Horseswit

10/08/2026

What does 2027 have in store for Louisiana Downs? The new laws regarding video poker money will funnel more funds into purses but will it be enough? The race days for 2026 were cut to the legal minimum – and then some. The idea was that it was better to have fewer days with slightly higher purses. The handle for 2026 was much lower than 2025 - several million less, using data from Equibase. The slot revenue from the casino is holding steady with last year’s earnings despite officials from LAD assuring the racing commission that revenue would go up when road construction was finished. If 2027 has the same amount of revenue from slots and reduced handle money, what does that mean for purses and race days? The problem is not unique to Louisiana Downs. Most casinos are seeing loss. According to the website, Louisiana Casino Gaming Revenue (lagamingrevenue.com), travel-dependent, destination-style resort corridors are seeing reduced business. Shreveport/Bossier has experienced a -8.6% drop year over year casino revenue. The idea is that consumers prefer closer-to-home, lower cost entertainment over destination travel that carries lodging, dining, and transportation overhead. Currently the only casino in Louisiana making less money than Louisiana Downs is Sam’s Town casino. Every year slot revenue at LAD goes down. Revenue is down almost $10 million dollars a year since Harrah’s sold it to new owners in 2021. The numbers do not look good.

Fiscal year 7/1/20-6/30/21: $45,482,821
Fiscal year 7/1/21-6/30/22: $42,429,882
Fiscal year 7/1/22-6/30/23: $39,003,209
Fiscal year 7/1/23-6/30/24: $42,195,171
Fiscal year 7/1/24-6/30/25: $38,093,507
Fiscal year 7/1/25-6/30/26: $35,986,591

Revenue breakdown for fiscal year 2025-2026:
Louisiana Downs Adjusted Gross Revenue $35,986,591
Less Purse Supplements (15%) -$5,397,988
Less Executive Committee Breeders Assn. (3%) -$1,142,805
State Tax (18.5%) -$5,778,735

10/01/2026

10/01/2026

How is Louisiana Downs going to spend their $12 million loan. I vote for light installation for night 🌙 racing. And baby changing tables in the bathrooms 🚻

09/18/2026

For anyone who might be attending the banquet tonight, when I win the reverse raffle, tell Chaplain Jimmy to donate the money to the BBF. I've won it before, it could happen 😉

09/16/2026

You may have noticed that I have been very critical of Louisiana Downs this summer and how they conduct their business. You may have wondered why. I’ve also wondered. Why do I care? Well, on Sunday I had a few moments of clarity that helped me see clearly into my heart. One moment was at church, during mass. The next was at a concert, watching Kami Kehoe perform. I know, that’s kind of comical – church and a concert. I care because I loved my job. I loved the work I did and the people I worked alongside because I know they also loved their work. And I hate that my work was slowly taken away from me and everyone else at the track because of stupid decisions made by management - decisions that make me question their motives. Over the years my income shrunk by tens of thousands of dollars because of reduced race days. I can’t imagine the financial distress this is causing for everyone else working at Louisiana Downs. Maybe Louisiana Downs is just a steppingstone to people like the current director of racing, Ms. Roxanne Tanner, as they climb the corporate ladder but to others it is their home. It is where they have built their lives and raised their families. They can’t just pull up stakes and move on to the next track when this one goes tango uniform. I guess someone with no husband or children can’t understand that. In 2024, the thoroughbred meet consisted of 69 race days. The quarter horse meet had 42 days. In 2025, the thoroughbred days dropped to 61, and the quarter horse days held steady at 42. In 2026, it looks like there will be 52 thoroughbred days and 25 quarter horse days. When I started working at LAD in 2014, there were 60% more race days a year. That’s huge. This is why I am asking questions and naming names. Yes, I willingly walked away from my job, but I would have been devastated if it were taken from me unwillingly. And I fear that is going to happen to many in the Louisiana Downs racing family in the near future.

09/12/2026

Friends enjoying a past sunny Super Derby. I hope everyone has a wonderful day at the races.

09/11/2026

Timothy Thornton had success last year with Instant Replay. Will he get lucky again this year with Trendsetter? Find out tomorrow at 6:45pm at Louisiana Downs in the running of the Super Derby.

09/10/2026

The 2009 winner of the Super Derby was Regal Ransom. Regal Ransom was owned by Godolphin Stables and was not their first Super Derby winner. They also won with Essence of Dubai in 2002 to take home a $500,000 purse. In 2009, the purse was $750,000. The following year, the purse dropped a third in value back to $500,000.

09/09/2026

In 2016, Texas Chrome won the Super Derby with C. J. McMahon aboard. Just 15 days later, Texas Chrome went on to win the Oklahoma Derby, also with a $400,000 purse. Once again, CJ was the jockey. You may recognize this photo from Equibase. They use it quite often. The 2026 Super Derby is only 3 days away.