Fair Grounds sets stakes schedule for expanded 2021-22 meet

In what will be a historic, 150th anniversary racing season, Fair Grounds Race Course has announced that 59 stakes worth a combined $7.795 million, up more than $600,000 from last season, will be offered during the 80-day, 2021-22 Thoroughbred meet, which is set to begin Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 25.

The “Louisiana Derby Day” card on March 26 will feature eight stakes worth a total of $2.525 million, including the 109th running of the $1 million Louisiana Derby (G2) for 3-year-olds. Run at 1 3/16 miles for the second time last year, the Louisiana Derby, which is worth 100-40-20-10 points to the top four finishers, is the fourth and final local prep on the Road to the $3 million Kentucky Derby to be run at Churchill Downs on May 7.

Run at 1 1/16 miles, the 54th running of the $400,000 Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) for 3-year-old fillies offers 100-40-20-10 en route to the $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks to be run at Churchill Downs on May 6.

“Fair Grounds has proven to be one of the premier winter racing destinations,” said Fair Grounds’ racing secretary Scott Jones. “Once again last year, the quality of horses who stabled or came through New Orleans have made a huge impact in premier stakes races all over the country. Adding the Gun Runner and the Untapable to our progressive schedule of 3-year-old races for both the boys and girls gives horsemen even more opportunity to develop their horses and compete for excellent purses.”

A pair of nine furlong, high-impact stakes for older horses are also scheduled on the Louisiana Derby Day program – the $500,000 New Orleans Classic G2, with its purse raised by $100,000 and the $300,000 Muniz Memorial Stakes (G2), to be run over the Stall-Wilson Turf Course.

In addition, four undercard stakes are slated for the lucrative card, including the $100,000 Tom Benson Memorial for older fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles on grass and a trio of Louisiana-bred events – the $75,000 Costa Rising Stakes, a 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint; the $75,000 Crescent City Derby for 3-year-old males at 1 1/16 miles; and the $75,000 Crescent City Oaks for females at 1 mile and 70 yards.

A pair of brand new 2-year-old stakes with Kentucky Derby and Oaks point implications (10-4-2-1) have been added to the Fair Grounds stakes schedule for the Dec. 26 “Road to the Derby Kickoff Day” card. The $100,000 Gun Runner will be contested at 1 1/16 miles, and the $100,000 Untapable for fillies will be run over 1 mile 70 yards.

Four supporting stakes, all for older horses, also will be offered – the $100,000 Tenacious Stakes ($25,000 purse increase) at 1 1/16ths miles, the $75,000 Buddy Diliberto Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on turf, the $75,000 Blushing K.D. for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles on turf and the $75,000 Richie Scherer Memorial at 5 1/2 furlongs on turf.

On Jan. 22, the “Road to the Derby Day” features a pair of key 3-year-old events -- the $200,000 Lecomte Stakes (G3), which was extended from a mile to 1 1/16 miles last season, and the $150,000 Silverbulletday Stakes for fillies at 1 mile and 70 yards. The top four finishers in each race receive 10-4-2-1 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby and Oaks, respectively.

Four stakes for older horses will also be presented on the Jan. 22 program, including the $150,000 Louisiana Stakes, which was elevated to Grade 3 status last year and received another $25,000 purse increase for this year’s renewal, at 1 1/16 miles; the $100,000 Colonel E.R. Bradley Stakes at 1 1/16 miles over the Stall-Wilson Turf Course; the $100,000 Duncan F. Kenner Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs on the turf and the $100,000 Marie G. Krantz Memorial Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles on grass.

On Feb. 19, “Louisiana Derby Preview Day” features a pair of key 3-year-old stakes – the $400,000 Risen Star Stakes (G2), which was extended from 1 1/16 to 1 1/8 miles two years ago, and the $300,000 Rachel Alexandra Stakes (G2), for fillies to be contested over 1 1/16 miles. The top four finishers receive 50-20-10-5 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby and Oaks, respectively.

Four stakes for older horses will also be presented on the Feb. 19 program – the $250,000 Mineshaft Stakes (G3) at 1 1/16 miles ($50,000 purse increase), the $150,000 Fair Grounds Stakes (G3) at nine furlongs on turf, the $100,000 Colonel Power Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs on turf and the $100,000 Albert M. Stall Memorial Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles on turf.

Louisiana Champions Day l be held on Dec. 11. With the races run over various divisions and distances on both dirt and turf, the program features 10 stakes restricted to Louisiana-breds. Each Louisiana Champions Day stakes is worth $100,000 with the exception of the Louisiana Champions Day Classic, which carries a $150,000 purse.

In addition to the Gun Runner and the Untapable, Fair Grounds has added four other new stakes to the schedule: the Joseph R. Peluso Memorial Stakes, named for the longtime racing official who passed away in January, for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles on turf on November 25; the Bob Wright Memorial Stakes, named for the longtime chairman of the Louisiana Racing Commission, who passed away in March, for older horses at 1 1/16 miles on turf on Nov. 27; the Fred P. Aime Memorial Stakes, named for the New Orleans native and longtime jockey agent who passed away in December, for older fillies and mares at 5 1/2 furlongs on turf on Jan. 29; and the Page Cortez Stakes, named for the Louisiana senator, for older Louisiana-bred fillies and mares at 5 1/2 furlongs on turf.

For the second consecutive year, the purse for the opening day Thanksgiving Classic for older male sprinters has been increased $25,000 to $150,000.

The 80-day, 2021-22 Fair Grounds racing season runs through Sunday, March 27. Regular post time will be 2:05 p.m. ET, but there will be an earlier 1 p.m. ET first post on Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 25), Louisiana Champions Day (Dec. 11), Road to the Derby Kickoff Day (Dec. 26), Road to the Derby Day (Jan. 22) Louisiana Derby Preview Day (Feb. 19) and Louisiana Derby Day (March 26).

To view the complete Fair Grounds stakes schedule, click here.