Uncover the Thrills of Fair Grounds Racing
Highlights of the Fair Grounds Meet
The Fair Grounds meet is set to shine with 63 stakes worth a total of $8.875 million. These stakes are the highlight of the season and include some of the most important races on the path to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve. It all begins with the $100,000 Gun Runner Stakes on December 21, followed by the $250,000, Grade 3 Lecomte Stakes on January 18, the $500,000, Grade 2 Risen Star Stakes on February 15, and culminates with the $1 million, Grade 2 Louisiana Derby on March 22. This diverse range of stakes ensures that there is something for every racing fan.
Not only does the meet offer exciting stakes, but Fair Grounds purses have also seen an increase this season. Racing fans can expect high-quality racing on a daily basis, with a talented jockey's room filled with riders from across the country and a stable of good horses representing prominent trainers. It's a recipe for an unforgettable racing experience.
Top Trainers at Fair Grounds
Last year's 2023-24 Fair Grounds season was dominated by Shane Wilson, who sent the most horses to post and won 50 races from 350 starters, achieving a 15% win rate. He will be back this season, joined by other perennial leading trainers such as Tom Amoss (28 wins, 22% last year), Brad Cox (27 wins, 28%), Bret Calhoun (24 wins, 16%), and Steve Asmussen (23 wins, 16%). Additionally, top-10 finishers from the previous year like Joe Sharp (18 wins last year), Keith Bourgeois (17 wins), Dallas Stewart (15 wins), and Albert Stall Jr. (14 wins) will also be in contention.
Kentucky-based trainers like Ken McPeek, Brendan Walsh, Phil Bauer, and Cherie DeVaux will also have a strong presence at Fair Grounds. Some new trainers to watch out for include Brittany Russell, Ignacio Correas, and Linda Rice. Rob Atras, who won six races from 14 starters with a 43% win rate, Robert Falcone Jr. with five wins from 16 starters (31%), and Chad Brown, who had a small but effective stakes presence with three wins from five starters last year, are also names to keep an eye on.
Top Fair Grounds Jockeys
Last year's 2023-24 Fair Grounds jockey title was a close three-way battle won by Jose Guerrero with 52 wins (16%), narrowly ahead of Jareth Loveberry with 51 wins (14%) and Corey Lanerie with 49 wins (14%). Ben Curtis (43 wins, 17%) and Jaime Torres (42 wins, 15%) completed the top five.
A new rider set to make a big impact at the 2024-25 meet is Jose Ortiz. He rode the Kentucky circuit full time this year and will look to continue his winning ways at Fair Grounds. He tied for the jockey title at the 2024 Churchill Downs spring meet and was a top jockey at Gulfstream Park last winter. Brian Hernandez Jr. will also be back, having won 41 races with a 17% win percentage last year. He has further enhanced his reputation by winning the 2024 Mike Venezia Memorial Award and taking the 2024 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve aboard Mystik Dan and the Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff and Longines Kentucky Oaks aboard Horse of the Year candidate Thorpedo Anna.
Axel Concepcion, the 2023 Eclipse Award-winning apprentice jockey, and Jeiron Barbosa, who is moving from Maryland, will also be riding at Fair Grounds. They will join Reylu Gutierrez, Florent Geroux, Edgar Morales, and Mitchell Murrill in the crowded jockey's room.
Fair Grounds Main Track Trends
One of the notable features of the Fair Grounds track is its fairness when it comes to running styles. Whether a horse is a frontrunner, a pace-presser, a stalker, or a closer, it has a fair chance of winning. However, it is still important to look at recent trends and statistics to determine the best running styles and post positions for your horse.
In the most recent 2023-24 Fair Grounds meet, early speed was the most successful running style in sprints. Horses racing on or close to the pace within a length of the lead won 187 of the 355 sprints, accounting for 53% of the races. Inside speed from posts 1-3 was particularly effective, with horses winning 103 of the 355 sprints (29%). Stalkers came in second with 120 wins (34%), while closers from four-plus lengths behind won only 48 races (14%).
Mid-pack stalkers are at the most risk from bad trips due to post positions in Fair Grounds sprints. If they draw outside posts in big fields, they can get caught in tough spots wide on the turn. They often have to work too hard to gain position or fall into the trap of making middle moves instead of waiting for the long straightaway. In dirt routes run at the 2023-24 meet, speed horses racing on or close to the pace won 112 of the 276 races (41%), while stalkers won 86 (31%) and closers won 78 (28%).
Post positions played a role in Fair Grounds dirt routes last season. Horses from inside posts 1-3 won 53% of the races, while those from middle posts 4-6 won 39%. The average field size was 7.11 horses per race, so outside posts were not a major factor, but they still managed to win 25 races (9%).
Fair Grounds Turf Tips
Fair Grounds is known for its turf races, but many of them are often taken off the turf. Handicappers need to be prepared for this. There were only 47 turf routes run at the 2023-24 meet, and turf sprints were even rarer with only 11 races. In Fair Grounds turf routes, closers coming from four or more lengths off the pace tend to do the best, especially those breaking from the middle posts. They won 20 of the 47 turf routes (43%), with 13 of those coming from posts 4-6 (28%). Stalkers accounted for 34% of the wins, while frontrunners performed the worst with only 11 wins (23%).
In the small number of turf sprints run last season, stalkers from one to four lengths off the pace won 8 of the 11 races. Over the past decade, there have been a total of 200 turf sprints at Fair Grounds, and stalkers have won 85 of them (43%). Closers have had the worst performance with just 44 wins in the same period.
Now is the time to get excited for the 2024-25 Fair Grounds race meet. Enjoy the season and may the odds be in your favor!