BloodHorse.com | Horse Racing News

Amoss, Asmussen Tie for Fair Grounds Title

Trainers Tom Amoss and Steve Asmussen ended the 141st Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots meeting in a dead-heat for most victories with 42 apiece when they combined to win half of the races on the closing-day card March 31.

Verrazano, Normandy Invasion Post Sharp Works

Verrazano and Normandy Invasion, leading contenders for the upcoming $1 million Wood Memorial (gr. I), both posted bullet moves March 31 at Palm Meadows Training Center.

Revolutionary Finishes Job in Louisiana Derby

WinStar Farm's Revolutionary took the overland route to victory in the March 30 Louisiana Derby (gr. II), closing with a five-wide run and holding off the late charge of 19-1 shot Mylute in the final furlong at Fair Grounds.

Amira's Prince Maintains Hot Streak in Muniz

Favored Amira's Prince recorded his fourth consecutive win since arriving in the United States, holding off a determined charge from Willcox Inn in the $400,000 Mervin H. Muniz Memorial Handicap (gr. IIT) March 30.

Farish Calls Revolutionary a 'Grand Colt'

Louisiana Derby (gr. II) morning line favorite Revolutionary has continued the graded stakes-winning tradition that has lasted in his female family for three profitable generations.

Unlimited Budget Takes Fair Grounds Oaks

Unlimited Budget continues to show limitless potential as the undefeated Street Sense filly appears poised for the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) after a clear victory in the $500,000 Fair Grounds Oaks (gr. II).

Napravnik, Garcia Come to Keeneland with Bass

Steve Bass, who booked mounts for nine-time leading Keeneland rider Julien Leparoux for the past seven years, will have Rosie Napravnik and Alan Garcia when the meet opens April 5.

FG Jockey Jacinto Transported to Hospital

Jockey John Jacinto has been transported to Tulane Medical Center in Louisiana due to arm and hand pain after his mount broke down in the sixth race.

Mervin Muniz 'Cap is Optimizer's to Lose

Optimizer has been a different horse since he moved to the grass, and streaks into the March 30 Mervin H. Muniz Jr. Memorial Handicap at Fair Grounds with two graded stakes scores under his girth.

Graydar, 'Courage' Rematch in NOLA 'Cap

A power-packed field will assemble for the $400,000 New Orleans Handicap (gr. II) March 30 at Fair Grounds. In the lineup are Graydar, Bourbon Courage, Flat Out, and Mark Valeski.

Revolutionary Leads 14 in Louisiana Derby

WinStar Farm's Revolutionary, winner of the Withers Stakes (gr. III), has been installed as the 3-1 morning line favorite in a field of 14 for the $1 million Louisiana Derby (gr. II) March 30 at Fair Grounds.

Departing, Mylute Breeze for Louisiana Derby

Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider's Departing and GoldMark Farm's Mylute breezed a half-mile March 24 in preparation for the 100th anniversary edition of the $1 million Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds.

Shanghai Bobby in Final Florida Derby Tuneup

Champion Shanghai Bobby breezed five furlongs at Palm Meadows Training Center on the morning of March 24 in final preparation for a scheduled start in the $1 million Besilu Stables Florida Derby (gr. I).

Fair Grounds Jockey Johnson Breaks Collarbone

Jockey Pat Johnson, who had been winning races with increasing regularity at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, suffered a broken collarbone when a horse he had just ridden tripped while returning to be unsaddled March 16.

Ground Transport Works Swiftly for LA Derby

Ground Transport, one of the locally-based sophomores preparing for the upcoming $1 million Louisiana Derby (gr. II), is attracting some attention after posting consecutive bullet moves at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.

Maker Represented by 1,000th Winner

Trainer Mike Maker was represented by his 1,000th career winner March 16 when Magical Season won the third race at Fair Grounds.

Bayou Handicap has Listed Status Restored

The Feb. 23 renewal of the Bayou Handicap, a race scheduled for the Fair Grounds turf course but switched to the main track, was reinstated to Listed status following a review by the American Graded Stakes Committee.

Believe You Can Dominates New Orleans Ladies

Believe You Can blew away the competition in the $150,000 New Orleans Ladies March 9 at Fair Grounds, posting her second straight win off the layoff; the $150,000 Duncan F. Kenner went to Delaunay for owner Maggi Moss.

Ive Struck a Nerve Injured, Off Derby Trail

Ive Struck a Nerve, the 135-1 upset winner of the Feb. 23 Risen Star Stakes (gr. II), sustained an ankle injury during a workout the morning of March 9 and is off the Triple Crown trail.

Prado to Ride Palace Malice in La. Derby

Hall of Fame jockey Edgar Prado comes to Fair Grounds for the first time this season to ride Palace Malice in the 100th anniversary edition of the $1 million Louisiana Derby (gr. II) March 30.

Ive Struck a Nerve, 135-1, Shocks Risen Star

A 135-1 shot took the Risen Star Stakes (gr. II) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots Feb. 23, Matthew W. Bryan's Ive Struck a Nerve closing late in the furlong grounds and catapulting himself onto the Derby trail.

Unlimited Budget Scores Rich Win in 'Rachel

Repole Stables' favored Unlimited Budget kept her record perfect when she easily captured the Rachel Alexandra Stakes (gr. III) by 3 3/4 lengths over 20-1 shot Promise Me More at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.

Snuggs and Kisses Upsets 'Daisy' in Bayou

Snuggs and Kisses upset Daisy Devine in an off-the-turf edition of the $75,000 Bayou Handicap at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots Feb. 23, fighting gamely down the lane to manage a gate-to-wire score by a head.

Optimizer Targets Fair Grounds Handicap

After dominating in the Colonel E. R. Bradley Handicap (gr. IIIT) Jan. 26 at Fair Grounds, Optimizer will try for a second straight win on the Stall-Wilson Course in the Fair Grounds Handicap (gr. IIIT) Feb. 23.

Fans Signing Up for Rachel at FG

Fans of Rachel Alexandra are invited to sign a 15-foot "Get Well Soon, Rachel" banner that will hang in the paddock area at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.

Risen Star a Popular Race; 15 Entered

With a $400,000 purse and some major points along the Kentucky Derby Trail, the Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds has attracted an overflow field of 15 3-year-olds headed by grade III winners Oxbow and Circle Unbroken.

'Road to the KY Derby' TV Schedule Announced

The Jockey Club, in collaboration with the NBC Sports Group and six racetracks, will provide live coverage of six major prep races for the 2013 Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) and a preview show.

BC Betting Challenge Qualifier at FG

Two paid entries to November's $500,000 Breeders' Cup Betting Challenge at Santa Anita Park will be the top prizes when Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots hosts its first-ever Breeders' Cup Betting Challenge March 30.

Believe You Can Cruises in Tiffany Lass

Brereton Jones' homebred Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) winner Believe You Can returned from a layoff of more than seven months to capture the $94,000 Tiffany Lass Stakes by 10 1/4 lengths Feb. 2 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.

KY Oaks Winner Believe You Can Starts Season

Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) winner Believe You Can returns to Fair Grounds Feb. 2 to make her 2013 debut in the $75,000 Tiffany Lass Stakes against five other older fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles.

Fair Grounds Hall of Fame Adds Star Guitar

Star Guitar, E.J. Perrodin, and Ray Salmen have been elected to the Fair Grounds Hall of Fame.

Optimizer Wins E.R. Bradley for Red-Hot Lukas

Optimizer went wire-to-wire in the $125,000 Col. E.R. Bradley Handicap (gr. IIIT) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots Jan. 26 for red-hot Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas, who has won three stakes races in eight days.

Daisy Devine Streaks On in Marie Krantz

Grade I winner Daisy Devine went wire-to-wire on good turf at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots Jan. 26, taking the $72,750 Marie G. Krantz Memorial Handicap at odds of 1-10 for her third straight victory.

Fair Grounds: Daisy Devine Makes Season Debut

James Miller's Daisy Devine will make her 2013 debut in the $75,000 Marie G. Krantz Memorial Handicap at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots Jan. 26, and she's ready to roll despite a one-week postponement of the race.

Lukas Could Continue Streak in E.R. Bradley

Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas looks to continue his hot streak in the $125,000 Col. E.R. Bradley Handicap (gr. IIIT) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, sending out Optimizer in the Jan. 26 turf test for older males.

Lukas Weighs Options for Weekend Stakes Stars

Trainer D. Wayne Lukas had an anxious moment when victorious Will Take Charge stumbled while pulling up after winning the Smarty Jones Stakes Jan. 21 at Oaklawn Park, but the Hall of Fame trainer said the colt is doing well.

Infrattini Continues Streak in Louisiana 'Cap

Z Thoroughbreds' homebred Infrattini earned his fourth straight victory, accomplished over four different tracks, by outfinishing odds-on choice Mark Valeski in the $100,000 Louisiana Handicap Jan. 19 at Fair Grounds.

Believe You Can Registers Bullet Work

Believe You Can took a step toward her 4-year-old racing debut on Jan. 18 when she breezed five furlongs in a minute flat on a fast track at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, earning the bullet for the distance.

THS: LeComte Stakes

Tom LaMarra and Pete Denk handicap the Lecomte Stakes and Sunshine Millions Classic this weekend.

watch video

Circle Unbroken Starts Season in Lecomte

Grade III winner Circle Unbroken makes his 2013 debut Jan. 19 in the $200,000 Lecomte Stakes at Fair Grounds, stretching out in distance and taking on eight other 3-year-olds including Canadian stakes winner Avie's Quality.

Napravnik Closes Out Career-Best Year

Jockey Rosie Napravnik closed out a career-best season Dec. 31, securing the highest spot ever for a female jockey on the North American leader board in 2012.

Daisy Devine Outclasses Blushing K.D. Rivals

Grade I winner Daisy Devine made quick work of four rivals in the $72,000 Blushing K. D. Handicap, going gate to wire for a six-length victory on the turf at Fair Ground Race Course & Slots Dec. 22.

Fair Grounds Hosts 'Super Santa Saturday'

Chamberlain Bridge and Daisy Devine are the stars of the show in a pair of $75,000 stakes events at Fair Race Course & Slots on "Super Santa Saturday" Dec. 22.

Heavy On Themister Grabs LA Champions Classic

Heavy On Themister, under an all-out drive from Rosie Napravnik, scored a one-length victory in the $150,000 Louisiana Champions Day Classic Dec. 8 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.

LA Champions Day: Populist Politics At Last?

Populist Politics could emerge as the new state-bred ruler at Fair Grounds Dec. 8 when he takes on 10 other runners in the $150,000 Louisiana Champions Day Classic, main event of eight restricted stakes in New Orleans.

Fair Grounds Orders Evacuation of Barn Area

Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots officials have declared a mandatory evacuation of its barn area in advance of Tropical Storm Isaac, which is expected to become a hurricane as it moves into the northern Gulf of Mexico.

Fair Grounds Boosts 2012-13 Stakes Purses

Fair Grounds Race Course has boosted the purses of eight open-company races on its 2012-2013 stakes schedule released June 28, marking the third straight year the average stakes purse has increased at the New Orleans oval.

Wise Dan, Alternation Top Stephen Foster

The 31st running of the 1 1/8-mile event sets up as a faceoff between two of the country's top older horses--Pin Oak Stable's Alternation and Morton Fink's Wise Dan.

Believe You Can Posts Bullet Churchill Work

Brereton Jones' homebred filly Believe You Can, winner of the Fair Grounds Oaks (gr. II) in her most recent start, posted a bullet five-furlong workout, covering the distance in :59 over a fast track the morning of April 22.

'Plain' Yearling Is Louisiana Derby's 'Hero'

In 2010 the Keeneland September yearling sale in Lexington had 14 sessions. In the 11th, cataloged as Hip No. 3474, was Hero of Order.