Fair Grounds nuances must be uncovered as the famed track in New Orleans opens for the 145th season on November 19. This meeting has had an impact on the national scene for decades now and the track will close on April 2.
One of the little gems during the racing season happens at Fair Grounds and there is a long and storied history at this track.
Fair Grounds Race Course first opened in 1852, was once named Creole Race Course and racing was held there during the Civil War.
George Smith, otherwise known as the betting guru ‘Pittsburgh Phil’, and John ‘Bet a Million’ Gates were sending in a ton of money at Fair Grounds in decades’ past. And even cowboys got in on the action as Frank James, brother of the legend Jesse James, was appointed a betting commissioner at the track.
Fair Grounds is the third oldest race meet in the country behind Saratoga and Pimlico and the winner of the 1924 Kentucky Derby Black Gold is buried in the infield.
Fair Grounds will highlight 60 stakes worth more than $6.79 million this stand.
The major focus will be on big event days, including the meet’s centerpiece, the Louisiana Derby Day, which will include eight stakes worth $2.36 million, highlighted by the 104th running of the Grade II $1 million Louisiana Derby on April 1.
The Grade II $400,000 Fair Grounds Oaks, the Grade II $400,000 New Orleans Handicap and the Grade II $300,000 Muniz Memorial will also be run on April 1.
Leading into the Louisiana Derby, Fair Grounds will also host a pair of major stakes days designed as part of ‘Road to the Kentucky Derby’. The Lecomte Stakes will offer qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby as will the Risen Star and of course, the Louisiana Derby.
The track itself is a mile oval and the turf course unfolds as an abbreviated 7-furlong exam. The distance from the last turn to the finish line on the main track is long at 1,346 feet so it can play fair if conditions are right.
Traditionally, the track leans toward speed. If the track comes up sloppy those runners that have positional speed have a decided edge. You can win from on or off the pace on the main track but if there is anything close to a lot of speed in a race on grass, point toward runners that can pass horses in the lane.
The straws that stir the drink at all horseracing meets are the trainers and trainer Steve Asmussen will have a bull’s eye on his back. He has won the several training titles at Fair Grounds but he lost his crown last year and he will be pushed this season. Even though Asmussen finished fifth in the win standings last season, his runners earned the most in purses money at over $1.5 million.
Mike Stidham was the leading Fair Grounds trainer last season in wins. He won at 20% and held off conditioner Joe Sharp by just two winners.
Tom Amoss always spots his horses cleverly and last season at Fair Grounds was no exception. He won with 35 of his 136 starters, finishing third in the standings. On opening day, bettors could do worse than taking a long look at Amoss’ Ramona’s Wildcat. The mare should sit a super trip in the sixth race on opening day, the Happy Ticket Overnight.
Trainer Ron Faucheux sends out live horses’ day in and day out. His 104 starters at the meet last season won 22% of the time and 51% of them ran in the money. He has a very good eye for a claim but is even more potent with second off the claim runners.
Faucheux has been known to get runners fit on dirt, and then switch to the turf and score and when he adds blinks, players have to pay serious attention. The last thing to look for with Faucheux runners is when he brings runners back after a 6 week to 6-month layoff. When those runners make their second off the layoff start, they are very dangerous.
Some horseracing systems key on riders and although there is some logic in that approach, the statistics are there for everybody to see. Last year jockey Florent Geroux was seen often in the winner’s circle. He ran away with the riding title with a league leading 25% rate and his mounts earned over $3.3 million.
Colby Hernandez and Mitchell Murrill were in a dog fight to catch Geroux with Murrill finishing second in the standings by one winner.
One of the best things about Fair Grounds is that you have the diehard betting folks, the New Orleans elite, and the French Quarter salt of the earth mixed and mingling together. Join them to handicap the races, enjoy the gumbo and walk away fully satisfied.
Good luck this meeting.
