Nominations Will Close Saturday, July 23
Bossier City, LA – The highly anticipated Louisiana Cup Day will take place on Saturday, August 6 at Louisiana Downs. Nominations will close for the six stakes for Louisiana-breds on Saturday, July 23 with strong interest from horsemen for the features, each valued at $67,000.
The annual stakes day is always special for breeders, owners, trainers and jockeys as the entire card shines the spotlight on Louisiana-breds. The options are plentiful with stakes written for juveniles, sprints and turf routes.
Trainer Ron Faucheux plans on sending several runners to Bossier City for Cup Day.
Fame Feather and Strong Beauty are in consideration for the Filly and Mare Sprint. Fame Feather, a 7-year-old mare, sired by Lion Tamer, sprang the upset in the $75,000 Louisiana Legends Mademoiselle on June 4 at Evangeline Downs for Picard Thoroughbreds Racing Stable LLC. Strong Beauty, a 5-year-old daughter of Overanalyze, owned by Golden Rock Thoroughbreds, ran fourth in that feature.
Bertie’s Galaxy has run in two editions of the Louisiana Cup Day sprint and exits a victory in the
$75,000 Louisiana Legends Sprint on June 4 at Evangeline Downs. After conferring with owner Allen Cassedy, Faucheux is planning on giving the 6-year-old son of Greeley’s Galaxy a few months off.
However, he is considering testing Dorgenois, who just broke her maiden on July 15 at Evangeline Downs. Jim and Natalie Montgomery, prominent in Louisiana Quarter Horse racing, bred the daughter of Gormley to the Fusaichi Pegasus mare Money Peg.
“We love coming to Louisiana Downs for the big day,” said Faucheux.
Faucheux has many memories of his Louisiana-breds winning their Cup Day races, including millionaire Sunbean, who captured the 2016 Louisiana Turf Classic. One of his most popular competitors was the brilliant Monte Man.
The son of Custom For Carlos, bred by Val Murrell, was claimed for just $5,000 by Ivery Sisters Racing in 2017 at Belmont Park. He made his first start in Louisiana on December 17, 2017, winning an allowance at Fair Grounds, prior to reeling off seven consecutive wins, including a victory in the 2018 Louisiana Cup Sprint at Louisiana Downs. The bay gelding earned $794,233 in 50 career starts, competing at each of the four Louisiana racetracks. He concluded his remarkable run in the $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Sprint on December 11, 2021.
Murrell had always assured Faucheux and Brian Ivery that once Monte Man was ready to retire, he would have his own pasture at Clear Creek Stud in Folsom, Louisiana. Faucheux has made several trips to visit the popular gelding.
“He’s doing great,” reported Faucheux. “They are taking great care of Monte Man and he still looks racy! He was such a barn favorite, and we all miss him, but we always believe in doing right by our horses.”
The draw for the six features on Louisiana Cup Day will take place on Saturday, July 30. The stakes are as follows:
$67,000 Louisiana Cup Juvenile 2 YO LA-Bred 5 ½ furlongs
$67,000 Louisiana Cup Juvenile Fillies 2 YO Fillies LA-Bred 5 ½ furlongs
$67,000 Louisiana Cup Filly & Mare Sprint 3 YO & Up F&M, LA-Bred Six furlongs
$67,000 Louisiana Cup Sprint 3 YO & Up LA-Bred Six furlongs
$67,000 Louisiana Cup Turf Classic 3 YO & Up LA-Bred 1 1/16 miles (T)
$67,000 Louisiana Cup Distaff 3 YO & Up F & M LA-Bred 1 1/16 miles (T)
Louisiana Cup Day Festivities
Racing fans of all ages are invited to enjoy the festivities offered on August 6 at Louisiana Downs.
Family-friendly activities on the trackside apron include live music, inflatable bounce houses and water slides, face painting, and much more! Also, enjoy tasty bites from the city’s best food trucks. And don’t forget to claim your FREE $5 wager while you are there!
Handicapping Preview Show Begins at Noon on Cup Day
Louisiana Downs track announcer John McGary and regional racing publicist Martha Claussen will team up for a pre-race handicapping preview at 12:00 pm in the Inside Rail, located on the first floor of the grandstand. They will offer analysis and their selections for each of the races on the Louisiana Cup Day card. The seminar is free and open to all racing fans.
Scholarship Drawings Set for Louisiana Cup Day
The Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association (LTBA) will award two (2) scholarships, each valued at $1,000, during the event.
The drawings will take place after the fifth race. The races begin at 1:45 p.m. and the student must be there to register between 12:45 p.m. and 1:45 p.m. at the designated registration booth.The requirements for the scholarship are as follows:
Must be a college student enrolled full-time for Fall 2022.
Must be in good standing with the college or university.
Must be present at the drawing location to win.
Must have university ID number or Social Security number.
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 Post Times Update
Louisiana Downs announced that post times for the duration of the 2022 Thoroughbred season will get underway at 3:05 pm (Central Time). The lone exception will be on Louisiana Cup Day, when post time will be 1:45 pm on Saturday, August 6.
The 2022 Thoroughbred meet at Louisiana Downs began on May 7 with live racing eachSaturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. The 84-day live racing season will conclude on September 27.
For further information on live racing, simulcasting and promotions, visit LAD.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.
