BOSSIER CITY (AP) — Former NFL quarterback Jake Delhomme has been elected president of the Board of Directors for the Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association.

The association said in a news release that Delhomme was elected during a meeting of the association at Harrah’s Louisiana Downs as part of Saturday’s “Louisiana Cup Day,” one of four state-bred championship race days.

Dexter Gary, who was president for two years, nominated Delhomme, saying the former Carolina Panthers star has a positive image throughout the industry.

Delhomme, of Breaux Bridge, played at Louisiana-Lafayette before he was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Saints in 1997. He was the starting quarterback for the Carolina Panthers from 2003 to 2009, leading them to the 2004 Super Bowl.

Delhomme and his family own Set-Hut Stables in south Louisiana, where he works with his father and brother.

“The values I learned while training horses as a child showed themselves in my development as a football star,” Delhomme said in an association news release. “I found in horse racing an outlet for my competitive juices in retirement.”

In an interview earlier this year with The Advocate, he said he felt fortunate to be able to work with his father and brother. And he compared preparing horses to run properly to preparing for a game in the film room and on the practice field.

“You prepare yourself for everything that could come your way during that particular game,” Delhomme said. “You do everything in your power to do it the right way and do it correctly. I learned that from an early age.

“If you’ve done everything the correct way and the right way, it’s easy to sleep well at night.”