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Month: May 2018
HARRAH’S LOUISIANA DOWNS LEADING TRAINER JOEY FOSTER RETURNS WITH A HEAVY HEART
Bossier City, LA – The 2018 Thoroughbred racing season at Harrah’s Louisiana Downs got underway on Saturday, May 5. It was a bittersweet beginning of the meet for 2016-2017 leading trainer Joey Foster.
The Vinton, Louisiana resident topped all conditioners with 301 starters and a record of 68 wins, 55 seconds and 48 third-place finishes in 2017. He had won the 2016 meet with 41 wins, after finished third in the standings in 2015 with 39 wins. His stakes winners last year included Big Game Baby, in the $75,000 Elge Rasberry and Illusionofreality, who kept her four-race win streak alive in the $50,000 Louisiana Cup Distaff.
And while he hopes to continue to build on his momentum this season, Foster, along with the entire Louisiana Downs racing community, faced an unspeakable tragedy last month involving one of his exercise riders, Amaniel Ortiz. A tornado hit Haughton, a community just east of Bossier City, around midnight, at the Hill Crest Mobile Home & RV Park on Highway 80. His daughter, Carly Stephanie Ortiz Osorio, 2, was killed when a large tree fell on the family’s camper.
“It was beyond what words can describe,” said Foster. “It’s stuff that you see on TV but can never imagine that it can happen to someone you know.”
A memorial service took place on Tuesday, April 17 at Hill Crest Memorial Funeral Home in Haughton and Carly was laid to rest. Ortiz and his wife, Delfa, have a 1-year-old daughter named Maddie.
Ortiz has been employed by Foster for the past eight years. Affectionately dubbed “Shorty” by the trainer, he is now back to morning works at the barn.
“He works for me from 6:00 to 8:00 am and then gets home,” explained Foster. “Mornings are really tough for Delfa and he needs to be there for her.”
Foster credits Chaplain Jimmy Sistrunk and everyone at Louisiana Downs for banding together to assist the Ortiz family.
“That part was amazing,” added Foster. “You expected everyone here to show their support, but people all over the country responded with donations and letters.”
Sistrunk has been in daily contact with the Ortiz family and admits that in his fifteen years of serving as a Chaplain, he had never dealt with such a heartbreaking catastrophe. However, he was encouraged by the unprecedented outpouring of support, both locally and nationally for the Ortiz family.
“It was so touching for me to see the generosity and compassion from people all over the United States when they heard about Carly,” said Sistrunk. “People in the racing community are always quick to lend a helping hand, but this was very special.”
Sistrunk adds that donations are still needed for furniture and many other items that were destroyed by the force of the tornado. Anyone wishing to assist the family can mail a check payable to the Winner’s Circle Fund for the Ortiz Family and send it to the Winner’s Circle Church, P.O. Box 157, Princeton, LA, 71067.
John McGary Back as the Voice of Louisiana Downs
Track announcer John McGary returned to the booth for his fourth season at Louisiana Downs. McGary, 52, was the announcer at Evangeline Downs for ten years and now divides his time between Louisiana Downs and announcing the races at Zia Park in Hobbs, New Mexico in the fall. He and his wife, Julie, make their home in Bossier City.
“We had a great opening day,” said McGary. “There was a fantastic turnout on Saturday for the Derby and I called my first turf race on the Monday card; the course looked really good!
McGary is looking forward to the marquee race of the Louisiana Downs meet, the Grade 3, $300,00 Super Derby, which is set for September 2.
“I love the decision to move it to the Sunday of Labor Day weekend,” he added. “It’s perfectly placed on a major stakes weekend. It will give us an opportunity to really shine.”
Mother’s Day Diamond Dig This Saturday
Harrah’s Louisiana Downs will celebrate Mother’s Day on Saturday, May 12. Live racing gets underway at 3:15pm. Mothers can swipe their Total Rewards card in to the Diamond Dig drawing at the Racing Kiosk located across from Racing Publications. Ten entrants will be drawn for a chance to dig on the racetrack for a Diamond Ring valued at $2,500! One lucky Mom will celebrate with the gorgeous diamond and nine others will walk away with a Cubic Zirconia Ring. The Mother’s Day Diamond Dig will take place following the seventh and final race of the day.
Post Times and Stakes Schedule
Live racing will be conducted Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and Saturday with a 3:15 p.m. (Central) post time through September 27.
The 84-day meet will include 14 stakes highlighted by two major events, Louisiana Cup Day on Saturday, August 4 and Super Derby Day on Sunday, September 2. As previously announced one major change for the upcoming season is that the Grade 3, $300,000 Super Derby will return to the main track at a distance of mile and one-sixteenth on Sunday, September 2.
Wednesday and Saturday Race Day Promotions
Louisiana Downs offers value for racing fans each Wednesday with Dollar Day. They will be able to enjoy $1 hot dogs, $1 beer at the Paddock as well as $1 programs. Saturday’s weekly promotion is the Family Four Pack featuring four hot dogs, four sodas, a program, and a box seat for four at the affordable price of just $16.
The Total Rewards program is free for horseplayers. With the swipe of their card each Saturday, members will receive valuable incentives. These include:
- Play $250 or more to receive a 5X multiplier
- Play $1,000 or more to receive a 7X multiplier
- Play $5,000 or more to receive a 10X multiplier
Participant’s multiplier cannot exceed a total balance of more than one hundred thousand (100,000) Reward Credits during one promotional day after the multiplier is applied.
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 |
Midnight Lute Filly Tops Equine Sales Company 2-Year-Old Sale
(Opelousas, Louisiana – May 7, 2018) — An accredited Louisiana-bred daughter of Midnight Lute sold for $77,000 on Monday to top the Equine Sales Company 2-Year-Olds in Training and Horses of Racing Age Sale in Opelousas, Louisiana.
Named Nite Jean, the sale-topper went to prominent Southwest owner Carl Moore from the consignment of Pike Racing, agent. The May foal worked an eighth-mile on Sunday in :10 1/5, just one tick off the fastest time of :10 flat set by a trio of horses. Nite Jean is out of the winning Macho Uno mare St. Jean, who has produced a winner from her only starter and whose second dam is Grade 2 winner and graded stakes producer French Park.
The second-highest price was $65,000 for an accredited Louisiana-bred from the first crop of Sum of the Parts. The filly out of stakes winner La Salle Glory worked :10 flat and went to J. Stevens Bloodstock, agent, from the consignment of Ricky Courville, agent.
J. Stevens Bloodstock also picked up the highest-priced colt and third-highest price overall. The accredited Louisiana-bred by top Louisiana sire Half Ours sold for $55,000 after working :10 2/5.
All told, 42 of 61 horses sold for a total of $733,400. The average 2-year-old price was $18,168 with a median of $12,000. Last year’s sale posted an average 2-year-old price of $20,308 with an identical median. That auction was fueled by two six-figure sales, including an all-time sale record $110,000 for a Flat Out filly named Special Blessing. That filly just won the $75,000 Equine Sales Oaks this past Friday. There were two horses of racing age in this year’s sale that brought a total of $6,700.
“Last year’s 2-year-old sale was our best ever and we knew it would be hard to match those results, but I’m pleased that we came pretty close,” said Foster Bridewell, sales director.
Equine Sales Company has two auctions remaining this year with the Consignor Select Yearling Sale on September 6 and the Open Yearling and Mixed Sale on October 28.
Full results are available at www.equinesalesofla.com.
Three Horses Work :10 Flat for Fastest Time at Equine Sales 2-Year-Old Breeze Show
(Opelousas, Louisiana – May 7, 2018) — A trio of horses worked an eighth-mile in :10 flat during Sunday’s breeze show for Equine Sales Company’s 2-Year-Olds in Training and Horses of Racing Age Sale. The auction with a catalog of 73 head will be held Monday, May 7, at 1 p.m. in Opelousas, Louisiana.
The three horses to work the fastest time included Hip 18, a filly named Sallee Sumthing from the first crop of Sum of the Parts. Consigned by Ricky Courville Sales, agent, the accredited Louisiana-bred is out of the stakes-winning Lit de Justice mare La Salle Glory, whose four foals to race are all winners.
Hip 62 was another filly by a first-crop sire to post the co-fastest time. A Kentucky-bred daughter of Fed Biz, the unnamed February foal is out of the A.P. Indy mare Court Reception. That broodmare’s foals include eight winners, topped by Grade 2 winner Ruby’s Reception. The filly is consigned by Twin Oaks Training Center, agent.
Completing the trifecta of runners at :10 flat was an accredited Louisiana-bred by Yes It’s True. From the consignment of Pike Racing, agent, the colt is out of the stakes-placed Officer mare Cute Cadet, whose other registered foal has yet to start.
“In addition to the three working in :10 flat, we had numerous others within range of that time and I think that reflects well on the quality of the catalog from top to bottom,” said Foster Bridewell, sales director. “Overall it seemed like the consignors and buyers were pleased with the results from the breeze show, so we are looking forward to a good sale.”
Replays of the breeze show, along with the sale catalog, are available at www.equinesalesofla.com. Live video of the sale will also be available on the website.
All graduates of the sale will be eligible for the $75,000 Equine Sales Oaks and $75,000 Equine Sales Derby to be run next year at Evangeline Downs. The 2018 editions of the races were run earlier in the week with Coteau Grove Farms LLC’s Special Blessing, a Flat Out filly who sold for a sale-record $110,000 last year from the consignment of Pike Racing, agent, winning the Oaks, and Four Star Racing’s Double Star, a $9,200 colt by Star Guitar from the consignment of Clear Creek Stud last year, taking the Derby.
DOUBLE STAR SHINES IN THE EQUINE SALES DERBY
COLT’S THIRD CAREER VICTORY IS HIS FIRST STAKES TRIUMPH
Equine Sales Derby
Evangeline Downs, 5-5-18, 1 Mile, $75,000
3yos
DOUBLE STAR
Star Guitar–Bond Queen
Breeder: Thomas Edward Vinci & Bill Mayfield
Owner: Four Star Racing
Trainer: Robert D. Schultz
Jockey: Jose Andres Guerrero
2nd
Honor My Speed
To Honor and Serve–Unbridled’s Secret
Breeder: Barry Simpson
Owner: Rodney J. Verret
Trainer: Allen Landry
Jockey: Timothy Thornton
3rd
Discreetly D
Discreetly Mine–Evening Muse
Breeder: Michael Villar & Cynthia Villar
Owner: Set-Hut LLC
Trainer: Jerry Delhomme
Jockey: Colby J. Hernandez
OPELOUSAS, LA – Four Star Racing’s Double Star claimed the first stakes win of his career on Saturdaynight at Evangeline Downs in the $75,000 Equine Sales Derby. Regular rider Jose Guerrero was aboard for the victory for trainer Robert Schultz.
Double Star had to overcome being wide on both turns in the race. The colt was hung five-wide on the first turn and ended up getting a wide run up the backstretch as well, while sitting in mid-pack. Tensas’s Boy set the early fractions of 24 seconds for the quarter-mile and 48.39 for the half-mile. Double Star commenced a four-wide rally on the far turn and was able to power past the early leaders by the top of the stretch. From there, the colt withstood the closing efforts of a 17-1 longshot, Honor My Speed and the 2-1 second choice, Discreetly D, to win by 2-3/4 lengths in a final time of 1:40.21 for the one mile over the fast track.
The winner was sent off as the even-money favorite in the Equine Sales Derby. Double Star paid $4.20 to win, $2.80 to place and $2.20 to show. Honor My Speed finished second and paid $10.40 to place and $5 to show, while Discreetly D finished third and paid $3.20 to show.
Double Star is a 3-year-old colt bred in Louisiana by Thomas Edward Vinci and Bill Mayfield. He is by Star Guitar and out of the Stormy Atlantic mare, Bond Queen. Double Star now has three wins in his 10-race career and the $45,000 first-place purse increased his lifetime earnings to $110,820.
Evangeline Downs will resume live racing on Wednesday night with a nine-race program. First post time on Wednesday will be 5:50 pm Central Time.
For more information on the Thoroughbred season at Evangeline Downs, visit the track’s website atwww.evdracing.com. Evangeline Downs’ Twitter handle is @EVDRacing and the racetrack is also accessible on Facebook at www.facebook.com/EvangelineDownsRacing.
SPECIAL BLESSING IS INDEED SPECIAL IN THE EQUINE SALES OAKS
FILLY CLAIMS THE FIRST STAKES VICTORY OF HER YOUNG CAREER
Equine Sales Oaks
Evangeline Downs, 5-4-18, 1 Mile, $75,000
3yo fillies
SPECIAL BLESSING
Flat Out – Langsyne
Breeder: J. Adcock
Owner: Coteau Grove Farms LLC
Trainer: W. Bret Calhoun
Jockey: R. Morales
2nd
Yes Gorgeous
Mass Media–Isn’t She Gorgeous
Breeder: J. Adcock & Montgomery Equine Center
Owner: Scott Gelner
Trainer: Scott Gelner
Jockey: Diego Saenz
3rd
Bella Cajun
Bellamy Road–Cajun Candy
Breeder: Cypress Bend Farm
Owner: Dore, Ralph and Gautreau, Keith
Trainer: Ralph J. Dore
Jockey: Cristina Bonilla
OPELOUSAS, LA – Special Blessing, owned by Coteau Grove Farms, LLC and trained by Bret Calhoun, won the first stakes race of her five-race career in the $75,000 Equine Sales Oaks at Evangeline Downs on Fridaynight. The filly was ridden to victory by Roberto Morales, who was riding her for the first time ever.
Special Blessing sat just off of a very slow pace being set by an 18-1 maiden, Bella Cajun and Yes Gorgeous, who was the only horse in the field with multiple victories entering Friday night. Those two dueled through dawdling fractions of 25.69 seconds for the quarter-mile and 51.24 seconds for the half-mile. Special Blessing made her move on the far turn and she and Yes Gorgeous went on to engage through the stretch before Special Blessing put her rival away to win by 1-3/4 lengths in a final time of 1:40.33 for the mile over the fast track.
The winner was sent off as the 6-5 favorite in the field of seven by the betting public. Special Blessing returned $4.60 to win, $2.80 to place and $2.40 to show. Yes Gorgeous paid $2.40 to place and $2.20 to show, while Bella Cajun held third and paid $5.80 to show.
Special Blessing is a 3-year-old filly bred in Louisiana by J. Adcock. She is by Flat Out and out of the Langfuhr mare, Langsyne. Special Blessing has now won two of her five lifetime starts and the $45,000 first-place purse increases her lifetime earnings to $85,930.
Evangeline Downs will resume live racing on Saturday with a nine-race program. The featured event on the Saturday card is the $75,000 Equine Sales Derby with Double Star listed as the 5-2 morning-line favorite in the field of eight. The track will also be offering the simulcast of the 144th Kentucky Derby from Churchill Downs at approximately 5:50 pm and the live racing program will start shortly thereafter.
For more information on the Thoroughbred season at Evangeline Downs, visit the track’s website atwww.evdracing.com. Evangeline Downs’ Twitter handle is @EVDRacing and the racetrack is also accessible on Facebook at www.facebook.com/EvangelineDownsRacing.
OBS Changes Dates for June Sale
Sale now scheduled for June 13-15.
The Ocala Breeders’ Sales June Sale of 2-year-olds & Horses of Racing Age is now scheduled for three days beginning Wednesday, June 13, and ending on Friday, June 15. There will be four under tack sessions, beginning Thursday, June 7, and running through Sunday, June 10.
The change to the Wednesday start date from the original June 12 start and June 14 final session permits horsemen additional travel time after the Belmont Stakes weekend. Supplemental nominations will be accepted through May 23.
Hips 1-300 will sell on Wednesday, June 13th; Hips 300-601 will be offered on Thursday, June 14th and Hips 602-852 plus supplements will sell on Friday, June 15. All three sessions will begin at 10 a.m. At the under tack show, Hips 1-225 will go to the track on Thursday, June 7, Hips 226-450 will breeze on Friday, June 8, Hips 451-675 work on Saturday, June 9, and 676-852 plus supplements will go on Sunday, June 10. All under tack sessions begin at 7:30 a.m.
The June sale catalog will be available online via the OBS website at obssales.com on or about Tuesday, May 8 and in the mail on May 22.
Current information about OBS sales, consignors and graduates is now also available via social media sites Facebook and Twitter. A link on the homepage directs users to either site.
Sales results will be available on the OBS website, updated hourly during each session of the June sale. In addition, the latest news regarding OBS graduates, sales schedules, nominations, credit requests, travel information and other news relevant to OBS consignors and customers is also available. Email should be addressed to obs@obssales.com.
Louisiana Legends Night Entries Close Friday, May 11th
The 2018 running of Louisiana Legends Night will be Saturday, May 26th at Evangeline Downs. All entries for Louisiana Legends Night Stakes close Friday, May 11th.
The Louisiana Legends Night Stakes Include
Louisiana Legends Cheval
$75,000 Guaranteed
For Three Year Olds
One Mile
Louisiana Legends Soiree
$75,000 Guaranteed
For Fillies Three Year Olds
One Mile
Louisiana Legends Sprint
$75,000 Guaranteed
For Three Year Olds and Upward
Five And One Half Furlongs
Louisiana Legends Mademoiselle
$75,000 Guaranteed
For Fillies And Mares Three Year Olds and Upward
Five And One Half Furlongs
Louisiana Legends Classic
$100,000 Guaranteed
For Three Year Olds and Upward
One And One Sixteenth Miles
Louisiana Legends Distaff
$75,000 Guaranteed
For Fillies And Mares Three Year Olds and Upward
One And One Sixteenth Miles
Louisiana Legends Starter
$50,000 Guaranteed
For Three Year Olds and Upward
(Must have started for $10,000 or less in 2017-2018)
One Mile (Turf)
Louisiana Legends Turf
$75,000 Guaranteed
For Three Year Olds and Upward
One And One Sixteenth Miles(Turf)
House Bill 833 Amended. Horsemen’s Funds Remain Intact
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LTBA Contact:
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May 3, 2018
LTBA Legislative Update: House Bill 833
House Bill 833 Amended. Horsemen’s Funds Remain Intact
House Bill 833 was presented to the Louisiana House Appropriations Committee Tuesday, May 1. The bill was amended so that any horsemens funds that may have been affected by this bill are safe. Many thanks to all who contacted members of the House Appropriations Committee. Your involvement has made all the difference! This has been a real work of cooperation between members of the LTBA, LQHBA, and LaHBPA, proving that when we join forces we all benefit.
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Delta Jackpot Will Not Be Renewed in 2018
By Bill Finley
The $1 million GIII Delta Jackpot S., which had been the signature race of the Delta Downs meet, is no more.
According to Delta Downs management, the local horsemen’s group, the Louisiana HBPA, was opposed to putting so much money into one race and one card at the expense of overnight purses, and when the two parties could not reach an agreement, it was decided to do away with the race.
“While it was our original intent to move forward with the Delta Downs Jackpot this year, we changed course after lengthy discussions with the state’s horsemen,” said Delta’s Vice President and General Manager Steve Kuypers. “They made it clear to us that they were vehemently opposed to proceeding with the Jackpot, as they felt the prize money could be put to better use in strengthening purses for the rest of our racing schedule. We have honored their request, and will not proceed with the Delta Downs Jackpot in 2018.”
Jackpot Day had also included the $400,000 GIII Delta Princess S. for 2-year-old fillies, the $250,000 Delta Mile and the $200,000 Treasure Chest S. Those races also will not be renewed.
The Jackpot card was canceled in 2017 after Hurricane Harvey hit the eastern part of Texas, which is where Delta draws the vast majority of its casino customers. Management and horsemen feared that there would be such a downturn in business due to the hurricane that the money would not be available for the Jackpot races. Those fears never materialized, as business at Delta’s casino remained steady. The money that would have gone to the Jackpot card was instead put into overnight races and by the end of Delta’s meet earlier this year, horses were racing for huge purses. On closing night in March, there was a $50,000 maiden special weight race and a $64,000 allowance race.
Trainer Ron Faucheux, a member of the HBPA Board, said horsemen at Delta and its sister track, Evangeline Downs, came to believe that the money would be better spent on races that normally involve local horsemen.
“Lousiana racing has taken a fall,” he said. “You’ve see it in the breeding industry and everywhere else over the last five, six years. The main thing is to help the locals as much as we possibly can.”
Delta and Evangeline are owned by Boyd Gaming and the vast majority of money for purses at both tracks comes from slots revenue. With Evangeline’s casino bringing in less money than Delta’s, the purses at Evangeline are considerably lower than they are at the cross-state track. However, the horses and trainers competing at the two tracks are primarily the same. Faucheux said the HBPA is seeking to have the Jackpot money put not into races at Delta but at Evangeline.
“We are hoping this move will allow a transfer of money from Delta to Evangeline,” he said. “The purses over the summer at Evangeline have gotten depleted over the last several years. We’re trying to create a situation where they can transfer money from one racetrack to the other. With the extra money now available, we believe the purses at Delta will be what they were at the beginning of last year’s meet [before several purse increases were enacted] and we can also boost purses substantially at Evangeline.”
The Delta Jackpot was one of several examples in racing of a small-time track creating a rich marquee race to draw attention to itself. The race for 2-year-old males was won by both horses who went on to national prominence and horses who were never heard from again. The most notable winners of the Jackpot were 2016 GI Preakness winner Exaggerator (Curlin), two-time GI Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner Goldencents (Into Mischief) and Eclipse Award winning sprinter Big Drama (Montbrook). In what could turn out to be the final edition of the Jackpot, the race was won by Gunnevera (Dialed In). After his 2016 Jackpot victory, he went on to win the GII Xpressbet Fountain of Youth S. and finish second in the GI Travers S.
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