The LTBA Board of Directors voted to make changes to the Louisiana Breeders Awards Schedule at their August 8, 2023, meeting.

Breeders Awards for accredited foals by Louisiana domiciled stallions and out of Louisiana domiciled mares are being increased to 25%. This change will be effective October 1, 2023, for races run in Louisiana.

All other awards will remain at the current percentage level.

Roger A. Heitzmann III
Secretary/Treasurer
Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association

The Gentilly Office will be closed on Independence Day Tuesday, July 4th.

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

The Louisiana Downs Bookkeeper (318-742-3986) will be open during racing. If you have an emergency regarding Bookkeeper, call Ed Fenasci at 504-812-8771 or Kristie Piglia at 504-919-3468.

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

The Louisiana State Racing Commission (“LSRC”) has selected Industrial Laboratories of Denver, Colorado (“Industrial”) to serve as its state chemist, on an interim basis, beginning July 1, 2023. Industrial will conduct Post-Race, Out-of-Competition, Vets’ List, and TCO2 testing in the State of Louisiana. A longer contract for LSRC’s state chemist will be put out on public bid in compliance with state public bid laws.

Industrial is an independent, third-party, private testing laboratory. The company was founded in 1945, began drug-testing for performance sports animals in 1953, and currently conducts drug-testing for various states, racing jurisdictions, fairs, and other sporting events. Industrial specializes in analytical chemistry and microbiology and is accredited to ISO 17025, the pinnacle in third-party laboratory accreditation. Industrial is accredited by the Racing Medication & Testing Consortium (“RMTC”). Industrial provides state-of-the-art technical testing services coupled with outstanding quality to protect the interests of equine athletes, horsemen, and the wagering public.

Industrial is one of six laboratories approved by the Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit (“HIWU”), which oversees the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority’s (“HISA”) Anti- Doping and Medication Control (“ADMC”) Program.

The LSRC would like to thank LSU’s School of Veterinary Medicine for its loyal service and being a trusted partner for the last 36 years. The testing conducted by the Equine Medication Surveillance Laboratory, under the leadership originally of Dr. Steven Barker and then Dr. Levent Dirikolu, has played a pivotal role in the LSRC fulfilling its commitment to the public to ensure integrity and safety in the sport of horseracing in Louisiana. The LSRC and LSU have mutually and amicably agreed not to renew their contract for equine drug-testing.

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The 2023 Claiming Crown will be staged for the first time since 2011 at the Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots in New Orleans on Saturday, Dec. 2, announced Claiming Crown co-founders National HBPA and TOBA along with the Fair Grounds. The event will feature eight races totaling $1 million in base purses, headlined by the $200,000 Claiming Crown Jewel.

The 25th Claiming Crown marks the second straight year that the series has gone to a Churchill Downs Inc.-owned locale. The 2022 races were held for the first time at the company’s flagship track in Louisville after a 10-year-run at Gulfstream Park in Florida. The Fair Grounds staged a truncated version of the event in 2011, when the Claiming Crown moved from the summer to the late fall for the first time.

The Claiming Crown races are conducted under starter-allowance conditions, meaning they are restricted to horses that have competed at least once for a certain claiming level or cheaper during a designated time frame, in this case 2022 or 2023. Purses for the eight Claiming Crown races will range from $75,000 to $200,000 for the Jewel. Another $25,000 in each race will be available in purse supplements for accredited Louisiana-bred horses.

Conceived to be a Breeders’ Cup-style event for claiming horses, the Claiming Crown was created in 1999 by the National Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association (NHBPA) and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA). The program gives thoroughbred racing’s workhorses, their owners and trainers a day in the spotlight in recognition of their importance to filling out race cards across the nation.

“Big Easy, here we come,” said Eric Hamelback, CEO of the National HBPA, who was raised in the Pelican State…

The Gentilly Office will be closed on Memorial Day Monday, May 29th. 

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

The Louisiana Downs Bookkeeper (318-742-3986) will be open during racing.  If you have an emergency regarding Bookkeeper, call Ed Fenasci at 504-812-8771 or Kristie Piglia at 504-919-3468. 

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