Attention Horsemen:

The Louisiana HBPA has been working diligently with the Louisiana State Racing Commission and the Louisiana Attorney General’s office in connection with Evangeline Downs and Delta Downs having their racing surfaces open for training. Please see attached a letter from Louisiana Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain pertaining to the necessity of Thoroughbred and Quarter Horses to be exercised on a race track rather than be kept isolated in stalls for extended periods of time (Download Here). Further, please see attached, a synopsis as to how other racing jurisdictions are functioning for the use of their surfaces for training (Download Here).

Efforts are being made through the court system to rectify this situation as quickly as possible. However, it is not expected that any race tracks will allow new horses and supporting personal entrance into any race track in Louisiana for the next 7 to 10 days. Please check back as we will be posting updates as soon as they become available.

Attention Horsemen:

The Louisiana State Racing Commission issued the attached Emergency Ruling on Friday March 20, 2020 in response to the Louisiana HBPA’s request for help. The order provides for each Race Track to allow horses to move customarily between tracks to each trainer’s allocated stalls and to continue training.

See the attached Notice. (Download Here)

Boyd Gaming, on behalf of Evangeline Downs and Delta Downs, responded to the Commission’s order by filing a temporary restraining order to prevent our members from moving their horses into Delta Downs or Evangeline Downs and to continue training. The hearing on this restraining order is scheduled to be heard on Friday March 27, 2020.

On behalf of its members, the Louisiana HBPA appreciates the prompt response and assistance from the Louisiana State Racing Commission and the Louisiana Attorney General’s office in their assistance and protection of our industry participants.

Additional information will be posted as it becomes available.

Attention Horsemen:

The Louisiana State Racing Commission and Boyd Gaming has said that Horses do NOT have to leave Evangeline Downs or Delta Downs by the 5PM Wednesday deadline previously issued by Boyd.

Attention Horsemen:

The Louisiana HBPA has requested that each of the Louisiana Race Tracks allow Horses and Horsemen to shelter in place during this crisis.

Efforts are being made in all available avenues to secure this stabling.

The Gentilly office is open for our normal business hours of Monday through Friday 8AM to 4PM. In order to do our part in limiting social spread of this coronavirus (COVID -19), we ask our members to please conduct as much activity by phone with our Gentilly office, bookkeeper track offices and our field offices as possible. If you are visiting the Gentilly office, please call (504-945-1555) when you arrive and we will come out to the parking lot to assist you.

Thank you

The Louisiana HBPA has a Horsemen’s Bookkeeper position opening in Vinton.

This seasonal position will be for the Delta Downs 2020 Quarter Horse Meet and 2020 Thoroughbred Meet. The schedule will require working each live race day including weekends and holidays.

Duties will include assisting members with deposits and withdrawals, preparing bank deposits, and processing purse payments.

Computer skills required.

All interested candidates should forward a resume, by close of business on Friday March 20, 2020, to Larry Hamburger either by fax 504-910-9327 or e-mail lhamburger@lahbpa.org. For more information call the LAHBPA office at 504-945-1555.

Click on the link below for important information and forms for the Fair Grounds QH lawsuit.

Notice of Class Settlement

Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association’s Champions Day GALA will be taking place on Friday December 13th from 7pm to 10pm at the Copeland Tower Suites in Metairie Louisiana. Click below for the full flyer

Champions Day GALA Flyer

The Louisiana HBPA has a seasonal part time field office position opening at the Fair Grounds.

The seasonal position concludes at the end of the Fair Grounds Thoroughbred Horse meet (Early April 2020).

The primary responsibilities will be to conduct barn inspections.

Computer skills required.  Race track experience preferred.  Bilingual in English/Spanish preferred. 

All interested candidates should forward a resume, by close of business on Thursday November, 2019, to Larry Hamburger either by fax 504-324-0844 or e-mail lhamburger@lahbpa.org.For more information call the LAHBPA office at 504-945-1555

All LAHBPA members are welcome

Tuesday December 3rd, 2019

11:00 am

Evangeline Downs

REAP Chapel

Lunch will be served

Click here to download the press release.

Fair Grounds has informed us that in order to cash a check, one must present the following forms of identification: 

CURRENT STATE ISSUED DRIVER’S LICENSE OR

CURRENT STATE ISSUED IDENTIFICATION CARD OR

PERMANENT RESIDENT CARD OR

VALID PASSPORT 

PLUS 

CURRENT LSRC LICENSE 

ANY FORM OF IDENTIFICATION THAT IS EXPIRED WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED

The Gentilly HBPA office will be closed on Monday September 2, 2019 for the Labor Day Holiday and will re-open on Tuesday September 3, 2019.

The bookkeeper office at Louisiana Downs is open during racing hours and can be reached at 318-742-3986.

If you have an emergency regarding WC, call Mike Fenasci at 504-214-6873.

If you have an emergency regarding the Medical Program, call Murray Woodward at 504-669-2254.

When:
Tuesday, August 20, 2019
10:30 AM 

Where:
Gentilly Office
New Orleans, Louisiana

The Fair Grounds will open the barn area for Thoroughbreds, to approved trainers, for stabling on September 9, 2019, approved trainers are welcome to start setting up their allotted stalls on September 7. 

A rate of ten ($10) per day will be charged from September 16, 2019 until October 27, 2019 inclusive (Rate will be reduced to nine ($9) per day when total horse population is greater than 250). 

Training will begin on September 17, 2019, Tuesday through Saturday from 6AM to 9AM with no break, the starting gates will be available three days per week, days TBA.

The LAHBPA has spoken to Louisiana Downs and they have stalls available for stabling Quarter Horses at this time.  Contact David Heitzman at 318-741-2511 if you would like to get stalls. 

Thank you,
LAHBPA

The Gentilly Office is closed Today, Friday July 12th due to the Tropical storm Barry and will reopen Monday July 15th, weather permitting. 

If you have an emergency regarding WC, call Mike Fenasci at 504-473-9023. 

If you have an emergency regarding Bookkeeper, call Ed Fenasci at 504-812-8771 or Bobbie Laviolette at 504-329-7871. 

If you have an emergency regarding the Medical Program, call Murray Woodward at 504-669-2254

The Automatic Horse Aftercare Donation will begin on August 1, 2019.  The Donation is Five ($5) per start and will be deducted from the Horse owner’s bookkeeper account unless the member has submitted a signed form to the bookkeeper.  The “Opt Out” form will be available at all of the LAHBPA’s bookkeeper and field offices, as well as online at lahbpa.org for download.  In the case of a multi-owner entity, either an authorized agent must sign or each owner must sign the form. 

We ask that our Members please remain in the program in order to help care for our Equine Athletes after their racing careers.  

THANK YOU,
LAHBPA

House Bill 384 by Representative Schexnayder regarding Horse Aftercare has been signed by the Governor and will become law on August 1, 2019.  Thank you for contacting the Governor’s office and asking him to sign this bill.  Communicating your position to your elected officials is vital to our industry.   Through the hard work of our Members, Board, President, and Staff, Louisiana will continue to be one of the top Horse Racing destinations in North America.   

THANK YOU,
LAHBPA

Please join us in the Red River Room (1st floor near slots entrance) at Louisiana Downs 11AM on Tuesday June 18, 2019 to discuss issues relevant to racing at Louisiana Downs and to Racing throughout Louisiana.  Question and Answer session will be included.  Lunch will be served. 

Thank you,
LAHBPA