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The 46-day Live Racing Season Continues Through March 21
Bossier City, LA – The 2018 Quarter Horse racing season at Harrah’s Louisiana Downs is continuing at a rapid pace with trials for the Mardi Gras Futurity set for Saturday, February 24.
Since the meet began on January 6, the competition has been fierce in both the trainer and jockey standings. It’s a safe bet that both titles will go down to the wire until the meet concludes on Wednesday, March 21.
Vann Haywood Tops the Trainer Leaderboard
The current top horseman is Vann Haywood, who leads his fellow conditioners with 14 wins from 45 starts. His top horse so far is Kris Locklear’s homebred Beyondthcos, a 3-year-old son of Tee Cos, who won his third race of the Louisiana Downs meet on Tuesday afternoon.
The North Carolina native has been training for 20 years and is a fixture on the Louisiana circuit. He’s won three Louisiana Downs leading trainer titles and is pleased with the way 2018 is progressing.
“We’re having success entering our horses in the right spots,” stated Haywood. “It’s great to be able to run in a state year-round. I used to run horses and then go home for six months.”
He also appreciates having futurity opportunities at each of the four meets in Louisiana and has three paid into the Mardi Gras Futurity with options to hold off until Delta Downs.
Kenneth Roberts, Sr., who was honored as 2017 AQHA Champion Trainer, is second in the standings with 11 wins and Carlos Saldivar, who won the 2015 training title here, is also having a solid meet. He has saddled ten winners and is tied with 2017 leading trainer Orlando Orozco and Josue Huitron.
“It’s going to be a close race,” acknowledged Saldivar. “We’re doing well so far for our owners and this is the closest track to my home in Dallas. Of course, Kenny’s got some big horses. He’s amazing and we are all proud of him being named AQHA champion trainer.”
Another horseman to watch is Javier Contreras who is the only trainer to have won two stakes races this meet. Jw Who Dat, the 6-year-old Louisiana-bred is making a name for himself as a distance horse, winning both the $15,000 Marathon Stakes on January 13as well as the $25,000 Magnolia Stakes three weeks later.
Leading Rider Everardo Rodriguez Posting Solid Stats
Louisiana Downs boasts a highly competitive jockey colony and Everardo Rodriguez, the current leader, knows that winning the title will be simple feat.
The 28-year-old was born in San Luis Potosí, a city in central Mexico, and began riding professionally in 2013. He won his first title last December at Evangeline Downs and with 19 wins so far at Louisiana Downs, holds a narrow lead over 2017 champion DamianMartinez and David Alvarez. They are tied for second in the standings with 17 wins each.
“The competition is very tough and winning the title will not be easy,” stated Rodriguez. “We all get along well, and I wish my fellow riders the best, but I will try to beat them!”
He rides for many trainers and the consensus from horsemen and his agent, Gerald Thomas, is that Rodriguez is a hard worker who always gives 100%, on the racetrack and in morning works.
“Working for Everardo is a pleasure,” stated Thomas. “No one says a single bad word about him; he reminds me of a young Gilbert Ortiz, who will help anyone in need.”
Martinez, 24, returns to Louisiana Downs off a record year that began with the title here last March. He won 37 races at Louisiana Downs and kept his momentum going throughout 2017, winning 124 races to finish the year as the top North American Quarter Horse jockey in wins.
Martinez shipped his tack to Louisiana in 2016 and rode the entire meet at Delta Downs, finishing second to David Alvarez. He was not sure how the transition from Texas would go, but was welcomed with open arms by the members of the Delta Downs jockey colony.
“It’s a whole different atmosphere in Louisiana,” stated Martinez. “Everyone was helpful and encouraging. You don’t find that everywhere!”
Born in Vera Cruz, Mexico, Alvarez, 38, is the younger brother of jockey Jose Amador Alvarez. Although Texas is home, the Louisiana circuit has fueled his career; he has won leading rider titles at Louisiana Downs, Delta Downs, Fair Grounds and Evangeline Downs. Alvarez is a man of faith and credits his success in the saddle to his belief in God and his work ethic.
“Every morning, I put myself in God’s hands and appreciate every opportunity I am given,” said Alvarez.
Trials for the Mardi Gras Futurity Will be Contested Saturday, February 24
The draw for trials for the Mardi Gras Futurity will take place on Saturday, February 17. The interest is solid for the first official futurity of the year with 185 Louisiana-bred 2-year-olds eligible to compete in the 300-yard trials. Racing officials are projecting 14 heats and will announce a revised post time following Saturday’s draw.
In addition to the Mardi Gras Futurity trials on Saturday, February 24, Louisiana Downs will offer entertainment for fans of all ages, beginning at 11:00 am! There will be a FREE children’s area with bounce houses, games and face painting and culinary delights from the most popular food trucks in Shreveport-Bossier City.
Louisiana Downs Dates and Post Times
The 2018 Quarter Horse racing season at Harrah’s Louisiana Downs got underway on Saturday, January 6. The 46-day meet includes 12 stakes highlighted by the first official championship for 2-year-olds, the $100,000-added Mardi Gras Futurity on March 17. Live racing will take place Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday with a 1:00 p.m. (Central) post time and will continue through March 21. To see a complete list of the stakes schedule, including trial dates, click here
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About Harrah’s Louisiana Downs
Located near Shreveport in Bossier City, Louisiana, Louisiana Downs opened in 1974 and was purchased by Caesars Entertainment in December, 2002. With annual Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing seasons, the track is committed to presenting the highest quality racing programs paired with its 150,000 square foot entertainment complex offering casino gambling, dining and plasma screen televisions for sports and simulcast racing.
For further information, please contact:
| Trent McIntosh | Assistant General Manager O 318-752-6980 8000 East Texas Street | Bossier City, LA 71111 www.caesars.com |
Which should be fed first – hay or grain? If you’re feeding correctly, this issue is truly a moot point because the horse should have access to forage (hay and/or pasture) 24/7 with no gaps. Therefore, when fed concentrates, the horse’s digestive tract should already have hay flowing through it.
If fed starchy cereal grains (oats, corn, barley, etc.) on an empty stomach, the horse will produce even more acid (potentially leading to ulcers) and it will be leave the stomach quickly. When this happens, there is a risk that it will not be fully digested in the small intestine (especially if large amounts are fed), and end up in the hindgut where starch can be fermented by the bacterial population. This can lead to endotoxin-related laminitis.
If hay is present in the stomach first, it creates a physical barrier for the grain to move out of the stomach as quickly. Since starch does not get digested in the stomach, the grain is simply mixed and churned into a semi-liquid mass, which enters the small intestine where it can be digested down to glucose. If there is hay present, fiber mixes with the starch and the whole mass enters the small intestine. Fiber is not digested until it reaches the hind gut, but its presence slows down the digestion of starch, and obstructs the absorption of glucose into the bloodstream, leading to a less dramatic rise in insulin.
One thing to note – there is more water involved when hay is present (from increased drinking and saliva production). This is a good thing since digestion within the small intestine cannot take place without water.
Juliet M. Getty, Ph.D. is an independent equine nutritionist with a wide U.S. and international following. Her research-based approach optimizes equine health by aligning physiology and instincts with correct feeding and nutrition practices. Dr. Getty’s goal is to empower the horseperson with the confidence and knowledge to provide the best nutrition for his or her horse’s needs.
Dr. Getty’s fundamental resource book, Feed Your Horse Like a Horse, is available in paperback as well as in hardcover, searchable CD and Kindle versions. All except the Kindle version are available at www.GettyEquineNutrition.com — buy the book there and have it inscribed by the author. Print and Kindle versions are also available at Amazon (www.Amazon.com); find print versions at other online retail bookstores. The seven individual volumes in Dr. Getty’s topic-centered “Spotlight on Equine Nutrition” series are available with special package pricing at her website, and also at Amazon in print and Kindle versions. Dr. Getty’s books make ideal gifts for equestrians!
Find a world of useful information for the horseperson at www.GettyEquineNutrition.com: Sign up for Dr. Getty’s informative, free e-newsletter, Forage for Thought; browse her library of reference articles; search her nutrition forum archives; and purchase recordings of her educational teleseminars and interviews. Find top-quality supplements, feeders, and other equine-related items, at her online Free Shipping Supplement Store[i]. Reach Dr. Getty directly at gettyequinenutrition@gmail.com.
[i] http://horsesupplements.gettyequinenutrition.biz
Friday, February 9, 2018 President Trump signed into law the Bipartisan Budget Act, a bill that among other measures extends retroactively for fiscal year 2017 uniform three-year racehorse depreciation, an important tax provision supported by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) that expired in 2016 alongside certain other expired tax provisions. The bill also funds the federal government until March 23.
Three-year depreciation is an investment incentive for racehorse owners that had been in place for several years before expiring at the end of 2016.
“We wish to thank Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for his continued support for our industry,” said NTRA President and CEO Alex Waldrop. “We’ve worked with the Leader for over a decade on our industry’s unique issues, and we appreciate his continued efforts.”
Prior to the 2008 Farm Bill, which became effective January 1, 2009, racehorses 24 months of age and younger when purchased and placed in service, were depreciated on a seven-year schedule that did not accurately reflect the length of a typical racehorse’s career; only racehorses over 24 months old were depreciated using a three-year schedule.
The NTRA will continue to advocate for tax policies that accurately reflect our unique industry.
About the NTRA
The NTRA, based in Lexington, Ky., is a broad-based coalition of more than 100 horse racing interests and thousands of individual stakeholders consisting of horseplayers, racetrack operators, owners, breeders, trainers and affiliated horse racing associations, charged with increasing the popularity, welfare and integrity of Thoroughbred racing through consensus-based leadership, legislative advocacy, safety and integrity initiatives, fan engagement and corporate partner development. The NTRA owns and manages the NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance, NTRA.com, the Eclipse Awards, the National Handicapping Championship, NTRA Advantage, a corporate partner sales and sponsorship program, and Horse PAC, a federal political action committee. NTRA press releases appear on NTRA.com, Twitter (@ntra) and Facebook (facebook.com/1NTRA).

VINTON, LA. – Delta Downs hosted the 15th edition of Louisiana Premier Night on Saturday and the fans who attended the rainy evening program were treated to 12-race card that included 10 stakes races worth total purse money of more than $1 million. The featured event on the big night for Louisiana-bred horses was the $170,000 Louisiana Premier Night Championship, which was won for the second consecutive year by Tigertail Ranch’s Mobile Bay.
Under jockey Diego Saenz the Victor Arceneaux trainee tracked the early pace set by Temprano, who carved out fractional times of 24.65 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 48.77 for the half. As the field of six entered the second turn of the 1 1/16-mile test for older horses, Mobile Bay took command after traveling three-quarters of a mile in 1:14.08, opening up a lead of nearly two lengths. But the race was far from over.
In the homestretch, Mobile Bay drifted out while Underpressure began to cut into the leader’s advantage stride by stride while hugging the rail under Gerard Melancon. At the finish line only a nose separated the rivals with Mobile Bay taking home the winner’s trophy. Social Misfit wound up third another 5-1/2 lengths behind the top pair. The final time in the Louisiana Premier Night Championship was 1:46.49. Each race on the rich program was contested over a sealed track listed as sloppy.
Mobile Bay has now won 12 of 27 lifetime starts. He earned $102,000 for his win on Saturday and now boasts a lifetime bankroll of $1,198,440. The dark bay or brown horse went over the $1 million mark in career earnings with his win the Championship last year.
Bred in Louisiana by his owner, Mobile Bay is a 6-year-old by Lone Star Special, out of the Out of Place mare Tranquility Bay.
Mobile Bay was sent to the gate at odds of 3-5 and returned $3.40 to win, $2.20 to place and $2.10 to show. Underpressure was worth $3 to place and $2.40 to show. Social Misfit paid $4.20 to show.
In other stakes activity on the program it was Pacific Pink winning the $145,000 Louisiana Premier Night Distaff under jockey Colby Hernandez, who got a riding double on the card. Pacific Pink is trained by Edward J. Johnston and is owned by Keith Plaisance.
This year’s $100,000 Louisiana Premier Night Sprint was taken by Ivery Sisters Racing’s Monte Man, who was ridden to victory by Gerard Melancon. Monte Man is trained by Ron Faucheux.
Jockey Roberto Morales notched a riding triple on the special night of racing included two stakes scores. He booted home Gladyousawme in the $120,000 Louisiana Premier Night Prince for owner Klein Racing and trainer Brad Cox. He also made it to the winner’s circle in the $120,000 Louisiana Premier Night Matron aboard the Larry Jones trainee Ours to Run, who is owned by Colonel Thoroughbreds LLC.
The $120,000 Louisiana Premier Night Starlet was annexed by Al and Bill Ulwelling’s Remember Daisy, who was ridden to victory by Mitchell Murrill. Remember Daisy is conditioned by Gary Scherer.
The Phillip Dison trainee Zyanara pulled a 28-1 upset in winning the $70,000 Louisiana Premier Night Ladies Starter. She was ridden to victory by Alfredo Contreras and is owned by Indian Creek Thoroughbred Farms, LLC.
The $70,000 Louisiana Premier Night Gentleman Starter was taking by Theoryintopractice, who was piloted by Colby Hernandez and is trained by Corale Richards. Theoryintopractice is owned by Courtney Barousse.
Elegant Idea took the $60,000 Louisiana Premier Night Bon Temps Starter with jockey Odilon Martinez riding for Delta Downs leading trainer Karl Broberg. End Zone Athletics, Inc. owns Elegant Idea.
And finally, it was River Bobcat who won the $60,000 Louisiana Premier Night Ragin Cajun Starter under jockey Timothy Thornton. The Eduardo Ramirez trainee is owned by Jacqueline Savoy.
Delta Downs will kick off its 18th week of live racing on Wednesday night with a 10-race program that begins at 5:40 pm. The current season runs through March 10.
For more information about racing at Delta Downs visit the track’s website at www.deltadownsracing.com. Fans can also get information about through Facebook by visiting the page ‘Delta Downs Racing’. The track’s Twitter handle is @deltaracing.
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.
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The Retired Racehorse Project (RRP) announced today that a new special award will be offered at the 2018 Thoroughbred Makeover, presented by Thoroughbred Charities of America and taking place Oct. 4-7 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY. The Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association (LTBA) is sponsoring a $2,500 cash prize for the top-placed Louisiana-bred at the competition. Ten Louisiana-breds took part in the 2017 Thoroughbred Makeover, competing in eventing, dressage, show jumpers, show hunters, and polo. Louisiana was ranked eighth among states and Canadian provinces for the most horses entered. “The Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association continues to make an investment in the future of our Thoroughbreds by helping our former runners secure a beautiful life after their time on the racetrack is done,” said Roger Heitzmann III, secretary-treasurer of LTBA. “We believe that by assisting the Retired Racehorse Project, former racers have the ability to show to others the true beauty of the Thoroughbred, as well as their continued usefulness.” The LBTA award will be presented to the Louisiana-bred that earns the highest percentage of the total possible score in any of the 10 disciplines offered. Almost 800 trainers have been accepted to compete in the 2018 event. Many trainers have not yet purchased the horse they intend to compete, and the cash award will offer an extra incentive to shop for an eligible mount bred in the Pelican State. “I am very excited about multiple awards being added to the Makeover this year. I’m especially enthusiastic about the LTBA providing an award for Louisiana-breds,” said retired jockey and RRP board member Rosie Napravnik, who is based in New Orleans and markets retiring Thoroughbreds for second careers. “This will boost the market for horses in Louisiana, considering that there are currently no organizations in the state for retraining or adopting Thoroughbreds.” Any Jockey Club-registered Thoroughbred that raced or had a published work on or after July 1, 2016, is eligible to compete in the Makeover, as long as the horse did not start retraining for a second career prior to Dec. 1, 2017. The Thoroughbred Makeover is the flagship event for RRP, a 501(c)3 non-profit committed to increasing the demand for and value of Thoroughbreds in their careers after racing. Sponsorship opportunities are still available for the 2018 Thoroughbred Makeover. |
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Retired Racehorse Project (RRP) is a 501(c)3 charitable organization working to increase demand for off-track Thoroughbreds and build the bridges to second careers. It publishes Off-Track Thoroughbred Magazine, hosts the Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium, maintains the Retired Racehorse Resource Directory, manages the online Bloodline Brag, and presents programs at major horse expos across the country. Visit RRP online at RetiredRacehorseProject.org. |
– $170,000 LAPN CHAMPIONSHIP HIGHLIGHTS LUCRATIVE CARD FOR LOUISIANA-BREDS –
VINTON, LA. – Delta Downs is gearing up for another rich race program on Saturday as the track hosts the 15th edition of Louisiana Premier Night. The 12-race program will feature 10 stakes races for Louisiana-breds worth $1,055,000 in total purse money. There will be a special first post time for the rich program of 5:20 pm Central Time.
Saturday’s featured race will be the $170,000 Louisiana Premier Night Championship for older horses competing at 1-1/16 miles, which will be the ninth race on the program. This year’s Championship has attracted a field of seven including 2017 winner and graded stakes hero Mobile Bay as well as last year’s Louisiana Premier Night Prince winner, Underpressure.
The $120,000 Louisiana Premier Night Distaff field will include Hyper Piper, who won the Lookout Stakes on January 5; Mr. Al’s Gal, who took last year’s Louisiana Premier Night Starlet; and multiple stakes winner Pacific Pink, who has earned over $522,000 during her illustrious career.
Delta Downs will offer a $50,000 guaranteed all stakes Pick 4 wager on the special Louisiana Premier Night program. The special Pick 4 will take place on race 6 – 9, which includes the evening’s richest race, the $170,000 Louisiana Premier Night Championship.
Listed below are all 10 Louisiana Premier Night stakes races for 2018 in program order.
Race # Purse Stakes Race Distance Age
2 $60,000 LAPN Ragin Cajun Starter 5 furlongs 4yo & up
3 $70,000 LAPN Ladies Starter 1 mile 4yo & up FM
4 $60,000 LAPN Bon Temps Starter 5 furlongs 4yo & up
5 $120,000 LAPN Starlet 1 mile 3yo Fillies
6 $70,000 LAPN Gentleman Starter 1-1/16 mile 4yo & up
7 $120,000 LAPN Prince 1 mile 3yo
8 $120,000 LAPN Sprint 5 furlongs 4yo & up
9 $170,000 LAPN Championship 1-1/16 miles 4yo & up
10 $120,000 LAPN Matron 5 furlongs 4yo & up FM
11 $145,000 LAPN Distaff 1 mile 4yo & up FM
The Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association will be awarding two $1,000 college scholarships via a drawing that will take place on Louisiana Premier Night. Entries for the drawing will be taken between 4:20-5:40 pm in the promenade area. To qualify for the drawing, entrants must be enrolled in a good standing in a Louisiana school. The winners of the scholarships will be announced during the program.
For more information about Louisiana Premier Night and the remainder of Delta Downs’ current season, which runs through March 11, visit the track’s website at www.deltadownsracing.com. Fans can also follow the track on Facebook and Twitter.
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.
Thoroughbred owner and trainer, Allen Joseph “Chew” Weber, age 80, through the Mercy of Our Lord was called from this World to eternal life on January 19th, 2018 at 4:31 p.m. at Ochsner Medical Center in Kenner. He was born on November 27th, 1937 in Norco, LA to the late Clifford Joseph and Gertie St. Pierre Weber.
He is survived by his sister, Dorothy (Dot) Canatella, and his brother Joseph Clifford “Peanut” Weber and his sister-in-law, Leah Gonor Weber. He was preceeded in death by his brother, Daniel Joseph Weber, and his brother-in-law, B.J. “Sweet” Canatella. He was also preceeded in death by his first wife, Marguerite Beber Weber Jackson, and his second wife Barbara Calvert and his great-granddaugher, Shelby Martine Wenning.
He leaves behind his loving and devoted children to cherish his memory and the many happy times they shared: His daughter, Terri and son-in-law, Kenneth Wenning, Sr., his sons and daughters-in-law, Donnie & Kim, Allen & Gail, David, Todd & Mindi, Christopher Weber, and his step-son and stepdaughter-in-law, Todd Pannell and Laurie.
He was the proud grandfather of Kenny, Jr. (Allyson) & Dr. Derick (Rebekah) Wenning; Blythe (Benny) Gary, Dane (Jenna), Jordan (Brittany), David, Jr., Candace (Ryan), Blake, Brandan, Lacey (Bryant), Andrew, Dylan, Krystal, and Bethany Weber. His great grand-children, Kanon Gilbert, Luca Weber, Elise, Jake, Eli and Hailey Wenning.
Left behind to cherish his memory were many special nieces and nephews, family members and friends, especially, Taylor Schexsnayder and Belinda Mauduit.
Mass of Christian Burial at was held at SACRED HEART OF JESUS, 401 Spruce Street, Norco, on Tuesday afternoon, January 23, 2018. An online guestbook is available at www.hcalexander.com
Equine artist Fred Stone, whose works are in the White House and Buckingham Palace, died Feb. 4. He was 87.
On his Facebook page, Stone’s family reported that the artist died due to complications from cancer. They said he was surrounded by family.
Born April 13, 1930, in St. Louis, Stone’s family moved to Los Angeles when he was 3. He studied art at the Otis Art Institute as a child. Later, he attended The Art Center School and Chouinard Art Institute in Los Angeles. Stone worked as a commerical artist and painted backgrounds for the film industry. In the late 1970s he turned to painting racehorses.
In a 1990 BloodHorse story, Stone described that transition.
“At first they all looked alike,” Stone said. “But I fell in love with racing and once I studied horses, they becamse individuals—full of emotion and power.”
Stone’s large murals can be found all over the world, including the world’s largest horse mural at the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas.
Stone supported worthy charities in the racing community and beyond, including families of New York firefighters impacted by 9-11, handicapped children on horse back foundations, disabled jockeys, and finding homes for retired racehorses, among others. On his passing, groups like After the Finish Line noted his contributions.
Throughout his career, Stone donated proceeds from the sale of various prints to many equine-related charities.
“I have been fortunate,” Stone said in the 1990 BloodHorse story. “I made my career from horse racing and I want to share that with others.”

Fred Stone and Hall of Fame jockey Bill Shoemaker
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