • Following the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina a new grandstand and clubhouse were opened in 1997.
For more information, please call 1-800-772-1195 or visit louisianabred.com.

Fair Grounds Wooden Jockey Project

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December 1, 2017

Dear Horsemen,

We are very excited to have everyone back at Fair Grounds. We will once again be selling the rights to have your silks painted on our wooden jockeys for the 2017-2018 Thoroughbred Race Meet. All proceeds will benefit our backside as we are working very hard to improve the life of our backside workers. This is a fun way to showcase your silks and to give back to the racing community. However, due to limited quantity this will be first come first served. Each wooden jockey is $350. Please email or call if you are interested.

Thank you,

Paige Albarado

Paige Albarado | Horsemen’s Relations

Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots |  A Churchill Downs Company

E:  Paige.Albarado@fgno.com  |  P:  504.948.1150  |  M:  504.875.6058

1751 Gentilly Blvd.  New Orleans, LA 70119

LTBA Board of Directors Meeting Friday, December 8

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Following is the tentative agenda for the Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association Board of Directors meeting to be held Friday, December 8 at 12:00 noon.

 

Microsoft Word - Board of Directors Meeting - December 8, 2017.d

2018 Louisiana Horse Stallion Register Online

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The 2018 Louisiana Horse Stallion Register is now online. The print version is at the printer and will mailing soon.

To see the online version, click here.

The advertised stallions are also now active on the Hypomating section of the LTBA website. To go to Hypomating, click here.

December Calendar of E vents

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 Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association would like to share the following list of dates of interest to Louisiana horsemen and women.

Brought to you by Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association, Whispering Oaks Farm, Stone Bridge Farm, and Equine Sales Company. Click images to link to more information
Dec 1

  • Louisiana Champions Day Entry Day

 

Dec 2

  • Clear Creek Stud Stallion Presentation, Folsom, 11:00-4:00 p.m.
  • Richard R. Scherer Memorial Overnight Stakes, New Orleans Fair Grounds

Dec 6

  • Louisiana Horse Stallion Register publishes on LTBA website

 

Dec 8

  • LTBA Board of Directors Meeting, 12:00 Noon, Landry’s Seafood Lakefront, New Orleans

Dec 9

  • 27th Annual Louisiana Champions Day, 8 stakes for Louisiana Bred Thoroughbreds, 3 stakes for Louisiana Bred Quarter Horses $1.1 million in purses. New Orleans Fair Grounds, 1st Post 1:00 p.m.
  • Louisiana Champions Day, Race Central, 12:30 through last race, New Orleans Fair Grounds, Black Gold Room. Lunch is served from 1pm – 3pm.
  • LTBA Scholarship Drawings; two $1,000 scholarships for current college students. (Registration between 11:30 a.m. & 1:00 p.m.Drawings for two scholarships will occur at the winners circle after the 5th race. Must be present at winners circle to win.)

 

Dec 15

  • Anyone with information about Louisiana Breds winning outside of North America, please contact Roger Heitzmann (Roger@louisianabred.com)

 

Dec 16

  • Santa Super Saturday, New Orleans Fair Grounds; Tenacious Stakes, Bonapaw Stakes, Blushing KD Stakes, Buddy Diliberto Stakes, Sugar Bowl Overnight Stake, Letellier Overnight Stakes

 

Dec 25

  • Christmas

 

Dec 26

  • Tiffany Lass Overnight Stake, New Orleans Fair Grounds

 

Dec 29

  • Starlight Racing, New Orleans Fair Grounds, 1st post 5 p.m. Fair Grounds Starlight Racing. Groovy 7 in the Clubhouse & Adam Pearce (The Voice® contestant) in the Miller Time Beer Garden Starlight Tent
  • LTBA  and Fair Grounds Scholarship Drawings; four $1,000 scholarships for current college students. Must be present to win. For Details contact Fair Grounds Race Course.

 

Dec 30

  • New Orleans Fair Grounds Stakes: Woodchopper Stakes, Pago Hop Stakes,

 

Dec 31

  • New Years Eve
  • Louisiana Stallion Registrations Due
  • Louisiana Futurity Nominations Due (pregnant mares)
  • Louisiana Futurity, Divisions for Fillies and for Colts and Geldings, New Orleans Fair Grounds

 

Would you like to sponsor a newsletter? Reach more than 3,000 readers.

Please contact Linda 985-386-0360, linda@louisianabred.com or Roger 504-947-4676, roger@louisianabred.com for cost and availability.

Do you have a date pertaining to Louisiana-breds that you would like included in an upcoming calendar? Please contact Linda 985-386-0360, linda@louisianabred.com or Roger 504-947-4676, roger@louisianabred.comfor consideration.

 

Any questions or need more info call

Roger A. Heitzmann III, Secretary/Treasurer

Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association

504-947-4676, 800-772-1195

Clear Creek Stud to Host Stallion Presentation this Saturday, December 2

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Clear Creek Stud in Folsom, Louisiana is hosting its annual stallion presention this Saturday, December 2, 2017 from 11:00 a.m. till 4:00 p.m. with the stallion show beginning at noon.

The event will include a catered cajun style lunch, entertainment, and special guest speakers including state officials and representatives from the Racing Commission and the HBPA. For the kids there will be face painting, pony rides, and a special appearance from Santa Claus. Door prizes will be given throughout the event.

Clear Creek Stud is standing Custom For Carlos, G.W.’s D’Oro, Half Ours, Ole Rebel and Star Guitar for the 2018 breeding season.

Brian Hernandez Jr. Hits Churchill Downs Milestone

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Brian Hernandez Jr. registered his 500th Churchill Downs win on Thanksgiving Day

 

Louisiana native, Brian Hernandez Jr. became the 14th jockey in Churchill Downs history to ride 500 winners at the home of the Kentucky Derby when the 32-year-old won the seventh race on Thanksgiving Day aboard Rock Shandy for trainer Jordan Blair.

“It’s great to have my family here with me for this,” Hernandez said. “I’m thankful for all of the trainers and owners who have supported me throughout my career so far.”

Hernandez, who began riding professionally in 2003, won his first race at Churchill Downs aboard Machine to Tower on May 27, 2004. Overall, the native of Lafayette, La., has won 1,729 races and his mounts have amassed more than $63.8 million from 12,629 starts during a 15-year riding career.

He won the Eclipse Award in 2004 as the nation’s champion apprentice jockey. In 2012, Hernandez won the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita aboard Fort Larned for his biggest career win.

Devilish Sound is Big Band Sound’s First Winner

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Grade 2 winner Big Band Sound notched his first winner as a sire Nov. 21, when his daughter Devilish Sound broke her maiden at Delta Downs Racetrack in her second start.

Owner/trainer Samuel Breaux bred Devilish Sound in Louisiana, out of the winning Ide mare Devilish Pride, who Breaux also trained for owner/breeder Henry McNamara Jr. and later Barry Scott Racing. Devilish Sound is the mare’s first foal to race.

Big Band Sound is a 10-year-old son of Bernstein—Ensnare, by Seeking the Gold, who was bred in Kentucky by Richard Shultz. Raced by Shultz in partnership with Kendel Standlee, Big Band Sound hit his stride at 5, when he won the Play the King Stakes (G2T) on the turf at Woodbine and finished second in three other graded stakes—the King Edward Stakes presented by TVG (G2T), Connaught Cup Stakes (G2T), and the Virgil Stakes (G3) on Woodbine’s all-weather main track.

Ensnare, bred in Kentucky by Ogden Mills Phipps, has also produced black-type winner Silver Prospector and stakes-placed winner Roman’s Run. The first four dams in Big Band Sound’s female family were all bred by Phipps.

Big Band Sound stood at Gulf Coast Equine near Sunset LA., from 2014 through 2017. Ray Paul and Anna Paul currently stand Call Me George, and Koh I Noor.

Star Guitar’s Fee Raised to $7,500

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star guitar 9-14

Multiple Louisiana champion has 11 juvenile winners and three stakes winners in 2017.

A strong crop of 2-year-olds in 2017 prompted Evelyn Benoit’s Brittlyn Stable to raise the stud fee for homebred Star Guitar  to $7,500 for the 2018 breeding season.

The four-time Louisiana Horse of the Year and winner of 22 black-type stakes out of 30 starts has been represented this year by 11 juvenile winners from 21 starters. His top 2-year-olds include stakes winners Testing One Two, a daughter out of Yes Sir (Scat Daddy) who won the Louisiana Jewel Stakes, and Aceguitar, a colt out of Cherub Heart (Dehere) who won the Louisiana Cup Juvenile Stakes and finished second in the Texas Thoroughbred Futurity. Star Guitar also sired Givemeaminit, out of Powerful Nation (Turkoman), who finished third in the grade 1 Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga Race Course.

“Star Guitar is certainly passing on his will to win that he demonstrated with his race record of 24 wins from 30 starts,” said Benoit, who has stood Star Guitar at Clear Creek Stud near Folsom, La., since he entered stud in 2013 at $4,000.

From two crops of racing age, Star Guitar sired 28 winners that have earned more than $1.3 million. He has a third black-type winner in Bermuda Star, who won or placed six times in eight starts as a 3-year-old. One of her wins includes the Equine Sales Oaks at Evangeline Downs. The filly out of Bermuda Bride (Runaway Groom) also placed in the Elge Rasberry Stakes and the Louisiana Legends Soiree Stakes.

Star Guitar is a 12-year-old son of Quiet American—Minit Towinit, by Malagra, and a half brother to black-type winners Favorite Minit and Grand Minit, who were all bred and initially raced by Brittlyn Stable.

Astrology Relocated to Acadiana Equine @ Copper Crowne in Louisiana

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astrology
Astrology, one of the nation’s leading first- and second-crop stallions, has been relocated to Acadiana Equine @ Copper Crowne in Opelousas, Louisiana, for the 2018 breeding season. The son of Horse of the Year A.P. Indy will stand for a fee of $4,500.
            From his first two crops to race, Astrology has sired the earners of $2.1 million, including Arella Rockstar, the winner of last year’s Grade 3 Matron Stakes at Belmont Park who recently sold for $290,000 at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale. Astrology has ranked among the top 15 sires nationally by progeny earnings for first- and second-crop sires in 2016 and 2017, respectively.
            On the track, Astrology won or placed in six stakes—including five graded races—with a victory in the Iroquois Stakes (G3) during a five-race 2-year-old campaign in which he never finished off the board. As a 3-year-old, he placed in three consecutive graded stakes with a second in both the Sunland Derby (G3) and Jerome Stakes (G2) and then a game third-place finish in the Preakness Stakes (G1) behind Shackleford and Animal Kingdom.
            Astrology becomes the second stallion standing at Acadiana Equine @ Copper Crowne, joining five-time Grade 1 winner Court Vision, who currently leads all Louisiana stallions by progeny earnings this year at more than $2.5 million.
            “We think Astrology is an up-and-coming sire who checks all the boxes as a son of A.P. Indy with an accomplished race record as a top 2-year-old and a Classic-placed 3-year-old and offspring that have found success on the track and in the sales ring,” said Stallion Manager David Tillson. “We still have a few breeding rights available, and I expect that those will go quickly.”