The Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association’s board of directors made two bylaws changes last week it hopes will make the state’s breeding incentive program more attractive to breeders outside its borders and bolster the population of accredited Louisiana-bred foals.
One change allows resident Louisiana mares to be bred to a stallion outside the state for consecutive years and still permits the resulting foals to become accredited Louisiana-breds. Previously, breeders could send a mare to an out-of-state stallion, but that foal could not be an accredited Louisiana-bred unless the mare was bred back to a Louisiana-based stallion.
Under the new rule, breeders may have access to better stallions, but the resulting foals by out-of-state stallions will be eligible to receive half of any breeder’s award incentive money. A Louisiana-bred foal by a Louisiana-registered stallion is eligible to receive full breeder’s awards, which are 20% of total purses earned for horses that finish 1-2-3 in any race in Louisiana or 1-2-3 in any stakes race outside Louisiana (purse capped at $200,000).
The other change applies to nonresident mares being bred to Louisiana stallions. They now only need to remain in Louisiana for 90 days or at least until Aug. 1 and then can be returned to an out-of-state breeder’s farm until they get close to foaling. Prior to the rule change, a mare would have had to stay in Louisiana and deliver her Louisiana-sired foal for it to be eligible as a Louisiana-bred.
Do you have a date pertaining to Louisiana-breds that you would like included in an upcoming calendar? Please contact Linda 985-386-0360, linda@louisianabred.com or Roger 504-947-4676, roger@louisianabred.comfor consideration.
The Board of Directors of the Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association, voted at their June 16th meeting to earmark $100,000 dollars to be used for Louisiana Cup Day at Louisiana Downs in hopes that a card will be put together.
Louisiana Cup Day is a day of racing designed to showcase accredited Louisiana bred thoroughbreds at Louisiana Downs. The event includes multiple Louisiana bred stakes races.
Due to the COVID 19 pandemic, and its effects on racing, Louisiana Downs cut the stakes program from its condition book this year in order to keep overnight purses at a solid level. Consequentially, Louisiana Cup Day was suspended for 2020.
Not satisfied with this turn of events, Roger Heitzmann, Executive Director of the LTBA; Ed Fenasci, Executive Director of the HBPA and David Heitzmann, director of Racing at Harrah’s Louisiana Downs, put their heads together to work on a plan to revive the Louisiana bred stakes day. “We have been working on possible ways to bring back Louisiana Cup Day,” said Roger Heitzmann. “I believe we can get there, but a lot depends on handle. We can’t count on the funds we normally receive from slots and video poker. Hopefully field size remains at a good number. Larger fields will help entice the patrons to wager on Louisiana Downs.”
“Roger presented us with a plan which we believe will work,” said Warren Harang III, President of the LTBA. “We will be creative and work outside the box to accomplish this. We will be utilizing funds that we don’t normally use for purse supplements. Helping the horsemen of Louisiana is always our mission. Adding back six black-type races helps the the breeders, the horsemen participating in the races, as well as the track itself.”
Each of Louisiana’s four racetracks has a day designated for Louisiana bred thoroughbred stakes. In addition to Louisiana Cup Day at Louisiana Downs in Bossier City, there is Louisiana Premier Night at Delta Downs in Vinton, Louisiana Legends Night at Evangeline Downs in Opelousas, as well as Louisiana Champions Day at Fair Grounds in New Orleans.
Louisiana Downs has opened the meet with good number so far. If Louisiana Cup Day is added back to the schedule, it will likely be run near the end of the meet in late September.
The Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association Board of Directors Meeting has been moved from Wednesday the 12th to Thursday the 13th. It will be held in the suits’ at Evangeline Downs beginning at 3:00 pm.
The reason for the move is to accommodate the majority of the board and their ability to be present.
Do you have a date pertaining to Louisiana-breds that you would like included in an upcoming calendar? Please contact Linda 985-386-0360, linda@louisianabred.com or Roger 504-947-4676, roger@louisianabred.comfor consideration.
Monte Man wins the 2018 Louisiana Legends Sprint. Coady Photography.
On Sunday afternoon, Louisiana horsemen and women gathered at the Equine Sales facility in Opelousas to honor the 2018 Accredited Louisiana Bred Champions and their connections at the Annual Meeting and Awards Banquet.
While the majority of the award winners had been announced previously, the overall horse of the year was named at the banquet. Voted on by the LTBA Board of Directors, this year’s Louisiana Bred Horse of the Year is Monte Man.
LTBA President Warren Harang (center) presents the trophy for 2018 Louisiana Horse of the Year, Monte Man, to Breeder, Val Murrell (left), and trainer, Ron Faucheux.
Monte Man won six of seven starts in 2018, including five stakes wins. He won the Louisiana Premier Night Sprint at Delta Downs in February, the Costa Rising Stakes at Fair Groundsin March, the Louisiana Legends Night Sprint at Evangeline Downs in May, the Louisiana Cup Sprint at Louisiana Downs in August and the Heitai Stakes at Fair Grounds in November. In his final start of the year Monte Man ran third in the Louisiana Champions Day Sprint. Total 2018 earnings for the son of Custom For Carlos out of Sarah’s My Angeladded up to $257,690. Monte Man , who also received the award for Older Louisiana Bred Male was bred by Val C. Murrell, is owned by Ivery Sisters Racing and trained by Ron Faucheux.
Before the presentations, Lori Johnson of The Jockey Club delivered a very informative presentation on the new paperless registration process. There were many questions about the new process, and LTBA members were quite grateful for Lori’s knowledge of the topic at hand.
Following is a complete list of the Award Recipients and their connections:
Louisiana 2018 Horse of the Year Monte Man Sire: Custom For Carlos
Dam: Sarah’s My Angel
Breeder: Val C. Murrell
Owner: Ivery Sisters Racing
Trainer: Ron Faucheux
2018 Accredited Louisiana Bred Two-Year-Old Filly Midnight Fantasy Sire: Midnight Lute
Dam: St. Jean
Breeder: J. Adcock & Hume Wornall
Owner: Carl R. Moore Management LLC
Trainer: Joe Sharp
2018 Accredited Louisiana Bred Two-Year-Old Colt Classy John Sire: Songandaprayer
Dam: Kitty’s Got Class
Breeder: Tom Curtis & Wayne Simpson
Owner: Valene Farms LLC
Trainer: Dallas Stewart
2018 Accredited Louisiana Bred Three-Year-Old Filly Testing One Two Sire: Star Guitar
Dam: Yes Sir
Breeder: Brittlyn, Inc.
Owner: Brittlyn Stable, Inc.
Trainer: Victor Arceneaux
2018 Accredited Louisiana Bred Three-Year-Old Colt or Gelding Givemeaminit Sire: Star Guitar
Dam: Powerful Nation
Breeder: Clear Creek Stud Owner: Valene Farms
Trainer: Dallas Stewart
2018 Accredited Louisiana Bred Four-Year-Old and up Fillies & Mares Ours To Run Sire: Half Ours
Dam: Brown Eyed Baby
Breeder: Clifford Grum
Owner: Colonel Thoroughbred LLC
Trainer: Larry Jones
2018 Accredited Louisiana Bred Four-Year-Old and up Male Monte Man Sire: Custom For Carlos Dam: Sarah’s My Angel
Breeder: Val C. Murrell
Owner: Ivery Sisters Racing
Trainer: Ron Faucheux
2018 Louisiana Broodmare of the Year Street Beat Dixie Brass – Mary Eby
Owner: William D. (Joe) Pickett
2018 Andrew L. “Red” Erwin Stallion of the Year Star Guitar Quiet American – Minit Towinit
Owner: Brittlyn Stable (Evelyn & Maurice Benoit)
2018 Louisiana Leading Breeder by Breeders Awards J. Adcock (Red River Farm LLC)
2018 Louisiana Leading Breeder by Percentage of Stakes Winners James McIngvale
Nelson J. Menard Memorial Stakes, New Orleans Fair Grounds
Feb 5
Accredited Louisiana Bred Champions Ballots to mail from LTBA office.
Feb 7
Equine Sales Company 2019 Two Year Old In Training Sale and Race Age Horses Consignment Deadline
Feb 8
Out of State Breeders Awards to mail from LTBA office
Feb 9
LTBA Board of Directors Meeting, Delta Downs, Human Resources Office, 2:00 p.m.
Louisiana Premier Night,Delta Downs, Vinton, 1stpost 5:25
LTBA Scholarship Drawing; two $1,000 scholarships for current college students. Registration between 4:25 p.m. & 5:25 p.m. Drawing in the winners circle after the 5thrace. Must be present to win.
Feb 14
Valentines Day
Feb 15
Evangeline Downs Stall Applications Due
Feb 16
Louisiana Derby Preview Day, New Orleans Fair Grounds; G3 Mineshaft H, G2 Risen Star St., G2 Rachel Alexandra S., G3 Fair Grounds H., Colonel Power S., Albert M. Stall Memorial S.
Feb 18
Presidents Day
Feb 20
Accredited Louisiana Bred Champions Ballots due in LTBA office
Would you like to sponsor a newsletter? Reach over 2,500 readers.
Do you have a date pertaining to Louisiana-breds that you would like included in an upcoming calendar? Please contact Linda 985-386-0360, linda@louisianabred.com or Roger 504-947-4676, roger@louisianabred.com for consideration.
