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Regular Session, 2013 ENROLLED
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 143
BY SENATOR LONG
A RESOLUTION
To commend and congratulate Ronald D. Ardoin for being named to the 2013 Louisiana
Sports Hall of Fame Induction Class.
WHEREAS, it is with great pride that the citizens and Senate of Louisiana have
learned of the prestigious honor bestowed upon top jockey Ronald D. Ardoin on his
induction into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame; and
WHEREAS, the inductees are chosen after extensive deliberations by an expert panel
of Louisiana Sports Writers' Association members from across the state who annually
consider more than one hundred twenty nominees for this honor; and
WHEREAS, Ronald D. Ardoin was born on June 13, 1957, in Carencro, Louisiana,
and began his long and lustrous career as a top jockey by riding in bush track races in
Louisiana; and
WHEREAS, in 1973, at the Delta Downs in Vinton, Louisiana, Mr. Ardoin earned
the first of his five thousand two hundred twenty-six wins out of thirty-two thousand three
hundred thirty-five career mounts during his long and successful thirty-one year career in
racing; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Ardoin's win total is second among Louisiana natives, and his
mounts won just under fifty-nine million in purse money; and
WHEREAS, he won twelve riding titles at Louisiana tracks, earning six at the Fair
Grounds Race Course in New Orleans with one thousand six hundred ninety-one wins, and
the other titles at Louisiana Downs in Bossier City where he is the track's all-time leader by
wins and stakes wins with two thousand eight hundred and forty-eight wins; and
WHEREAS, he also won riding titles at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas, and
Oaklawn Park Race Track in Hot Springs, Arkansas, where he scored his most significant
win of his career riding Zarb's Magic to victory in the 1996 Arkansas Derby leading him to
his second Kentucky Derby, with his first appearance in 1985 finishing tenth, and thirteenth
on Zarb's Magic in 1996; and SR NO. 143 ENROLLED
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WHEREAS, on August 20, 2000, he became the 16
th
jockey in North America to win
five thousand races when he rode Heart of an Angel to victory at Louisiana Downs; and
WHEREAS, Ronald D. Ardoin has been honored by being placed in the Fair Ground
Racing Hall of Fame in 1998 and the Lone Star Park Hall of Fame in 2007; and
WHEREAS, Ron Ardoin had an extraordinary career until a wrist injury forced him
to retire in 2003; and
WHEREAS, the success of the state of Louisiana, the strength of our communities,
and the overall vitality of American society depends, in great measure, upon the dedication
of great men like Ronald D. Ardoin who strive to show others through hard work and
dedication that all dreams are possible.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
does hereby commend and congratulate Ronald D. Ardoin on his impressive and successful
career as a top jockey and on being named as an inductee into the 2013 Louisiana Sports
Hall of Fame.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to
Ronald D. Ardoin.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE