Month: April 2022

Breakin’ All The Rules: ‘Spicy’ Louisiana-Bred OTTB Ready To Tackle Her First Kentucky Three Day

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by Chelsea Hackbarth

 

Breakin’ All The Rules and Ellen Doughy-Hume at the Kentucky Horse Park on Tuesday, April 26
The youngest Thoroughbred competing at this weekend’s Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event in Lexington, Ky., will be the 8-year-old mare Breakin’ All The Rules.

Last October, the 16.3 hand daughter of Due Date and her longtime partner, owner/rider Ellen Doughty-Hume, received the Mid-Atlantic Horse Rescue Award for being the highest-placed American Thoroughbred at the CCI3*-L during the inaugural Maryland Five Star event at Fair Hill. They placed 13th on a double clear cross country round, adding only a single rail to their dressage score of 33.9.

“She’s a pretty phenomenal mare,” said Doughty-Hume, herself a multi-year veteran of the Kentucky Three Day’s highest level with Sir Oberon, a ⅞ Thoroughbred (their best finish was 14th in 2019). “She absolutely loves jumping and cross country, she’s really brave and has such natural scope and talent.”

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Lifetime Bans Upheld for Buzzer-Toting Patin Brothers

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By T. D. Thornton

The Louisiana State Racing Commission (LSRC) affirmed lifetime bans for two sibling jockeys from the Patin family on Tuesday related to the brothers’ criminal convictions for possessing illegal horse-shocking devices in races at Evangeline Downs in 2015.

The hearings concluded in bizarre fashion when Joseph Patin Jr., 58, apparently slipped out of the meeting room without telling anyone after first hearing that his younger brother, Billy Patin, 53, wasn’t going to be allowed to work as an exercise rider despite Billy previously agreeing to a lifetime ban of his license as a jockey.

LSRC commissioner Eddie Delahoussaye, a retired Hall of Fame jockey, addressed Billy Patin directly prior to the vote on his request. But he then launched into an admonition aimed at all jockeys who cheat and harm the reputation of the sport.

 

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Louisiana Commissioners Lengthen Penalties For Trainers In Zilpaterol Cases

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‘This Is No Mistake’: Louisiana Commissioners Lengthen Penalties For Trainers In Zilpaterol Cases

by Natalie Voss

Louisiana Downs in Bossier City, La.

Racing commissioners in Louisiana took penalties for zilpaterol overages one step farther in a lengthy meeting April 26, extending the already-significant suspensions handed out by stewards a few weeks earlier.

The commission considered eight positives from trainer Rosendo Valdez, four from Lanny Keith, four from Manuel Pizana, three from Manuel Macias, and two from Fernando Lopez. The overages were part of a flood of recent zilpaterol positives in the state.

Zilpaterol is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in horses. Instead, it is a drug approved for use in beef cattle to promote weight gain and lean muscle mass. It’s commonly administered as a feed-through product when given to cows.

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Mitch Dennison Named General Manager of Racing at LouisIana Downs

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2022 Thoroughbred Meet Gets Underway on Saturday, May 7

 

Bossier City, LA – Louisiana Downs is pleased to announce that
has been hired as General Manager of Racing. Owner Kevin Preston created the position as part of his mission to revitalize the Bossier City racetrack and casino. Dennison will oversee racing, mutuels, facility projects and sponsorships.

Dennison, 33, grew up in Louisville, Kentucky, and learned racing from the ground up, learning from Hall of Fame conditioners D. Wayne Lukas and most recently, Steve Asmussen. He served as assist to the prolific trainer for 13 years, overseeing  the Asmussen operations at Ellis Park in Kentucky as well as Louisiana Downs. He mulled the idea of going out on his own, but was more drawn to racetrack management.

“I have been active in both Kentucky and Louisiana Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association (HBPA) for many years,” said Dennison. “Understanding the concerns of horsemen is very important and should be vital to racetrack management. Kevin is new to racing, but immediately recognized that. I have never been more excited about working in this industry!” 

Dennison and his staff are preparing for the annual Thoroughbred racing season, which begins on Saturday, May 7. In addition to live and simulcast racing, Louisiana Downs has on onsite casino as well as a Sports Wagering hub. The Club 74 rewards program will offer racing and casino players an array of perks and incentives and family-friendly promotions, including the popular Exotic Animal races, featuring Camels, Ostriches and Zebras on May 30.

“Mitch is extremely knowledgeable and shares my commitment to showing respect to each of the horsemen and their workers as well as ensuring the safety and integrity of our racing operation,” said Preston. “I like his energy and look forward to a very successful racing season.”

The 2022 Thoroughbred meet at Louisiana Downs will commence on Saturday, May 7. The 84-day live racing season will run Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday through September 27. Post time will be  3:05 pm (Central). For details on simulcasting and special events, visit ladowns.com. 

 

About Louisiana Downs

Located near Shreveport in Bossier City, Louisiana, Louisiana Downs opened in 1974 and is now owned by Rubico Acquisition Corporation. 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. 

OBITUARY William Joseph Deckwa Jr.

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William Joseph Deckwa Jr.

OCTOBER 11, 1938 – APRIL 19, 2022
Obituary of William Joseph Deckwa Jr.

IN THE CARE OF

Leitz-Eagan Funeral Home

William Joseph Deckwa Jr., a leader in the home renovation industry, passed from this earth on

Tuesday, April 19th at East Jefferson Hospital. He was surrounded by his loving family, who are

forever grateful to the compassionate caretakers, nurses, and doctors who attended to him

during the last hours of his life. He was 83 years old.

Better known to all as Bill, Mr. Deckwa was born on October 11, 1938, to Althea Fos

Deckwa and William Deckwa Sr. He grew up in the Ninth Ward of New Orleans along with his

beloved sister, Stella Deckwa Jenevein. Mr. Deckwa graduated from Holy Cross High School in

1958 where he was a star player on the basketball team.

Highly accomplished throughout his life, Mr. Deckwa began his career as a teller for the Whitney

National Bank before taking a job with NASA in 1969. He was proud of having helped send a

man to the moon! Afterwards, Mr. Deckwa was employed as a finance manager with Alside

Siding Supply. In 1984, Mr. Deckwa and his wife, Doris, opened their own company, Wholesale

Siding and Window Supply. With a dedication to hard work and customer support, the Deckwas

built the company, which is still flourishing in its 38th year, into a great success.

In addition to being a successful businessman, Mr. Deckwa was a man of many talents. He was

inducted into the Louisiana Poetry Society, wrote and published country music songs, was well

known as a horse owner at the New Orleans Fairgrounds, and played a mean game of pool.

However, his greatest talent was developing and nurturing relationships throughout his long and

blessed life.

Mr. Deckwa is survived by his beloved and loving wife of 52 years, Doris Junda Deckwa. While

residing in Metairie for the past five decades, the Deckwas raised six children: Rob Picou (Jodi),

Terry Deckwa Duvieilh (Warren), Rhonda Picou Sabadie (Guy), William Deckwa III (Elaine),

Donna Picou Crowley (Kevin), and Chris Deckwa (Kim). “Paw Paw” Bill was also blessed with

17 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren.

A celebration of Bill Deckwa’s life will be held on Friday, April 29, from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm and

Saturday, April 30, from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm, with a Funeral Mass directly following, at Leitz-Eagan

Funeral Home, 4747 Veterans Memorial Blvd. in Metairie. Interment will be in St. Bernard Memorial Gardens, Chalmette, LA. The online guestbook is available at www.leitzeaganfuneralhome.com.

OBS Spring Sale Wraps Up With Record Trade

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By

 

Over the past four days of selling, a strong market was seen at the Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training at Ocala Breeders’ Sales. The final day saw a filly by Munnings   bring $1.6M after selling to OXO Equine’s Larry Best, the fifth horse to shatter the seven-figure ceiling for the sale, creating a new record for the sales company.

After selling Friday, during the fourth session, OBS reported 159 horses changed hands of the 200 through the ring for gross figures of $18,775,000. The final session saw an average price of $118,082 and a median of $60,000. There were 41 horses that failed to meet their reserve to represent an RNA rate of 20.5%.

Comparatively, last year during the final session, 167 horses were sold of the 195 on offer for final receipts of $19,063,000 for an average price of $114,150 and a median of $65,000. The 28 horses who failed to sell represented a buyback rate of 14.3%. These figures include post-sale prices.

 

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CHRB Unanimously Backs Collecting HISA Fees

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Betting is up marginally in the state and equine fatalities are down.

 

The California Horse Racing Board unanimously approved a motion in a board meeting April 21 to “opt-in” and remit Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority fees upon it receiving the necessary statutory authority.

The board’s actions follow recent similar moves by regulators in Kentucky and Minnesota, CHRB executive director Scott Chaney said. Elsewhere, regulators in New Jersey, Maryland, and Texas chose not to collect HISA assessments, with some citing conflicts with existing state laws.

If regulators decide not to collect and remit HISA assessments, the duty falls to covered racetracks. Federal regulation of the Thoroughbred racing industry under HISA begins July 1.

 

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Recent Expansion of H-2B Visas Could Help Horsemen

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Dollars & Sense With Frank Angst

 

A federal program that will allow more temporary workers from three Central American countries, as well as Haiti, could provide some options for horsemen.

The federal government recently provided some good news for horsemen searching for labor options by expanding the H-2B program that provides temporary nonagricultural worker visas. Beginning this month and continuing through September, the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Labor will make an additional 35,000 H-2B visas available.

 

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