And They’re Off!

It’s a familiar refrain for the beginning of horse races.  Yet in a world away, the old unsanctioned bush tracks of cajun communities were a fascinating piece of Louisiana history  and Ils Sont Partis (pronounced eel soh par-tee) was the cajun French equivalent to this race start announcement.

The old tracks had minimal infrastructure; any flat piece of land could be used, the majority of which came from the farmers’ pastures.  A quarter mile of compacted dirt with rails built on both sides and Voila! - a track was born. The flat, open geography of the Acadiana prairies leant itself perfectly to this project.  They thrived for over 100 years, the last one closing around 1983; the old marker sign for the Quarter Pole track still stands in Rayne, LA.

Many famous jockeys cultivated their skills without saddles at these dirt tracks.  One example is Calvin Borel, who won the Kentucky Derby 3 out of 4 years - 2007, 2009, 2010.  In 2009 the winning horse was Mine That Bird with 50-1 long shot odds. “If you can win in the bush tracks, you can win anywhere. Anything goes in the bush tracks,” he said.

These bush tracks were all over small rural towns in Louisiana bayou country.  Usually held on Sunday afternoons, they were the second most popular community gatherings in the state.  The first? Well, Sunday Church Mass of course in the Catholic dominated area.  But these bush tracks weren’t just racing venues; they were the social hub and cultural heartbeat of the community.

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