Louisiana State Racing Commission | Horse Racing Free Tips

Lifetime Bans Upheld for Buzzer-Toting Patin Brothers

The Louisiana State Racing Commission (LSRC) affirmed lifetime bans for two sibling jockeys from the Patin family on Tuesday related to the brothers' criminal convictions for possessing illegal horse-shocking devices in races at Evangeline Downs in 2015.

The hearings concluded in bizarre fashion when Joseph Patin Jr., 58, apparently slipped out of the meeting room without telling anyone after first hearing that his younger brother, Billy Patin, 53, wasn't going to be allowed to work as an exercise rider despite Billy previously agreeing to a lifetime ban of his license as a jockey.

LSRC commissioner Eddie Delahoussaye, a retired Hall of Fame jockey, addressed Billy Patin directly prior to the vote on his request. But he then launched into an admonition aimed at all jockeys who cheat and harm the reputation of the sport.

“I want to ask something. Billy, why would you want to be on this racetrack?” Delahoussaye said.

“Just to make a living,” Billy Patin replied in a barely audible voice. “I do kind of landscaping, but…”

“You know, you guys–I rode, and I tried to respect the rules [and] the integrity of this racing industry,” Delahoussaye interjected, frustration evident in his tone.

“And all y'all do is blackball it,” Delahoussaye continued. “My opinion is, why would you want to come back here? The temptation is too much here for you. That's my feeling. You've been caught–I don't know how many times–with a 'machine' trying to fix a race. And I just can't see you coming back, myself. That's up to the commission. I know you're a nice guy and stuff. But the temptation's too great for you.”

The Patins are no strangers to brushes with the law and racing infractions.

After a 30-1 win by the maiden Valhol in the 1999 Arkansas Derby, Billy Patin served a five-year suspension after a video showed him dropping an electrical item that was later recovered on the track at Oaklawn Park.

Joe Patin's riding career was interrupted several times by lengthy suspensions and arrests related to narcotics abuse. In 2013, he was escorted from Evangeline in handcuffs after an altercation with jockey Diego Saenz.

In 2015, the two Patin brothers, plus a third jockey, LeSean Conyers, were arrested by Louisiana State Police and charged with “willful pulling of the reins and cheating and swindling” in relation to a June 19 race. Later, the Patin brothers were additionally charged with “unnatural stimulation of horses” related to separate incidents July 4.

According to evidence read into the record at the Apr. 26 LSRC commission, the race-fixing charges were later dropped by the prosecutor, but the charges related to the shocking device resulted in felony convictions for the Patin brothers (the status of Conyers' case was not a part of Tuesday's proceedings).

“Evidence in two separate races on July 4, 2015, revealed that the [Patins] possessed hand held shocking devices,” a state police press release had stated at the time of the arrests.

Initially, the commission-level adjudication of the Patin brothers' licensure came up at the January 2022 LSRC meeting.

At that time, Billy agreed to a lifetime ban as a jockey. But, having already completed his probation and having received a first-time-offender pardon, he wanted the commission's approval to go back to work as an exercise rider. That request was tabled until April's meeting, as was the entire matter of Joe's jockey license adjudication.

Now fast-forward to Tuesday, when Joe Patin's adjudication first came back up. He at first could not be located, even though LSRC members and staffers had initially seen him enter the meeting room.

So Joe's case got pushed back until after a brief recess while the LSRC attempted to figure out if he was going to speak on his own behalf or be represented by the attorney that Billy had retained.

The commission then moved on to other business and eventually heard Billy's request for exercise rider licensure. After Delahoussaye's terse comments, a motion was quickly made to deny Billy Patin the privilege of going to work exercising horses. It passed via voice vote with one (or possibly two–it was difficult to hear amid crosstalk) commissioners voting “no.”

Joe's case was then called for the second time. He had been located during the timeout and it was affirmed that he would not be sharing a lawyer with his brother. But an attorney speaking on behalf of the LSRC seemed newly flustered in noting that–once again–the older Patin had apparently pulled another disappearing act without notifying anyone on the commission.

Without Joe Patin being in the room to answer to the allegations, the LSRC–on the basis of Joe having been convicted of the same electrical-device crimes as Billy–voted unanimously to give him the same lifetime ban as a jockey.

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Fair Grounds Not Definite on Dates Reduction

Jason Boulet, the Fair Grounds director of racing, was repeatedly pressed by Louisiana State Racing Commission (LSRC) member Tom Calvert Tuesday about whether or not his track would once again seek a statutory change to reduce its required number of race dates from 80 to 75 when the state legislature convenes its 2022 session Mar. 14.

The exchange did not yield a definitive answer beyond Boulet's disclosure that the Fair Grounds and its corporate parent, the gaming firm Churchill Downs, Inc. (CDI), would be in favor of participating in discussions among stakeholders that might reduce race dates in Louisiana with the goal of making it easier to fill entries at the state's four Thoroughbred tracks.

The dates statute wasn't on the agenda for the Jan. 18 LSRC meeting. But Calvert brought it up after Boulet reported that so far through the November-through-March meet, the number of starters per Fair Grounds race has dipped from 8.3 to 7.6 in a year-over-year comparison, a decrease Boulet termed “alarming.”

“The struggle for entries is a reality for us,” Boulet said, noting that the Fair Grounds has already had to obtain permission from Louisiana Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (LHBPA) on three occasions during the current meet to card eight-race programs instead of the required nine.

“The [handle] numbers so far after 34 days–not a good, positive thing so far at 11.9% down year-to year,” Boulet said.

But Boulet also noted that year-to-year comparisons are difficult nationwide because the COVID-19 pandemic has skewed the industry's metrics.

Boulet did manage to make the handle numbers sound rosier by offering a pre-pandemic comparison that stated the Fair Grounds handle is “actually trending up 7%” from the 2019-20 meet.

“Overall handle has been a struggle,” Boulet explained. “That being said, even with that, we've had positive video poker and slots revenues over the year. That's been good for us. And it allowed us to actually do a purse increase for 15%.”

Calvert then wanted to know if Fair Grounds or CDI has legislation either pending or planned to reduce the dates requirement.

“I'm not aware of that, sir,” Boulet answered.

“Wouldn't that be a good thing for you?” Calvert asked.

“I think that, in front of this commission, yeah, I mean, that's always been a very sensitive subject about touching that 80-day minimum statute,” Boulet said. “Again, the Fair Grounds is a proponent of trying to move forward with talking about overlap, and we hope that the conversation is brought forth to this commission. Of course, the HBPA has all the rights to be concerned about moving forward with allowing us to go below the 80 days…”

Calvert then pointed out that last year, the Fair Grounds and CDI advocated for just such a five-date reduction. He noted the provision was included in 2021 racing legislation, “but at the last minute it was pulled out of the bill.”

Boulet then said he has not recently met with the legal counsel or lobbyists the Fair Grounds employs, so he allegedly wasn't sure what might be in the legislative pipeline.

“What I'm saying, I think the commission would be receptive to it,” Calvert said. “We understand that most of the successful models around America have less days than the Fair Grounds has. I just think that you guys can't drag your feet on it. You've got to move it. And sometimes I know it's like swimming against the current, but you've still got to put it out there.”

Boulet said, “I appreciate the way you put it, because I know that in the long run [that] once we are given that door to open, then all the tracks, including Churchill Downs [Inc.], would take advantage and try to move toward these boutique meets and whatever…” Boulet said. “Basically, it comes down to we hope that the commission can consider it case by case, track by track, and the HBPA has to have the final approval…”

LHBPA president Benard Chatters wasn't about to let this back-and-forth between Calvert and Boulet go without getting on the record how his organization's membership felt.

“The horsemen absolutely oppose a reduction in racing dates,” Chatter said. “The Fair Grounds runs 80 days per year. The other three tracks run 84 days, so [Fair Grounds] has a reduction in days that other tracks don't.”

Chatters noted that for some portions of the current meet, the Fair Grounds chose to run five-date race weeks instead of four, compounding race-filling difficulties.

“Everything in the horse world from the [horse] owner's perspective is on the rise,” Chatters said. “Expenses are on the rise. The one thing that's not on the rise is opportunities to race these horses. It is imperative that these owners have as many opportunities to race these horses as they can so that they stay in this business. If you look at the numbers, if you look at all of the positive things that we have coming into racing in the near future [like a cut from online sports betting], you'll be able to see that everything is in place to be able to draw more horses to the state, to bring more horses into the grounds…

“It is very, very critical that you never forget that the owners [of horses] put on this [show] and we're the ones that take all of these [negative financial consequences] by the seat of our own pants,” Chatters said, pointing out that revenues for track operators are “through the roof.”

Chatters continued: “I want to make sure that you're listening. Profits are up, betting is up, and all of this stuff. And so this 'difficulty' in getting horses is kind of far-fetched, I think…When you go to talk about cutting race days and that kind of thing [it] means that it makes it very, very difficult to not necessarily make a profit in the horse racing business as an owner, but just to keep your nose above water so that you're not drowning. When we run these [smaller outfits] out, we're in trouble.”

Calvert then asked, “How do you respond to the criticism of your position which says you want to have terrible horse racing? [That] you want to have races with four or five horses in [them] so that this low level of horsemanship, this low level of trainership, can pick up money and keep being in the business? I mean, I'm of the proposition that this should be sort Darwinistic and that [outfits that can't survive] should be eliminated from the world of horse racing. What do you think?”

Chatters responded by rattling off a sizable list of people and entities that all benefit from purse money trickling down into the economy, including all the way to farmers who grow hay and vehicle dealers who sell pickup trucks.

“So, the importance of as many people participating in horse racing as possible on the state economy is critical, or crucial,” Chatters said.

“I disagree with you when you say the owners are the bedrock of horse racing,” Calvert said. “I would say the racing fan is the bedrock of horse racing…How do you respond to those fans that say we have to eliminate this low level of horse racing to keep the fans interested? A four-horse field, a five-horse field with $5,000 claimers is not something the fans are going out to the racetrack to see. They're not even betting on those races. How do you respond to that?”

Chatters answered that those $5,000 claimers sometimes outhandle higher-quality races. Calvert didn't buy that idea. He said not with short fields, they don't.

“I have no problems, Mr. Chatters, with a $5,000 claiming race that has 12 horses,” Calvert said. “I do have a problem with four-horse races. And [CDI] has advised that the reason why [Fair Grounds has them] is because they have an 80-day meet. If they had a 75-day meet, they'd have greater purses, which would be a benefit to the horsemen…”

Chatters, in closing, said, “We're simply asking that opportunities to race is not touched [in the legislature]. We are asking this commission to stay the course with where we are with these types of issues.”

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Fix to Delta’s Light Woes Might Not Arrive by End of Meet

A new lighting system at Delta Downs that was only operational for three races on the first night of the season back in October and has been repeatedly tweaked since then might not end up being deemed safe or usable for racing by the time the current Thoroughbred meet ends Mar. 5.

Ironically, after more than three months of debate over alleged shadows and perceived inconsistencies with how the patterns fall on the racing surface, the lighting installer and a consulting firm retained by Delta are now trying to rectify the problem not by increasing candlepower, but by actually turning down the intensity of the lighting from about 90% of full illumination to around 60% on each of the poles around the six-furlong track.

“The jockeys are basically saying that there are lights that are very bright, and then it goes into shadows, which they're afraid that the horses will be spooked [by],” Steve Kuypers, Delta's vice president and general manager, told the Louisiana State Racing Commission (LSRC) during a Tuesday meeting.

“That's what is taking so long, is [because] they have to go pole by pole, light by light,” Kuypers said. “And they do this by flying a drone up so [it gives a picture of] the candle width or the candle light, so they can adjust light by light. So we're hoping in the next couple of weeks they will come with a full report to get the entire track to a candle light that is acceptable, and then we'll invite the jockeys over, let them ride, hopefully they will say it's okay.”

Delta's jockeys did not speak on the issue during the Jan. 18 meeting. But the last time the LSRC took up this issue, on Dec. 13, a lawyer for The Jockeys' Guild told commissioners there were “grave concerns” with the light-emitting diode (LED) system, which was necessitated by the old lights getting wrecked by a hurricane in August 2020.

One month ago, the jockeys' concerns about shadows were offset by an initial report issued by the lighting experts that had proclaimed the new Delta lights to be “tremendously better than the pre-hurricane lighting.”

Tuesday, commissioner Tom Calvert pressed Kuypers on why the fix was taking so long.

“This problem that we're having is difficult, because we were supposed to have Delta running at night and Fair Grounds running during the day,” Calvert said. “And now we have two of our major tracks competing against one another for the daytime patrons, and it's a bad situation. And we would like some expedition on behalf of your experts, and it doesn't seem like it would take a month to figure it out.”

By unanimous voice vote Tuesday, the LSRC extended permission for Delta to continue racing during daylight hours for another 60 days, a period of time that extends beyond the meet's closure in seven weeks.

The commission also mandated that Delta provide any new report authored by its lighting experts within 15 days. Delta can also come back before the LSRC at any time before or after then to request a switch back to night racing if jockeys end up okaying the most recent round of fixes to the lighting system.

Three races into the first night program of the season Oct. 15, a horse fell at the top of the stretch. Fueled by complaints from some jockeys and trainers that areas on the turns were dangerously dark and shadowy, the remainder of that card and the Oct. 16 program were cancelled. Delta, a longtime night-racing fixture, has raced only afternoons since then.

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Lighting Safety Concerns Again Delay Return Of Night Racing At Delta Downs

Renewed concerns over the safety of a new LED lighting system installed at Delta Downs prevented the Louisiana State Racing Commission from approving a return to night racing at the Vinton, La. racetrack, reports the Thoroughbred Daily News.

The new system was necessitated by a hurricane wiping out the old lights in August of 2020. Delta first raced under the new lights at night on Oct. 15, when a horse fell at the top of the stretch in the third race and the rest of the card, as well as the Oct. 16 program, were cancelled. Delta has only raced afternoon cards since then, which management maintains is not ideal for handle.

Since then, new lights have been added to the system, and the original ones have been re-aimed to improve coverage. Training in the mornings has occurred under the updated system since Dec. 2, but jockeys like Ty Kennedy, Gerard Melancon, and Tim Thornton expressed that they still don't feel the lights are safe.

Delta's vice president and general manager Steve Kuypers countered by referencing a report written by lighting specialist John Stewart, brought in on Dec. 1, which states that “the only track in the nation with a better lighting system was Churchill Downs.”

“We can't agree on okaying this if the lighting system's not safe for these riders,” Commissioner Eddie Delahoussaye, a retired Hall-of-Fame jockey, told the other commissioners. “Somebody goes and gets killed–I don't want that on my head.”

The LSRC wound up voting unanimously to extend Delta's afternoon racing schedule for an additional 30 days, unless the two parties can agree on the safety of the lights and desire an expedited re-vote prior to that timeframe.

Read more at the Thoroughbred Daily News.

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