Breeders' Cup Simulcast Highlights Opening Weekend

For the first time, Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots will open its racing season on the same weekend as the two-day Breeders’ Cup World Championships, November 6 and 7, allowing patrons to wager on live racing in New Orleans as well as the simulcast of the sport’s richest event.  

“To have both of these special programs—Opening Day at Fair Grounds and the 26th Breeders’ Cup—unfolding on the same afternoon will make for an exceptional start to our 138th racing season,” said Fair Grounds Vice President and General Manager of Racing Eric Halstrom. “Between the championship races in California and the opening of the richest meeting in Fair Grounds history the action will be nonstop.”

First post for Opening Day at Fair Grounds is 1 p.m. CDT and the first Breeders’ Cup race of the day, the Breeders’ Cup Marathon, is set for 2:35 p.m. On Saturday, first post at Fair Grounds is 12:30 p.m. with the afternoon’s first Breeders’ Cup event, the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, at 12:45 p.m. On both days Fair Grounds post times will be staggered with those of the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita Park in Southern California so fans won’t miss any racing from either location.

Fair Grounds presents a trio of stakes on opening weekend: the $60,000 Blushing K.D. Handicap for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles on turf on Friday, November 6, and a pair of 5 ½-fulrong juvenile contests, the Pontalba Stakes and the Old Hickory Stakes, on Saturday, November 7.

Clubhouse dining reservations for Opening Weekend are now being accepted at (504) 943-2200.

Fair Grounds Jockeys Possible for the Breeders’ Cup

Many mounts remain unconfirmed until entry day. Jockeys expected to ride regularly at Fair Grounds who rode a Breeders’ Cup pre-entrant in the horse’s most recent American start:

JOCKEY, HORSE, BC RACE, LAST RACE    

Robby Albarado, Bridgetown, Juvenile Turf (Saturday), Won Gr. III Summer at Woodbine

Robby Albarado, Court Vision, Mile (Saturday), Won Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland

Robby Albarado, Tapitsfly, Juvenile Filly Turf (Friday), 2nd Ms Grillo at Belmont

Shaun Bridgmohan, Kodiak Kowboy, Sprint (Saturday), Won Gr. I Vosburgh at Belmont

James Graham, Mint Chip, Juvenile Turf/Juvenile (Saturday), Won MSW at Keeneland

Fair Grounds Trainers in the Breeders’ Cup

Trainers stabled at Fair Grounds this season with horses pre-entered in the Breeders’ Cup:

TRAINER, HORSE, BC RACE, LAST RACE    

Steve Asmussen, Jungle Tale, Juvenile Fillies Turf (Friday), 2nd Gr. III Natalma at Woodbine

Steve Asmussen, Kodiak Kowboy, Sprint (Saturday), Won Gr. I Vosburgh at Belmont

Josie Carroll, Careless Jewel, Ladies’ Classic (Friday), Won Fitz Dixon Cotillion at Philadelphia

Keith Desormeaux, Gangbuster, Marathon (Friday), 4th Gr. III TP Fall Challenge at Turfway

Bill Mott, Dynaforce, Filly & Mare Turf (Friday), 6th Gr. I Flower Bowl at Belmont

Bill Mott, Mushka, Ladies’ Classic (Friday), 2nd Gr. I Spinster at Keeneland

Bill Mott, Raging Wit, Juvenile Turf* (Saturday), 4th Gr. III Bourbon at Keeneland

Bill Mott, Mr. Sidney, Mile/Dirt Mile* (Saturday), 3rd Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland

Bill Mott, Courageous Cat, Mile (Saturday), 3rd Gr. I Jamaica at Belmont

Helen Pitts, Einstein, Classic (Saturday), 2nd Gr. I Pacific Classic at Del Mar

Dale Romans, Tapitsfly, Juvenile Fillies Turf (Friday), 2nd Ms Grillo at Belmont

Fair Grounds Horses in the Breeders’ Cup

Horses pre-entered in the Breeders’ Cup that have started at Fair Grounds:

HORSE, BC RACE, FG SUMMARY        

Cloudy’s Knight, Marathon (Friday), Won ’07 Gr. III FG BC H., 2nd ’07 Gr. II Muniz H., 3rd two other stakes

Einstein, Classic (Saturday), Won 2007 Gr. II Muniz H.

Gangbuster, Marathon (Friday), 2008-09 won Clm30k, 5-1-2-0 overall

Kodiak Kowboy, Sprint (Saturday), 2nd 2009 Duncan Kenner on sloppy track

Pyro, Dirt Mile (Saturday), Won 2008 Gr. III Risen Star and Gr. II Louisiana Derby

Richard’s Kid, Classic (Saturday), 6th 2009 Gr. II New Orleans H. on sloppy track

Yankee Injunuity, Turf Sprint (Saturday), 3-0-0-1 in 2007 all MSW

*Denotes horse on the “Also-Eligible” list for that race

Full schedule of post times
Here’s the complete schedule of Fair Grounds and Santa Anita Park post times for Friday, November 6: Fair Grounds (FG) Race 1, 1 p.m.; Santa Anita (SA) Race 1 (allowance), 1:15 p.m.; FG Race 2, 1:28 p.m.; SA Race 2 (allowance), 1:49 p.m.; FG Race 3, 1:56 p.m.; FG Race 4, 2:24 p.m.; SA Race 3 ($500,000 Breeders’ Cup Marathon), 2:35 p.m.; FG Race 5, 2:56 p.m.; SA Race 4 ($1 million BC Juvenile Fillies Turf), 3:10 p.m.; FG Race 6, 3:27 p.m.; SA Race 5 ($1 million, Grade I BC Filly & Mare Sprint), 3:45 p.m.; FG Race 7, 4:03 p.m.; SA Race 6 ($2 million, Grade I BC Juvenile Fillies), 4:25 p.m.; FG Race 8 ($60,000 Blushing K.D. Handicap), 4:45 p.m.; SA Race 7 ($2 million, Grade I BC Filly & Mare Turf), 05:05 p.m.; FG Race 9, 5:27 p.m.; SA Race 8 ($2 million, Grade I BC Ladies’ Classic), 5:45 p.m.; and SA Race 9 ($200,000, Grade II Las Palmas Handicap), 6:25 p.m.

Here’s the complete schedule of Fair Grounds and Santa Anita Park post times for Saturday, November 7: SA Race 1 ($125,000 Damascus Stakes), 12:05 p.m.; FG Race 1, 12:30 p.m.; SA Race 2 ($1 million, Grade II BC Juvenile Turf), 12:45 p.m.; FG Race 2, 01:05 p.m.; SA Race 3 ($1 million BC Turf Sprint), 1:25 p.m.; FG Race 3, 1:43 p.m.; SA Race 4 ($1 million, Grade I BC Dirt Mile), 2:10 p.m.; FG Race 4, 2:29 p.m.; SA Race 5 ($2 million, Grade I BC Juvenile), 2:50 p.m.; FG Race 5, 3:09 p.m.; SA Race 6 ($2 million, Grade I BC Mile), 3:30 p.m.; FG Race 6, 3:52 p.m.; SA Race 7 ($2 million, Grade I BC Sprint), 4:15 p.m.; FG Race 7, 4:38 p.m.; SA Race 8 ($3 million, Grade I BC Turf), 5p.m.; FG Race 8, 5:20 p.m.; SA Race 9 ($5 million, Grade I BC Classic), 5:45 p.m.; FG Race 9 ($60,000 Pontalba Stakes), 6:10 p.m.; SA Race 10 ($125,000, Grade II Oak Tree Derby), 6:25 p.m.; FG Race 10 ($60,000 Old Hickory Stakes), 6:39 p.m.; and FG Race 11, 7:07 p.m.    

Advance wagering
Fair Grounds will offer Advance Wagering for Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup program on Friday.

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