Annual Fundraiser Moves to Northwood Hills Golf Club This Year
Bossier City, LA – Harrah’s Louisiana Downs supports many worthy charities and causes. Last Saturday, officials donated $1,000 to support the Shantel Lanerie Breast Cancer Foundation and fans lent their support with purchasing caps, t-shirts and jockey autograph signings.
On Thursday, August 29, the Super Derby Festival 40 Charity Golf Tournament will be held at Northwood Hills Golf Club in Shreveport, Louisiana.
The event will benefit Chaplain Jimmy Sistrunk and The Backside Benevolence Fund, which provides assistance to the Louisiana racing community and backstretch workers. It serves as one of the special events saluting the annual Grade 3, $300,000 Super Derby, the marquee race of the Louisiana Downs Thoroughbred season, which takes place on Saturday, September 7.
Sign in for the event’s Four Person Scramble kicks off at 10:00 a.m. with tee off at 10:30 a.m. The fee is $80 per person or $320 for a four-person team. The fee includes green fees, golf cart, lunch, and Super Derby t-shirt/cap.
“I am always so humbled to see all the support that the Golf Tournament brings to our ministry,” said Sistrunk. “The people in our industry are some of the most caring and supportive people that I know. And plus, it is a great time that we can get away from the everyday duties of the racetrack. I am truly a blessed person and Chaplain to get to work with such a great group of people!!!
It’s also an event that brings a lot of joy to the Harrah’s Louisiana Downs employees, including Jennifer Sokol, who serves as racing office coordinator.
“We had an amazing turnout last year,” said Sokol. “Chaplain Jimmy does so much for our racing community and our annual charity golf tournament is such an enjoyable way to raise valuable funds. We thank our horsemen and local businesses for their support and look forward to another successful event this year!”
Attendees can register in person in the Louisiana Downs Racing office, or by mail. Checks should be payable to The Backside Benevolence Fund and mailed to: Jennifer Sokol, Harrah’s Louisiana Downs, 8000 East Texas Street, Bossier City, Louisiana, 71111.
The deadline for registration is August 22. Hole sponsorships for $100, including a sign, are available, but must be purchased by August 16. For further information, please contact Jennifer Sokol at (318) 741-2512.
Super Derby Prelude Winner Leader of Men Sets Sights on the Super Derby
Louisiana Cup Day at Harrah’s Louisiana Downs took place on Saturday, August 3. The card was highlighted by the running of the $60,000 Super Derby Prelude.
Leader of Men, owned by Walpole Racing LLC, stretched out to a mile and one-sixteenth for the first time, advancing comfortably to win his first career stakes in a final time of 1:46.96. The victory was celebrated by owner Kevin Walpole and his wife, Amy; trainer Jodie Hodges and jockey Hector Del-Cid.
The son of War Front, out of the Unaccounted For mare Refugee, had won three consecutive races at Louisiana Downs and Hodges was confident that his charge would handle the jump to the stakes level. He described the May 28th foal, as a “big kid”, who was finally getting the hang of his job.
Hodges confirmed that Leader of Men came out of the race in great shape and would advance to the Grade 3, $300,000 Super Derby on Saturday, September 7.
“We hand-walked him on Sunday and he went to the track Monday morning,” said Hodges. “We had to; he loves his works and our goal is to keep him happy.”
One very important part of the team is groom Daniel Broussard, who Kevin Walpole mentioned in his post-race interview.
“They have a solid bond,” confirmed Hodges. “Leader of Men will bite me and pretty much everyone who comes near him, but not Daniel.”
It was also the first stakes win for Hodges, born in Fort Worth, Texas, who has enjoyed his time with the Kentucky-bred half-brother to Hoppertunity, since he arrived in Louisiana in February. His top horse prior to Leader of Men was Texas-bred Chief Three Sox, who won both the Chick Lang Memorial and Texas Racing Hall of Fame stakes in 2000 at Retama Park.
Hodges knows that the competition will be tough on September 7.
“I’m not going to worry about it,” he stated. “This horse has done everything we have asked of him and we are proud of what he has done here.”
Noon Post Set for Super Derby Day on Saturday, September 7
Harrah’s Louisiana Downs is preparing for Super Derby Day which will take place on Saturday, September 7. An early post time of 12:00 pm (Central) is planned for the Super Derby card. Nominations close on August 24 for the following seven stakes:
$60,000 Frank L. Brothers 3 YO & Up 1 1/16 miles (T)
$60,000 River Cities 3 YO & Up F&M 1 1/16 miles (T)
$60,000 Happy Ticket 2 YO Fillies One Mile (T)
$60,000 Sunday Silence 2 YO One Mile (T)
$300,000 SUPER DERBY (G3) 3 YO 1 1/16 miles
$60,000 A. L. (Red) Erwin 3 YO LA-Bred One Mile (T)
$60,000 Elge Rasberry 3 YO Fillies, LA-Bred One Mile (T)
Trainer, Jockey and Owner Standings
As of August 6, Joey Foster tops his fellow conditioners with 38 wins this meet. Karl Broberg is second with 30 firsts. Beverly Burress has saddled 21 winners and Joe Duhon follows with 12 wins.
Carlos Lozada has been steady throughout the 2019 Thoroughbred meet and remains in the current leader in the jockey standings with 66 wins. Joel Dominguez is second with 64 victories, including a stakes score aboard Diamond Cutter in the $50,000 Louisiana Filly and Mare Sprint on Louisiana Cup Day. Richard Eramia, who had been dividing his time between Lone Star Park and Louisiana Downs, has made 43 trips the winner’s circle. Rounding out the top four is Aubrie Green, who has won 33 races this season.
End Zone Athletics, Inc. has a firm command in the owner standings with 17 wins. Dream Walkin Farms, Inc. follows nine victories and Indian Creek Thoroughbred Farms LLC, Ronnie P. Ward, Albert Salmon, Jr, Penny Scarberry and Margaret Lanetta Haas are tied for third with seven wins each
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.
