Louisiana Commission decision means Delta Downs willl continue to race days
The Louisiana Racing Commission on Monday voted to postpone for 30 days action on Delta Downs’s request to resume night racing on Fridays and Saturdays after jockeys raised concerns about the new track lighting system, which has undergone upgrades. Delta will continue with daytime posts from Wednesdays through Saturdays.
The commission acknowledged the importance of Delta safely returning to night racing, noting its first duty is to look out for the safety of jockeys and horses. The track has day cards on many of the same dates as neighboring Fair Grounds in New Orleans, which opened on Thanksgiving, and Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., which opened Dec. 3.
Delta had to install a new track lighting system after its previous one was destroyed in Hurricane Laura. The new system was unveiled in October, but the track and its riders immediately scrapped plans to race Friday and Saturday nights this meet due to concerns over shadows appearing on the track.
Delta proceeded to have contractors add 64 new light fixtures and “re-aim” fixtures to adjust coverage, said Steve Kuypers, vice president and general manager of Delta. He said specialist John Stewart of Encompass Development Design in Kentucky inspected and gave a favorable report of the upgraded lighting system.
Benard Chatters, president of the Louisiana HBPA, said at Monday’s meeting that his organization was in support of night racing resuming at Delta.
The commission also heard comment from the Jockeys’ Guild, which said it appreciated the effort made by Delta, but that its membership still had concerns with the lighting system. Delta-based riders Gerard Melancon, Ty Kennedy, and Timothy Thornton all addressed the commission Monday.
Kennedy said the issue was not the amount of the lighting, but the distribution of the lighting.
“Going around this racetrack there’s a bright spot, then a dense spot, then another bright spot, then another dense spot,” he said. “It’s all the way around, not concentrated in one area. We want uniform distribution of light all the way around the racetrack.”
The commission asked the Jockeys' Guild to look into having an expert come back with solutions to the issues raised by riders. It also asked Delta to go back and have additional conversations with their experts, contractors, and jockeys to come up with solutions.
Delta races through March 5.