LTBA Yearling Sale Continues to Offer Mixed Session

The Breeders Sales of Louisiana Yearling Sale will be held Oct. 12 at the Equine Sales of Louisiana facility in Opelousas, La., and continue to offer a mixed session after the yearlings are offered, as the event has done for several years. "Louisiana-breds are consistently very popular at the sales around the country, and we expect the value of, and demand for Louisiana-bred yearlings to continue to increase substantially," said Roger Heitzmann III, secretary/treasurer for the Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders' Association. For the last three years, the LTBA yearling sale has sold 386 yearlings for a gross of $4,398,500. The mixed session, which offer weanlings, racing prospect, and breeding stock, has generated an additional $214,800. The Louisiana-bred program is supported by several purse supplements. From Thoroughbred racing's share of the net win from slot machines at racetracks, 30% is used to supplement purses for accredited Louisiana-bred horses. These purse supplements also are getting support through shared revenue from sports betting, historical horse racing machines, and a portion of statewide video poker franchise fees.