By TONY TAGLAVORE, Journal Sports

VINTON — At Wednesday’s meeting at the home of Delta Downs Racetrack, Casino, and Hotel, the  Louisiana State Racing Commission received an update on the unaccounted-for horsemen’s purse money discovered at Louisiana Downs this past summer.

That update did not last long.

The Commission was told that the Louisiana Attorney General’s office is still looking into the matter. No specifics were given, and no timetable was shared as to when the issue might be resolved.

However, the Commission acted on other items during the approximately six-hour meeting.

Notably, it passed parts of House Bill 1055. In this year’s legislative session, Governor John Bel Edwards gave the Commission power to introduce and enforce minimum standards for each of the state’s four racetracks. Those standards cover everything from infrastructure, to staffing, to marketing.

“Anything that needs improving, we put it on the list to improve,” said commission member Mike McHalffey, who represents Bossier Parish. “We got with (the tracks). It’s not like we’re forcing them to do anything. We suggested it. ‘Is that OK? Yes.’ It is or it’s not. In most cases, it is. They know it needed to be done.”

One area of particular importance to McHalffey is improving the living conditions for backside workers.

“We’re making (the tracks) build dorms that are up to living standards,” McHalffey said. (People) were living in sub-standard housing on the backside for a long time. It’s time to upgrade. Of course, the (corporate owners) don’t want to upgrade, so we gave them a little boost. We’re going to make them upgrade the dorms and build dorms.”

That means renovations are coming to 48-year-old Louisiana Downs.

“They have a barn in the back called the Stakes Barn,” McHalffey said. “It hasn’t been used in years. It has some pretty good dorm rooms. They’re going to remodel that barn and use it.”

That’s not the only area of the Bossier City track which will receive attention. “They’re going to redo the interior of all the stalls,” McHalffey said. “They’re going to do some road work and some drainage work.”

Louisiana Downs will also have to improve its tote board — more than applying a coat of white paint, which was done earlier this year.

“They will have to upgrade it to video capability,” McHalffey said. “You can spend two million (dollars), or you can spend $200,000 and put a video screen up there. We have to approve it, though.”

The Commission also wants to make sure each track is spending what’s needed to make it — and the sport — attractive to the public.

“They have to show a marketing plan,” McHalffey said. “Every meet, I have to approve the marketing plan. I asked all the tracks for marketing numbers, and I want marketing numbers split for casino and racetrack. ‘How much money are you spending on each? How do you think it impacts what you’re doing?’”

Each track has a monetary incentive to abide by the Commission’s mandates.

“Ten percent of their profits after taxes goes into escrow, and they have to keep a $3-million balance,” McHalffey explained. “If we don’t approve the project that we’ve asked them to do, we keep their money until they do. We won’t release it.”

In an effort to increase revenue — and purse money — Louisiana Downs is installing Historical Horseracing Machines (HHR), and wants to open several off-track betting sites. McHalffey has asked track management to present a plan within 30 days.

“We’re making them go forward with that and not drag their feet.”

Contact Tony at SBJTonyT@gmail.com

By TONY TAGLAVORE, Journal Sports

The 84-day thoroughbred meet at Louisiana Downs ended a week ago. But that doesn’t mean you have to wait until next May to watch horseracing at the Bossier City track.

The Downs’ 2023, 46-day Quarter Horse meet starts Jan. 5 and runs through April 1.

Thoroughbred racing gets most of the headlines, but for those of you who are impatient, Quarter Horse racing may be more to your liking. For example, in a six-furlong race, it takes thoroughbreds more than one minute to navigate their way home. A Quarter Horse can cover 220 yards — a traditional race length — in around 12 seconds. That means there is excitement as soon as the starting gate opens.

“It’s like looking at a short-distance runner, compared to an athlete who runs the mile,” said Bruce Salard, executive director of the Louisiana Quarter Horse Breeders Association. “The horses are built entirely differently. A Quarter Horse is going to have more muscle — that short twitch muscle — so I would tell (people) to really watch for the speed. You’re going to be watching the entire track, from gate one to gate 10, as they come down the track and across the finish line. It’s like watching the 100-yard dash in a human race. If you look at the Olympics, it’s the shorter distances that are the most exciting.”

While Quarter Horse racing takes place at all four Louisiana tracks, Salard is pleased with the quality of racing at Louisiana Downs.

“It’s very fortunate that we’ve had the Mardi Gras Futurity and the Louisiana Downs Futurity, which is an open race, at Louisiana Downs,” Salard said. “Trump My Record  – who won the Louisiana Downs Futurity — started his career there. This year we had a filly, Jes An Angel, who started her career at Louisiana Downs and moved to Delta (Downs). She was the (morning line) favorite for the $3 million All-American Futurity at Ruidoso Downs.

“There have been a lot of quality horses come through Louisiana Downs. (The meet) is at a good time. It starts early. People are trying to see what Sires are hitting — who’s hot. They’re watching those races.”

Jes An Angel was a steward’s scratch the day of the All-American Futurity. But the point remains – quality Quarter Horses make their way to Bossier City, and will next year.

In 2023, Louisiana Downs will feature a new Quarter Horse race — one just for the ladies.

“We know that historically, our broodmares have gotten stronger and stronger here,” Salard said. “To capitalize on that, and people wanting to buy really nice fillies, we’re trying to give them more opportunities to run just against fillies. At Louisiana Downs, we will have the Mardi Gras Futurity, which is for colts and geldings, and we will have the Mardi Gras Oaks, which is for 3-year-old fillies.

“We’re trying to make sure the fillies have the opportunity to run just against fillies, and to get black type (running first, second, or third in a stakes race).”

For a little more than three years, Salard has been in charge of the Quarter Horse Breeding Association in Louisiana. His move back to Alexandria, where he was born and raised, was the result of quite a career change. Salard has spent most of his adult life in banking and public accounting. When he took this job, Salard was working in private equity.

“The gentleman before me had resigned,” Salard said. “I got a call asking if I would be interested. I said, ‘Yes.’ I had a condo in Dallas and probably three weeks later, I was working back in Alexandria.”

But that’s not to say Salard didn’t have experience with Quarter Horses. His father owned and raced Quarter Horses, starting before Salard was born. Then, when Salard would get home from school, he would clean stalls every day.

“It has been my passion — following and keeping up with Quarter Horse racing,” Salard explained. “(I’ve been) trying to be involved. (I’ve been) breeding and racing Quarter Horses. My dad and I bred a horse (Magic Black Jack) that won the Mardi Gras Futurity at Louisiana Downs in 2015. Two years later, he became the first accredited Louisiana-bred to set a world record (220 yards in 11.46). He did that at Delta Downs.”

Overall, Salard thinks the state’s Quarter Horse industry is in good shape.

“Our breeding program is definitely the best in the country, by far,” Salard said. ”So far, we’ve had the right Stallions, and our owners, our breeders, have really built up the quality of the broodmare.”

However, something Salard would like to see improve — along with folks on the thoroughbred side — is an increase in everyday purse money.

“We need larger purses in our overnight races, and not necessarily in our Stakes races,” Salard said. “They’re holding just fine. I think the management at Louisiana Downs has been trying to get the OTB’s (Off-Track Betting sites) established, and other new ideas to try and get those purses higher. There’s just more and more competition for everybody’s entertainment dollar.”

Contact Tony at SBJTonyT@gmail.com

By TONY TAGLAVORE, Journal Sports

Shane Wilson won the trainer’s title, and Carlos Lozada won the jockey title, at the Louisiana Downs thoroughbred meet which ended Tuesday.

For Wilson — a Haughton native who was featured in the Aug. 23 edition of the Shreveport-Bossier Journal — this is his second straight title. Wilson finished the meet with 50 wins in 217 starts. That’s 12 more wins (177 starts) than Joey Foster, who finished second.

“We came in with lots of horses ready to run,” Wilson told the Journal. “We had horses for nearly any condition they could write.

“My clients claimed several good horses this winter that really fit well here. We picked up a couple of new clients that brought us quality horses to run. Several talented two-year-olds we were able to run here at the end. So we started with a strong barn and the horses really ran hard all summer for us.”

The race for the jockey title was much closer. Lozada won 85 races (378 starts). That’s five wins more than Jose Andres Guerrero (402 starts).

“First and foremost, I want to thank the Lord Jesus,” Lozada told the Journal, through his agent, Ronald Ardoin. “Second, I want to thank all the owners, trainers, groomers, exercise boys, and anyone who had anything to do with my success this summer.”

The 2023 Quarter Horse meet starts Jan. 5. The 2023 Thoroughbred meet begins May 6.

Contact Tony at SBJTonyT@gmail.com

By TONY TAGLAVORE, Journal Sports

Dave Rodman’s first day at his new job did not start well.

Not well at all.

“The first race I called, I called the wrong winner,” the now-veteran track announcer remembered.

“But they gave me the job anyway.”

That was back in 1981. Rodman — then in his very early 20’s — was replacing Jefferson Downs’ previous track announcer.

“I was just so nervous, I believe I flipped the horses,” Rodman explained. “But it didn’t matter because they needed an announcer, and they liked my voice and they liked my style.”

Rodman survived that first day, and has built a 40-plus year career. A New Orleans native, Rodman is in his 32^nd year calling races at Pimlico Race Course — home of the Preakness Stakes — and Laurel Park.

But in-between the now-defunct Jefferson Downs in Kenner, Louisiana, and the Maryland circuit, there was a five-year layover at Louisiana Downs. From 1985-1990, Rodman was the golden voice during some of the Downs’ golden years.

“It was a fun time,” Rodman said. “All of the employees at the track were really caught up in the momentum of the meet.”

Rodman was the Downs’ third track announcer, following Bob Kinney and Tony Bentley.

“It was a dream come true, because it was what I wanted to do for a living,” Rodman said. “To be able to call (races) when the big trainers came to town. We would take them around and do radio shows and interviews with them. To be on that level, I never thought I would get there, coming from a bread-and- butter track.”

Rodman is forever grateful that Tom Sweeney, then the track’s general manager, gave Rodman the opportunity to live his “dream.” In fact, Rodman enjoyed a measure of notoriety while at the Downs.

Most every race day, local television stations would show the stretch run of a featured race. “Here’s track announcer Dave Rodman with the call,” the sports anchor would say. But it wasn’t Rodman’s race calling that one night endeared him to diners at a Bossier City restaurant.

“I distinctly remember doing a seminar, and I gave out some ridiculous trifecta … (After the races), a bunch of us walked into Ralph and Kacoo’s. A group of people at a table, who were at the seminar, recognized me and got up and started applauding. They paid for dinner. I’ll never forget that. Instead of, ‘Great job calling the races’, it was, ‘Thanks for the trifecta!’”

After five years on Highway 80, Rodman had a chance to move on up to the East Side. Pimlico and Laurel — which combined offered Rodman year-round work — were looking for a new announcer.

“It was a bigger circuit,” Rodman said. “More national exposure, and obviously calling a Triple Crown race — I had to jump at that opportunity.”

That “opportunity” led to his calling the Preakness each of the past 32 years.

“At LAD, on the weekends, there would be 15 — sometimes 20 thousand (people),” Rodman said. “My first Preakness, I was completely in awe. I looked out in the infield and saw three times that number of people. Calling the Preakness, saying, ‘They’re off!,’ and hearing the crowd through the window—I can tell you the binoculars were shaking, that’s for sure. I’m just glad Hansel (the winner) drew off by many lengths, and it wasn’t like a three-horse photo.”

Rodman’s love of racing was born during his childhood years.

“It’s all my father,” Rodman said. “He was a weekend horse player. He would bring me to the racetrack in New Orleans … He would sneak me into Jefferson Downs, because there was an age limit. I would sit in the corner, be quiet, and watch the races.”

As Rodman grew older, he found another passion.

“In high school, I was very interested in getting into radio. I said, ‘This is cool. I can talk and play records for a living.’ So, my next love was wanting to become a DJ … I had my own set-up in my room with a turntable, and I would practice introducing records.”

As a race caller, Rodman thinks of himself as being “on-air.”

“In a way, it is like being on the radio,” Rodman said. “I try to make my calls mimic what’s going on at the track, as if you were listening to the radio, so you’ll know what’s going on without actually seeing the picture. It helped me immensely. The merger between radio and race calling was like the perfect Roux, as they say in Louisiana.”

And that “Roux” has been the foundation for what has become a long, successful career.

“I don’t think there’s ever been a time when I’ve awakened in the morning and said, ‘You know what, I don’t feel like going into work today.’ If that happens, it’s probably time to hang up the binoculars.”

But that time hasn’t come. At age 63, Rodman doesn’t feel like he’s nearing the finish line.

“As long as my memory will let me do it. My memory and my health.”

Louisiana Downs wraps up its racing season today. Post time is 12:45.

Contact Tony at SBJTonyT@gmail.com

By TONY TAGLAVORE, Journal Sports

Had Shreveport native Sharilyn Gasaway held a grudge one night 33 years ago, she might not be enjoying success in the horse-ownership business.

Gasaway was waiting to be picked up for dinner by her boyfriend, Brent.

She waited. And waited. And waited.

“He was still at the races,” Sharilyn remembered. “I’m sure he got into a big race and had to stay for it.”

Eventually, Brent, a horseracing enthusiast, showed up. “I was really kind of mad at him because he was late,” Sharilyn said. “I was really in a bad mood.”

But as the evening grew late at Queen Chinese restaurant on Fairfield Avenue, Sharilyn’s mood changed.

Brent made up for lost time by asking Sharilyn to marry him.

All was forgiven.

Sharilyn graduated from Captain Shreve High School, then earned an accounting degree from Louisiana Tech. Eventually, she became Chief Financial Officer for Alltel — the former cell phone company. After Alltel was bought out by Verizon in 2008, Sharilyn came into a little extra money.

“Well, could we buy part of a horse now?” Brent asked.

How could Sharilyn’s answer have been anything but yes?

“He always, always wanted to own one.”

Now, the Gasaways, who live in Little Rock, have part-to-full ownership in 20-25 horses.

“We do a lot of partnering,” Sharilyn said. “We don’t want to own one percent. If the horse wins, you want to feel like you should be in the winner’s circle. A lot of horses, we own 50 percent with someone else. Some horses we own a third. It just depends on the partnership.”

This racing season — which for Gasaway began last December at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs — horses in those partnerships have grossed more than $1.073 million. Not bad, for someone who didn’t grow up around animals, someone who knew nothing about horses until after she met her husband.

“We just love nothing better than getting up and going to wherever the horses are,” Sharilyn said. “If they’re at the track, we go there that morning and see them in the barn, talk to the trainer, talk to the jockeys that are coming by. It’s just a whole race family.”

Sharilyn and Brent have had their share of excitement. They’ve found horses just about every way possible. Some, they learned about through their racing relationships. Some, they bought at sales.

“I think we only paid $20,000 for this horse,” Sharilyn said, referring to All Right, of which they owned half.

“He broke his maiden his second time out, in a $350,000 stakes race. That’s the highest race we’ve ever won.”

Unfortunately, the Gasaways weren’t trackside to watch.

“Louisiana Tech was playing Arkansas (in football) and my nephew, Connor Smith, played for Tech. We thought, ‘He can’t win a $350,000 stakes race. He hasn’t even broken his maiden.’ It was his second time to run.”

And some horses were claimed by the Gasaways. Honey Bunny was wanted by 15 people.

“We won the shake and got (him),” Sharilyn said. “That horse won five in a row for us. She won the Winning Colors Grade III race. We ended up selling her as a broodmare for $300,000.”

Not bad for a $16,000 investment.

“That doesn’t happen every day. Those are the things you wish for.”

Currently, Sharilyn and Brent have three “big” horses.” Hollis was claimed for $50,000 in 2020 and “has won over $500,000 just for us.” Mucho was claimed for $80,000 in late 2020. “He’s earned close to $400,000 for us.” Top Gunner was claimed last year for $30,000. “He’s won more than $340,000 for us.”

That includes a fifth-place finish in last Saturday’s Louisville Thoroughbred Society Stakes at Churchill Downs.

Sharilyn’s parents live in Shreveport, but it’s not easy for them to get in the car and drive to see their daughter’s horses race. They could travel the short distance to Louisiana Downs, but right now, it’s not good business for Sharilyn to have her horses run at the Bossier City track.

“The (purse) money just got so bad,” Sharilyn said. “A Maiden Special Weight (race) is 20-something thousand. At Oaklawn, it’s $85-90,000.”

“The purse structure at Oaklawn, the purse structure at Churchill Downs — it’s just gone so high that an Allowance race is $140,000 now,” Sharilyn said. “You can spend more money on horses because you now have a better chance of getting it back. Before, you never could.

“We would never spend $500,000 on a horse, but if we were in a partnership that did, the only way it makes sense is the fact that if they win a couple of allowance races and break their maiden, you’ve kind of broken even and you just hope they can do something else and go on to stakes races.”

Now semi-retired, Sharilyn sits on the board of two public companies. She also manages her family’s horse-ownership business. And she has set a good example why not to stay mad at someone.

Had Sharilyn not been so forgiving all those years ago, look at all the fun she would have missed.

Louisiana Downs races Saturday through Tuesday. Post time is 3:05.

Contact Tony at SBJTonyT@gmail.com

Submitted photo

By TONY TAGLAVORE, Journal Sports

It’s a question asked often of models or celebrities, as they walk the red carpet.

“What are you wearing?”

The answer may be “Gucci,” “Prada,” or “Armani.”

Ask that question to a jockey as he or she walks from the winner’s circle, and their answer might be “Betty Matthews.”

In a 25-foot-square building in the front yard of her Haughton home, for 36 years Matthews has made jockey silks. Those are the colorful tops a jockey wears while racing. Each silk represents the colors and design of a horse’s owner. Surrounded by 11 machines and a 6’ x 10’ cutting table, Matthews — owner of Betty Matthews Racing Silks — sews outfits for riders around the country, and beyond.

“I have some on the board to send to New York,” Matthews said. “I do quite a few for the East Coast. I do some for the West Coast. I do some for out of the country sometimes.”

Like the silk Matthews recently made for an owner in Puerto Rico.

“His colors are red, white, and blue,” Matthews said. “The front left-hand side, and the back left-hand side of his silks are tiny stars the size of a quarter. You know how many stars that is? Then he has stars on one sleeve. The rest of it is red and white stripes. So, it’s really the flag that he’s doing.”

Not all the silks Matthews makes are that intricate. The simple ones, she can have ready in two or three hours. On average, a silk — depending on design and material — costs from $100 to $250.

“I had been sewing my whole life,” Matthews said, remembering 1986, when she was working as a secretary in the racing office at Louisiana Downs. “Two friends kept telling me I could do this, and I didn’t think I could. Finally, I did one. I did it for (local owner) John Franks. He was so happy, he ordered four more the next day.”

Back then, when Franks — who won four Eclipse awards as the nation’s outstanding owner, and is in the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame — liked something you did, you were “in.”

“I was a very, very fortunate person,” Matthews said. “By the time the news traveled around — the next day — I had 80-something orders. I had to find somebody to work for me. The next year, I quit the track and went into business.”

Business has been good ever since. Matthews has “no idea” how many clients she has, but knows there have been right at 5,000 customers. They have bought everything from silks, to blinkers, to saddle towels.

“One time, I opened the mailbox and there was a package from a lady who had her sweater in the box,” Matthews said. “She wanted her silks to look like the sweater.”

Sometimes, the owner knows exactly what colors he or she wants on their silks. But what they want is not always what’s best.

“The owner says, ‘We want blue and pink’ or ‘We want green and yellow,’” said trainer Joey Foster. “Miss Betty will say, ‘Those two colors aren’t going to show up. You don’t want to put a white with a pink.’ She will tell you right up front, you don’t want to mix two colors together if you can help it, because they’re not going to turn out the way you want them. She’s done it so long — she’s the best of the best.”

Another reason “Miss Betty” is “the best of the best” is because she does something a lot of people don’t do. She listens.

“You can tell her something and she remembers it,” said Cheryl Foster, Joey’s wife. “She has a vision. There have been many times when I’ve called her and thrown around ideas for silks. She listened, then the next thing I know she’s sending me a picture or a proof. She’s just one of a kind.”

Early on, Matthews listened to the jocks who wore her work.

“At the time, Ronald Ardoin was riding. Donnie Simington was riding — that group of jockeys,” Matthews said. “(The wife of a trainer) told Ronald in front of me, ‘If you want to ride our horses, you’re going to have to help her.’”

Before long, Ardoin and Simington were Matthews’ guinea pigs.

“Those poor guys had to try on silks out in the parking lot when I would make them, until they said I had the right size,” Matthews remembered. “They would say, ‘The tail end that tucks into your pants needs to be longer. We have longer torsos. When we bend over to ride, our shirttails come out.’ They hated that. So, I made it much longer than I ever thought it needed to be. They were happy. Then they said, ‘The sleeves are too short. When we bend our elbows, the sleeves ride up.’ So I made them longer. Much longer.”

When Matthews started, she used one fabric — nylon. But then came aerodynamic material, designed to reduce drag. In a sport where a tenth of a second can be the difference between first and second-place money, every second counts.

“Now, out of 100, I’m going to say maybe nine or 10 (silks) are nylon,” Matthews said. “The rest of them are aerodynamic.”

NFL great Deion Sanders once said, “If you look good, you feel good, and if you feel good, you play good.”

A jockey wearing a Betty Matthews-made silk is going to look good, feel good, and hopefully, ride good.

Louisiana Downs races Saturday through Tuesday. Post time is 3:05.

Contact Tony at SJBTonyT@gmail.com.

Submitted photo

By TONY TAGLAVORE, Journal Sports

You can buy a lot of things on the internet.

Patrick Fertitta bought a dream, a dream that is paying off more than he ever “dreamed.”

“I always wanted to own a horse,” said Fertitta, who helps his mother run Fertitta’s Delicatessen, “Home of the World Famous Muffy” in Shreveport. He also oversees Padre Fertitta Foods, an online store which sells sauces, olive mix, and other products from his family’s recipe book.

“When I was 18 to 20 years old, that’s when I really started getting interested (in racing) and wanting to do something, but I never really had the money. They call it the Sport of Kings, and there’s a reason. You’ve got to have a lot of money to do it.”

Last year, Fertitta, now 41 years old, did what a lot of us do when we want to go shopping.

He went online.

“I saw an ad on the internet.”

That ad offered the opportunity to own shares of a thoroughbred.

“They go in and figure out an 18-month allowance for expenses such as training costs, feed, stable, and all of that. That’s all packaged together. They have an equity price on the horse itself. They split it up into a certain number of shares, and they sell it at $50 a share.”

Just like a lot of products on the internet, the description sounded too good to pass up.

“I thought since there are no additional expenses, this would be a fun way for me to realize my dream, and I’m not going to have ongoing expenses. I thought, ‘I will throw some money at this.’ I fully expected to lose it, but I would get to own a horse and have fun, watch it race, and say ‘That’s my horse.’”

There were several horses that Fertitta could choose. One caught his attention — Country Grammer.

“I started reading about him, and noticed Bob Baffert was his trainer. I’ve always liked Baffert as a trainer. I think he’s a phenomenal trainer. I looked at the history of the horse, and I thought that would be a good horse to put some money behind.”

So, last July, Fertitta clicked “Pay Now.” But it wasn’t long before he thought he should have paid later.

“The first notice I got after the investment was made was that Country Grammer won’t be able to run in the Pegasus World Cup because he has an injury to his ankle. I was like, well, there goes my money!”

But Country Grammer’s ankle eventually healed. He resumed training and was entered in this year’s Saudi Cup in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Cup is the world’s richest race, with a $20 million purse.

In deep stretch, it looked like Country Grammer had the race won. But a 99-1 shot made a late run and got to the wire first by a half-length. Still, Country Grammer earned a healthy $3.02 million.

Fertitta didn’t watch.

“I was in the hospital room with my stepfather. He was passing away. We were with him as he died, and I missed the race.”

Fertitta’s stepfather died the same time the race began.

“I was thinking my stepfather missed the race. Then, I thought, well, maybe not.”

Exactly one month later, Fertitta did watch Country Grammer’s next race—the $12 million Dubai World Cup. As the field hit the top of the stretch, Country Grammer was third. But in deep stretch, he found another gear, and won by a length and a half.

“I was watching at home with my mom and cousin. I’ve got a big-screen TV. As he was running that last leg, my mom and cousin both thought I was going to have a heart attack. He let loose, took off, and won that race.”

The first-place prize of $7.5 million gave Country Grammer a two-race total of $10.52 million. Added to his previous winnings — plus $60,000 for a second-place finish in the San Diego Handicap July 29 — and Country Grammer is eighth on the all-time list for most money earned.

Fertitta won’t say how much money he has invested in Country Grammer, or how much money he has made. But…

“I have made back at least six times my investment.”

This is a good place to let you know Fertitta is a reverend in the Lutheran faith. That’s right, a reverend is a horse owner (“I own about one square inch of his hind end”).

So, how does Rev. Fertitta square an ordained priest being involved in a sport in which there is gambling?

“When I invested in Country Grammer, I had no idea that this opportunity to share the Gospel would result from it. But Jesus did, and maybe that’s the bigger story. Sure, Grammer is an amazing horse, and I love being able to say I have an ownership stake in him. However, I love even more that someone who may be struggling with their faith might read this article, and the Holy Spirit may work in their lives to strengthen them, or produce faith as a result. Nothing is by accident with God.”

Country Grammer is scheduled to race in Saturday’s Grade I, $1 million TVG Pacific Classic—Del Mar Thoroughbred Club’s richest and most prestigious race. A win, and Country Grammer is guaranteed a spot in November’s $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic.

“If he pulls out those two wins, he’s going to become the fourth-highest earnings horse in history.”

And Fertitta’s dream — bought on the internet — will continue to earn dividends.

Contact Tony at SBJTonyT@gmail.com

Submitted photo

By TONY TAGLAVORE, Journal Sports

No weekend thoroughbred racing at Louisiana Downs next year?

That’s what the Bossier City track proposed, ahead of today’s regularly scheduled meeting of the Louisiana State Racing Commission. The 10 a.m. session will be at Evangeline Downs Racetrack and Casino in Opelousas.

However, the Shreveport-Bossier Journal has learned the commission will counter with a schedule which mirrors the current 84-day meet, with racing Saturday through Tuesday.

According to the meeting agenda published on the commission’s website, the track requested dates mostly comprised of Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. There were three Friday dates, but no Saturday or Sunday dates.

The track also proposed that the 2023 meet start May 8 — two days after the Kentucky Derby. In recent years on Derby Day, the track has had live racing and has offered the opportunity to wager on the first leg of the Triple Crown. The track has also encouraged fans to dress in Derby Day attire.

Andrea Butler, spokesperson for Louisiana Downs, did not respond to questions from the Journal as to why the track would not want to race on at least one weekend day.

Also at today’s meeting, the commission is expected to receive an update on the “purse issue” between the Louisiana Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, and Harrah’s Bossier City Investment Company. As the Journal first reported July 29, approximately $1.9 million was unaccounted for —apparently a result of the transition of purse money when the sale of Louisiana Downs Casino and Racetrack was closed last February. Caesars Entertainment sold what was then Harrah’s Louisiana Downs Casino, Racing and Entertainment, to Rubico Acquisition Corporation.

On Aug. 1, the Journal reported the amount of money unaccounted for was actually $2.3 million — the $400,000 difference thought to involve money from video poker machines at the time of the ownership shift. Following the Journal’s reporting, the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office issued its first public statement on the issue, saying it was aware of the complaint, and was working with the Commission “and other parties to resolve the matter.”

Late Monday, a spokesperson for the AG’s office told the Journal there wasn’t any new information to provide. That may be under wraps until today’s commission meeting.

Other items on today’s agenda include the consideration and anticipated approval of 17 off-track betting sites (OTB’s) for which the Downs has applied. Six of those are in Caddo Parish, with 11 others in surrounding parishes.

Also at today’s meeting, Louisiana Downs will ask for approval of a 46-day quarter horse meet. Racing would take place January 5-April 1, mostly on a Wednesday-Saturday schedule, with some racing Thursday-Saturday and Tuesday-Saturday.

Contact Tony at SBJTonyT@gmail.com

By TONY TAGLAVORE, Journal Sports

Horse racing.

Football.

What could those two sports possibly have in common?

Shane Wilson has a one-word answer.

“Competition.”

In the mid-to-late 1980’s, the Haughton native, currently the leading trainer at Louisiana Downs, was an offensive and defensive lineman for the hometown high school Buccaneers. In 1988, Wilson made the 1-AAA All-District team as a guard.

“I wasn’t great,” Wilson said. “Just a good, small, high school football player.”

A good, small, high school football player who loved the game and had the drive to be better than the guy across the line of scrimmage.

“I enjoyed the physicality of it. I liked the one-on-one. The combat. Either you win or he wins … I never took a day off from lifting weights, because I didn’t want anybody in the city to be a day ahead of me. I always felt like I could outwork them and beat them, even if they were physically more blessed than me.”

Long past his playing days, the 51-year-old husband and father of two sons is again outworking them and beating them. But “them” isn’t other football players. It’s other horse trainers.

Wilson is trying for his second straight training title at the Downs. So far, he is ahead of the field. Through last Sunday, in 159 starts this meet, Wilson has conditioned 40 winners, 13 more than the second-place trainer. Sixty percent of his starters have finished in the money.

“It’s constant competition. Every day, other trainers are wanting to win, too. It’s very, very competitive.”

For Wilson, the drive to finish first was born at an early age.

“I always wanted to win, no matter what it was. My father taught me how to play chess. He used to get mad at me. He would say, ‘If I go use the restroom, you change the board before I get back. I’ve never seen anything like it.’”

Wilson’s father told his son something else.

“My Dad said I had to get a job if I wanted a vehicle.”

So, Wilson started flipping burgers and salting fries at the local McDonald’s.

“I was making $75 a week. A gentleman came in early one Saturday morning. I asked him if he was going fishing or hunting? He said he was going to Louisiana Downs — he worked there. I asked him if there was anything I could do there.

“He said, ‘You could probably walk horses.’ I asked him what it paid. He said $125 a week. I could make more money doing that, than working at McDonald’s. So, I started working at the track in the morning, hot-walking in the afternoon, and I got the late shift at McDonald’s so I could bring home about $200 a week.”

Before long, Wilson was behind the wheel of a 1980 Ford F-150 pickup, “Three-speed on the column,” Wilson remembers. No air conditioning. No radio.

“I thought I had a really nice truck.”

But Wilson’s career in the horse industry got off to a less-than-impressive start.

“The first day I was out here, one of (the horses) about ate me alive. I had never touched a horse before. I grew up in a subdivision. They gave me a horse. I’ll never forget his name — “Frightener.” He was a stud horse. Before I made two laps around the barn, he had bitten me about three times. I was shocked. I went home and showed my dad all the bite marks.”

Wilson’s father passed away in 1998, the first year his son began training on his own. He would no doubt be proud of how far Wilson has come. In 24 years, his horses have earned more than $13 million. Last year — when he won his first Louisiana Downs training title — Wilson’s horses earned $1.4 million.

That’s a long way from $200 a week working two jobs.

“This is so much fun, because you have so many different personalities. Every horse wants something different. Some want to be in front. Some don’t want dirt in their face. Some don’t mind it. Some like to run at the end and save their energy. It’s about figuring out what each horse wants to do, and once you can figure that out, and then win, it’s rewarding.”

Wilson compares being a winning trainer to being a winning coach. Not in football, but in basketball.

“Phil Jackson wasn’t a great coach until he got Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippin. Then, with the Lakers, Kobe and Shaq. It’s the same thing with us. I’ve been blessed with some (owners) that have stuck with me. I’ve got some owners that have been with me 12, 15 years. They continue to upgrade and get better horses as they go. It’s really about getting better athletes and learning from the mistakes you made early on.”

Next January, Wilson’s youngest son, Connor, will join his brother (Peyton) at LSU. Connor got his assistant trainer’s license and has been helping his father the past couple of years.

“He’s going to be a big loss for me when he heads off to school,” says the proud dad.

But Wilson will surely survive. After all, there’s competition waiting at the track.

Louisiana Downs runs Saturday through Tuesday. Post time is 3:05.

Contact Tony at SBJTonyT@gmail.com

Submitted Photo