Judge Sides With Louisiana Horsemen, Allows Training

The Louisiana Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association announced April 9 that Louisiana District Court Judge Sharon Wilson has dissolved a temporary restraining order obtained by Boyd Gaming that resulted in no racehorse training at some state tracks.

Boyd Gaming, which owns Evangeline Downs and Delta Downs in Louisiana, had been allowing stabling at its facilities but not training, citing health concerns related to COVID-19 for staff, among other reasons. Louisiana Downs, owned by Harrah's, another gaming company, also prohibited training recently.

Under the terms of the court decision and barring further legal action, training on a four-days-a-week basis begins April 13, said Benard Chatters, the president of the Louisiana HBPA and a trainer at Evangeline Downs in Opelousas, La. He estimated there are 500 horses stabled there who have been limited to walking since mid-March.

"We're going to look to comply with the order. Having staff there, we can do that," said David Strow, the vice president of corporate communications for Boyd Gaming. "Our concern right now is procuring protective equipment, things like gloves and masks that we would need to do this, that would be required by the commission order. That is obviously in very short supply right now. And to be quite honest, we're concerned about diverting it from first responders and medical centers and hospitals. We're doing our best to procure that equipment in this market.

"The other thing we're trying to do, per commission rule, is we have to have an ambulance on-site at all times (during training). Obviously, that's a big ask right now, especially considering the current situations in those communities, but we're working to comply."

Strow said Boyd was still evaluating whether the company would continue its legal fight.

There has been no racing in the state since Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, owned by Churchill Downs Inc., concluded its meet prematurely March 21 due to COVID-19. 

Training at Fair Grounds in New Orleans has been expanded to five days. An ambulance has been on-site there, according to trainer Ron Faucheux.

Though some Fair Grounds horses have shipped to Oaklawn Park for racing at the Hot Springs, Ark., track, most have remained in place, owing to stable areas around much of the country being closed to the transfer of horses. For example, Churchill Downs, where some Fair Grounds horses stable after the winter, has repeatedly delayed its stable area opening and has now targeted April 28 to allow horses to enter its backstretch. Other tracks such as Arlington International Racecourse also delayed their stable openings.

Evangeline Downs had been scheduled to conduct a spring/summer meet of Thoroughbred racing from April 8-Aug. 29, and Louisiana Downs from May 2-Sept. 23. Delta Downs had planned to run Quarter Horses from April 17-July 4. The frontside facilities at all three tracks are temporarily closed, and their openings are delayed or expected to be postponed.

"There is really no racing in sight in Louisiana," said Faucheux, the second-leading trainer at Fair Grounds. "At this point, I have about 22 horses in the barn. We have more than half of them turned out. We're just trying to stay afloat, just trying to keep as many employees as we can, just keep going, and hopefully have some good news in sight for us."

Chatters' Evangeline stable has dropped from 20 horses to 10.

"People picked up their horses and that kind of thing, moved them to other places, brought them home, combination of things," he said. "When they can't train, some people want to save where they can. Hopefully, this (training) will help the horses. They're kicking the walls, I promise you that."

He estimates there are only 50 horses at Delta Downs but as many as 1,000 at Louisiana Downs, both Quarter Horses and Thoroughbreds.

He is thankful for the good health of his immediate family, some of whom work in the health care industry, and is eager for brighter days.

"Everybody has to be forward-thinking, and that's our main deal, too—not just looking at this thing today and next week, but the next month and the month after that for the well-being of the animals and the horsemen, and the state and the country, too," he said.