Louisiana Downs seeks to alter 2015 schedule

Louisiana Downs is seeking to make a significant change to the structure of its race week for 2015.

The track would like to run on a Wednesday-through-Saturday basis in a departure from its traditional Thursday-through-Sunday schedule, said Trent McIntosh, director of racing operations for Louisiana Downs.

McIntosh said the Bossier City track has submitted the request to the Louisiana Racing Commission as part of its application for an 84-date meet for Thoroughbreds, the same number of days as the current season. Louisiana Downs proposes opening May 1 and racing through Sept. 19.

“The first week, we’d race Friday and Saturday, and after that, we’d run Wednesday through Saturday, with Monday cards on Labor Day and Memorial Day,” said McIntosh.

McIntosh said there are a couple of reasons the track is proposing changing the structure of its race week. He said there is less competition on Wednesdays, while Sundays have not been a strong day for the exported signal of Louisiana Downs. The track is experiencing declines in handle at the current meet, according to McIntosh.

Louisiana Downs shifted first post to 2:50 p.m. Central earlier this meet, and the later start to the races likely will stick for next year, said McIntosh. He said as of “right now,” the track plans on a daily post of 2:50 p.m. for the Thoroughbred meet in 2015.

Louisiana Downs also operates a Quarter Horse meet, and McIntosh said the track has requested a 46-date meet from Jan. 10 to March 25. He said plans are to keep the same Saturday-through-Tuesday racing schedule, with a first post of 12:30 p.m. Central.

The requests are expected to be considered at the commission’s next meeting.

Gantry will gear up for late fall at Fair Grounds

Gantry, the Grade 2-winning sprinter who has been freshened at the Evangeline Training Center near Lafayette, La., is to resume training this coming week, said Ron Faucheux, who trains the horse for Brittlyn Stable. Faucheux said the goal for Gantry is the meet at Fair Grounds.

“We’ll try to get a third Thanksgiving Handicap,” he said of the traditional opening-day stakes at Fair Grounds that Gantry won in 2011 and 2013.

Class Included, a Grade 3 winner for Brittlyn who has been freshened, is also set to resume training this coming week, said Faucheux. Her immediate goal is a defense of her title in the $200,000 Treasure Chest at Delta Downs. She will be going after her 12th career stakes win in the race Nov. 22.

LTBA chooses officers

Tom Early has been voted president of the Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association board of directors, the organization said. Early’s ties to the LTBA date back to 1974. Jake Delhomme, the retired NFL quarterback, was voted first vice president, while the second vice president is Brett Brinkman, a breeder, owner, and trainer who owns La Mesa Stallions.

Gustav Bay tops turf feature

Gustav Bay, who has rolled to a nearly perfect meet at Louisiana Downs, will be seeking his fifth win of the stand in the fifth race Sunday. He is part of a competitive field for an optional $20,000 claiming race at about 7 1/2 furlongs on turf.

Gustav Bay’s lone loss in five starts at this meet came by a head in June.

◗ Handle on historical racing in the state of Wyoming has reached $30.4 million since the electronic parimutuel game was first offered in January, according to a release from Wyoming Downs.