Back To All Fair Grounds News

On Tap for Closing Week at Fair Grounds: Louisiana Derby Day, Bayou Bluegrass 5, New Vocations, Hat Contest, MyRacehorse, and Breast Cancer Awareness Second Line 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: Kevin Kilroy
Notes Writer/Media Relations
[email protected]

 

  • Rosie Napravnik to Spearhead “New Vocations Day at the Races” on Thursday, March 23 at Fair Grounds.
  • Saturday’s Louisiana Derby Day Features Eight Stakes, Fifteen Races, the Bayou Bluegrass 5, A Hat Contest, and a Virtual Reality Race Simulation provided by MyRacehorse. 
  • Fair Grounds, Turfway Park to Offer Multi-Track Pick 5 – the Bayou Bluegrass 5
  • Saturday’s Races to be Broadcasted on CNBC, TVG.
  • MyRacehorse at the Louisiana Derby – A Unique On-Site Activation!
  • Who Dat with the Best Hat? Runway at the Races Louisiana Derby Day Hat Contest
  • Closing Day Features an Early First post, Three Stakes, Fifteen Races, Mandatory Payouts, and a Breast Cancer Awareness Second Line.


New Orleans, La (March 22, 2023) – Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots will conclude the 2022-2023 racing meet this week with a full slate of horse racing and special events. 


Racing resumes on Wednesday, March 22, and Thursday, March 23 is New Vocations Day where Joe Kristufek will be joined on-air by Rosie Napravnik to raise money for the Thoroughbred aftercare foundation. 


Fifteen races are carded for both Saturday, March 25 and Sunday, March 26, eleven of which are stakes races, including 8 stakes on Saturday’s Louisiana Derby Day program. Saturday’s betting menu is jam-packed with four Pick 4s, one Pick 6 (15% takeout), and five Pick 5 opportunities (15% takeout), including the first-ever Bayou Bluegrass 5. Teaming up with Turfway Park, a new all-stakes multi-track Pick 5 wager (15% takeout) will be offered, concluding with the Louisiana Derby. 


MyRacehorse will be on-site Saturday, providing an on-site VR activation that allows attendees to experience what it’s like to be a jockey and ride a horse in a virtual reality horse race. 


First post on Sunday is 11:00 a.m. (all times Central), and the 15-race card concludes with three stakes, followed by The Shantel Lanerie Breast Cancer Survivors Second Line. 


Rosie Napravnik to Spearhead “New Vocations Day at the Races” on Thursday, March 23 at Fair Grounds


On Thursday, March 23, retired jockey and horse advocate Rosie Napravnik will be on-site at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots to spearhead the third annual “New Vocations Day at the Races.”


A four-time local riding champion who was instrumental in the opening of the New Vocations facility in Covington, Louisiana, Napravnik will join host Joe Kristufek on the live feed during the racing day to help build awareness, promote success stories and inspire donations for Thoroughbred aftercare.


For the first time this year, owners, jockeys, and trainers can contribute a financial donation to the Louisiana chapter of New Vocations directly through the horsemen’s bookkeeper. Contact Emily Miller or Diana Bosco at 504-948-1254. In addition, contributions are welcome through the New Vocations website — visit https://horseadoption.org/donate and click the button with Rosie’s picture on it in the top row to complete the process.  


Saturday’s Louisiana Derby Day Features Eight Stakes, Fifteen Races, the Bayou Bluegrass 5, and a Virtual Reality Race Simulation provided by MyRacehorse 


On Saturday, March 25, Louisiana Derby Day will feature the 110th running of the $1 million Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) and $400,000 Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) presented by Fasig-Tipton at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. 100-40-30-20-10 Kentucky Derby and Oaks points are on the line for the top five finishers as the Championship Series begins in New Orleans with the 1 3/16 miles Louisiana Derby (Race 12, 5:42 p.m) and the 1 1/16 miles Fair Grounds Oaks (5:08 p.m.). 


Fasig-Tipton has been named the title sponsor of Fair Grounds’ 2023 series for 3-year-old fillies. The Fasig-Tipton Tremé Triple consists of the Silverbulletday Stakes (ran on Jan. 21), the Rachel Alexandra (G2) (ran on Feb. 18), and the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2). The name of the race series is a tribute to the historic Tremé neighborhood of New Orleans that borders Fair Grounds Race Course.


At noon the racing day kicks off with the $100,000 Crescent City Derby for Louisiana-bred 3-year-olds. The $100,000 Crescent City Oaks (La) is slated as Race 3, immediately followed by the $100,000 Costa Rising.


Stakes action picks back up in Race 8 with the $100,000 Tom Benson Stakes, followed in order by the $500,000 New Orleans Classic (G2) presented by Relyne GI by Hagyard, and the $300,000 Muniz Memorial (G2) presented by Horse Racing Nation. The portable rail has been moved to 28 feet for all this weekend’s turf races, and with that field sizes are expanded to 10 entries. 


The betting menu for Louisiana Derby Day is as follows: 15% takeout, 50-cent Pick 5s beginning in Race 1, Race 4, Race 8 (all-stakes, guaranteed pool of $500,000), Race 11, and the “Bayou Bluegrass 5” will begin Race 9, covering the New Orleans Classic, The Bourbonette at Turfway Park, the Fair Grounds Oaks, the Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway, and the Louisiana Derby. 50-cent Pick 4s begin in Race 2, Race 5, Race 9, and Race 12. The 15% takeout $1 Pick 6 begins in Race 7. Win, Place, Show, Exacta, Trifecta, and Superfecta will be offered in every race. Rolling Pick 3s will be offered beginning with Race 1 through Race 13; rolling Daily Doubles, Race 1 through Race 14.


MyRacehorse will be at Fair Grounds on Louisiana Derby Day providing attendees an on-site VR activation. This unique opportunity will allow attendees to experience what it’s like to be a jockey and ride a horse in a virtual reality horse race. MyRacehorse will be set up near the food truck area, offering fans an immersive and exciting experience.


Louisiana Derby past performances courtesy of Brisnet

http://www.brisnet.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/LADerby23.pdf

Fair Grounds Oaks past performances courtesy of Brisnet

http://www.brisnet.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/FGOaks23.pdf

Fair Grounds, Turfway Park to Offer Special New Wager, the Bayou Bluegrass 5


Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots and Turfway Park will team together next Saturday, March 25, to offer bettors a special 50-cent Pick 5 that features an all-stakes sequence led by the $1 million TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby (Grade 2) and $700,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3).   


Dubbed as the “Bayou Bluegrass 5,” the special Pick 5 wager will have a 50-cent minimum denomination and industry-friendly 15% takeout. The wager will have a mandatory payout at the end of the sequence.   


The sequence will begin at Fair Grounds in Race 9 for the $500,000 New Orleans Classic presented by Relyne GI by Hagyard (G2) at 4:04 p.m. (all times Central). The second leg will switch to Turfway Park for the $300,000 Bourbonette Oaks with a scheduled post time of 4:43 p.m. Then, the third leg will go back to Fair Grounds and feature the $400,000 Fair Grounds Oaks presented by Fasig-Tipton (G2) at 5:12 p.m. The Jeff Ruby Steaks will be the penultimate leg of the bet at 5:25 p.m. and it will close at Fair Grounds for the TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby at 5:46 p.m.   


Fans can wager on the Bayou Bluegrass 5 at wagering outlets throughout the country including www.TwinSpires.com, the official wagering provider of Churchill Downs Incorporated.  


Bayou Bluegrass multi-track Pick Five past performances courtesy of Brisnet http://www.brisnet.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/BayouBluegrass23.pdf

Saturday’s Races to be Broadcasted on CNBC, TVG


CNBC’s “Road to the Kentucky Derby” broadcast will air from 6-7 p.m. ET. The program will feature the live runnings of the Jeff Ruby Stakes from Turfway Park and the Fair Grounds Oaks and Louisiana Derby from Fair Grounds. 


Fanduel TV will cover this weekend’s races at Fair Grounds like a blanket, with Mike Joyce, Scott Hazelton, Gabby Gaudet, Matt Bernier and Ashley Mailloux all on site providing coverage and expert commentary. 


MyRacehorse at the Louisiana Derby – A Unique On-Site Activation!


Fair Grounds is excited to announce a collaboration with MyRacehorse to offer an on-site VR activation at the Louisiana Derby on March 25. This unique opportunity will allow attendees to experience what it’s like to be a jockey and ride a horse in a virtual reality horse race in partnership with JockeyCam. MyRacehorse will be set up near the food truck area, offering fans an immersive and exciting experience while celebrating one of the biggest days of the year at Fair Grounds Race Course.


“We are thrilled to offer this interactive experience at the Louisiana Derby as a first touchpoint with the MyRacehorse brand,” said the Head of Marketing for MyRacehorse, Shona Rotondo. “This is a great opportunity for people to step into the shoes of one of the bravest athletes in sports and to dive a little deeper into the world of horse racing.”


MyRacehorse is an ownership platform that provides fans with an easy way to get involved in Thoroughbred racehorse ownership without having to pay large sums of money or manage a stable full-time. The platform offers fractional shares in horses at affordable prices so everyone can join in on the fun and excitement of being part owner of a racehorse. A one-time payment unlocks access to exclusive digital content featuring insider information about their horses, access to race day and on-the-farm events, as well as potential profits from any winnings. Globally, MyRacehorse has over 50,000 active owners and over 100 horses who have earned a total of over $20,0000.


At the activation site, visitors can sign up for MyRacehorse and be entered for a chance to win a $100 MyRacehorse gift card and a MyRacehorse hat signed by a handful of MyRacehorse’s jockeys and trainers! We encourage fans to stop by and learn more about MyRacehorse and enjoy this unique VR experience with friends and family. 


Who Dat with the Best Hat? Runway at the Races Louisiana Derby Day Hat Contest


Runway at the Races will showcase a highly anticipated feature of the Louisiana Derby. Most attend the races to witness the horses, some to bet, and others to see the hats! Winners and finalists will receive gifts donated by, Angelique Boutique, Chapeaux, Meyer The Hatter, Aidan Gill, Perlis, and Wits Inn. 


The Runway at the Races hat contest sponsored by Chapeaux, will be judged, by Kenn Barnes, of the Law Offices of Kenn Barnes; Brian S. Thrasher, Vice-President, United Cajun Navy; and Yolanda Doucette, Purveyor of High Fashion. 


Contest participants will be selected between 12 Noon and 2 pm. Once entrants have been selected, the Contest will take place in the Paddock. All participants must arrive at the staging area no later than 2 pm.


Closing Day Features Early First Post, Three Stakes, Fifteen Races, Mandatory Payout Pick 5s, and a Breast Cancer Awareness Second Line


Closing Day for Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots’ 2022-2023 meet is on Sunday, March 26. There will be an early post time of 11 a.m. CT. The 15-race program concludes with three Louisiana-bred stakes beginning in Race 13: the $75,000 Star Guitar Stakes presented by Brittlyn Stable, the $75,000 Shantel Lanerie Memorial, and the $75,000 Page Cortez.


Each Pick 5 Sunday will have a mandatory payout.


After the last race on Sunday, Fair Grounds is hosting our inaugural Breast Cancer Second Line, honoring fighters and survivors as the race to end cancer continues. In traditional second-line fashion, participants will be joined by a New Orleans brass band and parade across the infield.


The Breast Cancer Survivor and Memorial Second Line will benefit the Shantel Lanerie Breast Cancer Foundation (https://shantellaneriefoundation.com). Founded in September 2018, the foundation was created in loving memory of Shantel Lanerie with the goal to help spread the message of education and early detection as well as to assist with the needs of those undergoing treatment. The wife of jockey Corey Lanerie, Shantel Lanerie died from complications from chemotherapy from Stage 1 breast cancer. 


Breast Cancer Second Line info:


Breast Cancer Survivor and Memorial Second Line benefitting the Shantel Lanerie Foundation

• Sunday, March 26th after the Shantel Lanerie Memorial Stakes (Race 15; 5:46 pm)

  • On-site registration this week in the Valet lobby during racing hours.
  • Registration will close on Sunday after 3 pm

• Participants will be hosted in the tent. A wristband will be required to enter the tent.

• Rick Mocklin and The Southern Voice Band will perform in the tent from 12:30 pm – 4:30 pm.

• Shantel and Corey’s daughter Brittlyn will serve as the Grand Marshall.

• Breast Cancer shirts and hats will be on sale in Retail.


-30-

About Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots

Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, one of the nation’s oldest racetracks, has been in operation since 1872. Located in New Orleans, LA, Fair Grounds, which is owned by Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ Global Select Market: CHDN), also operates a slot-machine gaming facility and 15 off-track betting parlors throughout Southeast Louisiana. The 151st Thoroughbred Racing Season – highlighted by the 110th running of the Louisiana Derby – will run from Nov 18, 2022 through March 26, 2023. More information is available online at www.fairgroundsracecourse.com.

Crowd cheering for horse race at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots