Vinton, Louisiana

TRAINING CENTER

Hebert Training Center, located in Vinton, Louisiana, is less than two miles from Delta Downs Racetrack. Sitting on 75 acres, Hebert Training Center has a serious 5 ½-furlong racetrack. We are conveniently located just off Interstate 10 about 100 miles east of Houston, Texas and 25 miles west of Lake Charles, Louisiana. Lake Charles is home to three very nice major casinos - the L’Auberge, the Golden Nugget and the Isle of Capri who many people enjoy visiting while in town. We are within easy reach for clients choosing to fly into major Houston, Texas airports or by smaller airports located in Beaumont, Texas or Lake Charles, Louisiana.

The Crown Jewel of the training center is our racetrack. Constructed over 50 years ago, Hebert Training Center’s track has a reputation of being one of the best surfaces in the state of Louisiana if not the entire country. Grade 1 winning Thoroughbreds Sahara Sky and Street Fancy were started and developed right here. Many storied Quarter Horses, including Champion Rocket’s Magic on whom the 1978 movie Casey’s Shadow was based, have trained and worked across this track because of the safety, quality and the kindness of its surface. In fact, Rocket’s Magic, the horse whose life story was depicted in the movie breezed across this track under Hall of Fame jockey and legend Randy Romero just prior to shipping to Ruidoso, New Mexico for the All American Futurity. Then just a couple of years ago we drove up to our place to see Randy Romero standing by our racetrack. He apologized for not calling which was no problem to us at all. We were thrilled to see him. It had been awhile since we had seen him, and it was both an honor and a treat having him there. He went on to tell us that he was writing a book and he needed a picture of himself at our track (Toomey Downs) because he had worked many good horses over this track as well as having ridden many a match race there. He began to tell us the story of when he worked Rocket’s Magic there before he shipped for the All American. Randy said that the Toomey Downs surface was so much better than the surface at Delta Downs that they brought Rocket’s Magic here instead to work. This would be his final prep prior to the All American. He wanted his picture taken here at our track as part of those memories. Having Randy there was certainly a wonderful day for us and hearing the stories of old from a firsthand perspective was super wonderful. Unanimously known in the industry as a seriously good racetrack, we treasure the opportunity to call it home to Hebert Bloodstock and our horses our people and our clients and friends (which are normally one in the same).