OAKLAWN ANNOUNCES MONUMENTAL SHIFT IN ITS RACING CALENDAR

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HOT SPRINGS, AR (June 7, 2021) – In yet another historic move for the 117-year-old track, Oaklawn will now add December race dates to its calendar and host a 66-day season from Friday, Dec. 3, 2021 – Sunday, May 8, 2022.

“For many years, horsemen have wanted to race here in December to fill a gap in their racing schedule,” said Oaklawn President Louis A. Cella, who has guided Oaklawn through the most dramatic changes in its history over the past four years. “We have completed our resort expansion, including the opening of our luxury hotel, spa and event center. Therefore, the timing is right for another expansion – to our live racing season.”

The 66-day season will be conducted largely on a Friday-Sunday basis, with some exceptions. There will be no racing Dec. 24 through Dec. 26 during the Christmas holiday and also no racing on Easter Sunday, April 17. Racing will continue to be offered on Presidents’ Day Monday, Feb. 21, 2022.

Oaklawn plans to present the new proposed racing schedule to the Arkansas Racing Commission at their next meeting for approval.

“We are looking forward to the new format,” Cella said. “The additional days will provide a huge economic impact for horsemen, Arkansas Thoroughbred breeders and tourism in Central Arkansas.”

“Oaklawn’s decision to add racing days in December is wonderful news for Hot Springs and Garland County,” said Steve Arrison, CEO of Visit Hot Springs. The expansion of its casino and its addition of a world-class hotel this year already provided Hot Springs with an exciting new feature in its attractions menu. The additional live racing dates will further cement Oaklawn’s status as a premier economic engine for our city. We all look forward to this great new reason for everyone to visit Hot Springs.”

Purses for the season are projected to be $45 million – $50 million; the highest in America at that time of year, with all allowance races starting at $100,000.

“To be able to offer six-figure allowance races for five consecutive months is a very strong statement,” Oaklawn Racing Secretary Pat Pope said. “Between the purses and all of our new amenities, we should be part of every horseman’s annual calendar.”

The extended season and projected purse increases make it necessary for Oaklawn to restructure its stakes program, highlighted, by realigning Oaklawn’s strong 3-year-old prep races.

“We will offer 2­-year-old racing in December,” Cella said, “and we anticipate additional exciting changes in our racing program, including an aggressive 2021-2022 stakes schedule. We are working on that now and will announce those changes soon. Suffice it to say that our stakes program will continue to be designed to attract the nation’s best horses and best horsemen to Hot Springs.”

Trainers are also excited about the additional race dates.

“I love it,” Hall of Famer and 11-time Oaklawn leading trainer Steve Asmussen said. “The more Oaklawn, the better.”

“I’ve been an advocate for this for years,” Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas said. “I think it’s a great addition and will keep our stables competitive. It’s also going to be a popular time. People are already in a festive mood around the holidays and the weather in December is usually pretty good. I think there is going to be a strong fan base. I’m 100% for it.”

“Oaklawn’s new dates allow us horsemen to participate in the most lucrative purse circuit in America without any interruptions,” trainer Ron Moquett said. “It’s now a smooth transition between Oaklawn, Churchill, and Saratoga.”

Located in Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas, Oaklawn has been one of the premiere Thoroughbred racetracks in the country since 1904, best known as home of the $1 million Arkansas Derby. The casino features slots, live table games, and sports betting year-round. Live racing held Dec-May and simulcast racing throughout the year. Now open: a 198-room luxury hotel, multi-purpose event center, state-of-the-art spa, and new dining options. Oaklawn.com, 1-800-OAKLAWN.

NET A BEAR RIDES RAIL TO VICTORY IN $60,000 NET OPELOUSAS STAKES

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JOCKEY TIM THORNTON GUIDES GROUND SAVING TRIP WITH ALLEN LANDRY CHARGE

 

Net A Bear captures the 2021 Opelousas Stakes at Evangeline Downs. Coady Photography.

 OPELOUSAS, LA –A July 4th weekend crowd was treated to an exciting finish in the $60,000 Opelousas Stakes Friday night, as Net a Bear picked up the victory under jockey Tim Thornton.  The Allen Landry runner turned the tables on a couple of rivals in the turf stakes for older fillies and mares.

 

Champagne Affair took the early initiative after breaking sharply from her inside post position, tracked intently by Raging Gold Digger and a three-wide Snowball.  The compact field of five traveled in close attendance with Net a Bear and Offspring just behind the trio through moderate fractions of an opening half-mile split of 49.08 seconds.  The field remained closely bunched as they moved to the top of the lane, with six furlongs traveled in 1:13.42, as Champagne Affair held onto a slim lead, while Raging Gold Digger and Snowball both began to tire.

 

Net a Bear waited patiently under a ground-saving trip, while Offspring was moved to the middle of the track for her run.  Finding a seam between Champagne Affair and the rail, Net a Bear accelerated quickly to burst through and charge to victory, pulling away late to win by 1-3/4 lengths.  Offspring was able to nab Champagne Affair late for the runner-up position, by a ½-length.  Net a Bear, who runs for the partnership of Maximo Lamarche and Federico Deltoro, finished in a time of 1:37.51 completed over a firm course, at the distance of about one-mile.

 

The winner’s share of $36,000 increased the lifetime bankroll of Net a Bear to $322,070.  The victory is the sixth win of her 25-race career.

 

The 5-year-old mare was bred in Louisiana by Lora Pitre and Elaine Carroll.  The bay mare is by Awesome Bet, out of the Eddington mare Edacious Reality.

 

Sent off as the second wagering choice at 8-5, Net a Bear returned $5.20 to win, $2.80 to place and $2.10 to show.  Offspring, favored at 6-5, paid $2.80 to place and $2.10 to show.  Champagne Affair returned $4.20 to show.

 

 

Groups Launch Trainer Continuing Education Platform

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The website for the platform is HorsemenU.com.

 

The California Thoroughbred Trainers, Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, and New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association have teamed up to provide a continuing education platform for Thoroughbred trainers and assistant trainers.

Horsemen U offers approved online CE webinars and issues CE certificates after a course and a short quiz have been completed. Trainers and assistant trainers can register, free of charge, and maintain their CE records in their accounts. The website for the platform is www.HorsemenU.com.

Continuing education has been adopted as one of the core best practices developed by the stakeholders involved in the Mid-Atlantic Strategic Plan to Reduce Equine Fatalities. CE requirements have been implemented in California, Delaware, Maryland, New York, and West Virginia. Pennsylvania and Virginia are in the process of adopting CE regulations.

 

 

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U.S. House Passes Bill Seeking to End Horse Slaughter

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The transportation amendment could ban shipping horses to slaughterhouses.

 

 

The U.S. House of Representatives passed an amendment June 30 that would ban the transportation of horses across state lines or to Canada or Mexico to slaughterhouses processing them for human consumption, according to the National Thoroughbred Racing Association.

The amendment is part of the Investing in a New Vision for the Environment and Surface Transportation in America Act, bipartisan legislation supported by President Joe Biden that now moves to the U.S. Senate for consideration.

The amendment, which would effectively ban horse slaughter in the United States if it becomes law, was sponsored by Reps. Troy Carter, D-La., Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., John Katko, R-N.Y., Dina Titus, D-Nev., and Steve Cohen, D-Tenn.; and, co-sponsors Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., and Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., the lead authors of a stand-alone anti-horse slaughter bill; and Reps. Paul Tonko, D-N.Y., and Andy Barr, R-Ky., co-chairs of the Congressional Horse Caucus.

 

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July Calendar of Events from the LTBA

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 Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association would like to share the following list of dates of interest to Louisiana horsemen and women.

Brought to you by Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association, and  Whispering Oaks Farm. Click images to link to more information

July 1

July 2

  • Opelousas Stakes, Evangeline Downs

July 3

  • John Henry Stakes, Evangeline Downs

July 4

  • Independence Day

July 5

  • LTBA Office closed for 4th of July Holiday

July 8

  • LTBA Board of Directors Meeting. 1:30 p.m. Equine Sales Facility, Opelousas

July 9

July 16

  • Accreditation forms mailed from LTBA office

Would you like to sponsor a newsletter? Reach @ 2,500 readers.Please contact Linda 985-386-0360, linda@louisianabred.com or Roger 504-947-4676, roger@louisianabred.com for cost and availability.

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.

 

Any questions or need more info call

Roger A. Heitzmann III, Secretary/Treasurer

Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association

504-947-4676

Fair Grounds Opens Two New OTBs at Noon Today, June 30th

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Fair Grounds Opens Two New OTBs at Noon Today, June 30th

Fair Grounds Racetrack is opening two new OTBs at noon today, June 30, 2021, in St. Tammany Parish. A third OTB will be opening in St. John Parish in the near future.

OTBs will be opening in Slidell at the former Ruby Tuesday’s location, 798 I-10 Service Rd, Slidell, LA 70461 and in Covington at the former Applebee’s location, 315 U.S. Highway 190, Covington, LA 70433  at 12:00 noon today.

A third OTB will be opening in LaPlace in the near future at Airline Motors/Debbie’s Lounge, 209-229 E. Airline Highway, LaPlace, LA 70068. Opening date TBA

Mo Tom’s First Starter Wholelottamo a Winner

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Mo Tom’s first starter,  2-year-old Louisiana-bred filly  Wholelottamo, won a maiden special weight June 20 at Lone Star Park defeating eight other fillies, with the nearest competitor 1 1/2 lengths behind. She completed the five furlongs in :59.70 on a fast track

This was the second asking for the filly owned by Stephen Thompson’s Thompson Racing and trainer Scott Gelner after coming in third her first time out June 5 at Lone Star.

Bred in Louisiana by Cloyce Clark Jr., Wholelottamo is out of the A. P Jet mare Jet’s Tradition, the dam of 10 foals, with six to race and six to win, including stakes-placed Jet Majesty. She was purchased for $17,000 at the 2020 Equine Sales Company’s Consignor Select Yearling and 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale by Thompson.

Mo Tom, an 8-year-old son of Uncle Mo, was a winner of the Lecomte Stakes (G3) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, Ohio Derby at Thistledown, and Street Sense Stakes at Churchill Downs. He retired to stud duty in 2018 with total earnings of $665,356 for owner GMB Racing and trainer Tom Amoss.

Mo Tom stands at Red River Farms in Coushatta for $2,000.

Returning Worker Exception Act Aims for H-2B Relief

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By Dan Ross

New federal legislation has been introduced that, if passed, could prove a fillip for trainers struggling to find and hold on to immigrant grooms, hotwalkers and exercise riders in a labor market already squeezed thin.

The H-2B Returning Worker Exception Act of 2021, introduced Tuesday, is designed to “develop a long-term solution to permanently address” the annual H-2B visa cap.

According to the bill as currently written, it amends the definition of “returning worker” to include anyone who has entered the U.S. on an H-2B visa in any one of the three previous years.

 

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Denise Martin, Co-Owner Of California Chrome, Dies At Age 61

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Owner of Louisiana stallion Peppered Cat and active participant in the Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders program

Perry and Denise Martin in 2020.

It is with great sadness that Martin Racing announces the passing of Denise Martin, the co-founder, and heart, of Martin Racing, a Thoroughbred and Standardbred breeding and racing organization based in Alpine, Wyo., with global equine holdings. The accomplished chemist, business leader, horse owner and mother to two died on June 14 at age 61.

With her husband and co-founder Perry serving as the public voice and operations manager for Martin Racing, Denise took on the critical role of managing all communications and behind-the-scenes business needs for the small, family-owned organization, which was founded in 2016.

The Martins were thrust into worldwide fame in 2014, when their wildly popular and charismatic colt California Chrome won the Kentucky Derby and the first of his two Eclipse Award titles as North America’s Horse of the Year. The California-bred superstar, whom the Martins co-bred and initially raced in partnership with Steve and Carolyn Coburn under the stable name Dumb Ass Partners, also won the 2016 Dubai World Cup and eight additional graded stakes races before he retired in 2017 with earnings of $14,752,650 — a North American record at the time.

California Chrome’s storybook success enabled Martin Racing to expand internationally. In addition to supporting their first homebred via stallion syndicate participation, originally in Kentucky and now in Japan, the Martins currently stand Thoroughbred stallions in California, Louisiana and Wyoming, and the Hambletonian-winning Standardbred sire Trixton in Canada.

Their homebred colt Mo Mosa won Lone Star Park’s Grade 3 Steve Sexton Mile Stakes on May 31.

“Denise greatly enjoyed interacting with racing fans, whether she communicated with them in person or through California Chrome’s official social media channels,” said Perry Martin. “She also was solely responsible for all of Martin Racing’s charitable giving endeavors.”

A trained chemist and California State University graduate, Denise was CEO of Martin Testing Labs in Sacramento, Calif., from its creation in 2000 to its sale in June 2020. She previously worked for the United States Air Force as a civilian employee at McClellan Air Force Base.

In semi-retirement, the Chicago native served her adopted Wyoming community on the North Alpine Water District Board of Directors. She also recently began taking online university courses on Astronomy, and was building a telescope to view the clear Wyoming night sky.

Denise is survived by her loving husband of 35 years, Perry, her daughter Kelly Martin, her son Perry Martin Jr., her brothers Andrew Brudniak and Richard Brudniak, her Golden Retriever Tizzy, 76 Thoroughbred horses and seven Standardbred horses.