Fair Grounds Race Course - New Orleans Horse Racing History

The Fair Grounds Race Course is a Churchill Downs Company in New Orleans, Louisiana. The course is often cited as the New Orleans Fair Grounds, but the track has had many other names during its history.

The line was originally opened as the Union Race Course in 1852, but was closed in 1857 because of competition from the Metairie Course. The track was renamed in 1859 to the Creole Race Course and in 1863 the name was changed again to theFairgrounds when racing was conducted during the Civil War. The line was then closed again when Metairie course again after the Civil War. Finally, founded in 1871, the young members of the Metairie Jockey Club, the Louisiana Jockey Club and began operation of their race meets at the fairgrounds. In 1872 the first race card under the Louisiana Jockey Club was held.

The fairgrounds is the third oldest thoroughbred racetrack in the United States, behind Saratoga and Pimlico. The routeconsists of a soft dirt road one and seven furlong turf course. The turf course was installed in 1981. The route is not easily had banned racing life in New Orleans in 1908, and then again in 1915. In 1919, the track would suffer if the grandstand burned down, but continued the race. In 1940, a legislative sanction was given to the race in Louisiana and the track was sold to be turned into a subdivision. However, rescued in 1941 a group of investors to the trackbefore the destruction and the race resumed after World War II.

The track was sold on the Krantz family in 1990. In 1993 the grandstand was destroyed by another fire and the race continued with temporary facilities. Finally began in 1994 a 23 million U.S. dollars renovation and completion of the grandstand and clubhouse for the opening on Thanksgiving Day in 1997. The track was purchased by Churchill Downs in 2004. However, the route would be damaged again by Hurricane Katrina and has been for a closedYears until it reopened on Thanksgiving Day of 2006.

But despite his rough life, the title had several memorable moments. The great mare Pan Zareta Black and Gold, the winner of the 1924 Kentucky Derby were both buried in the infield. Tippity Witchet, son of the broomstick, ran many of his 266 races on the track. The track is also the home of the Louisiana Derby (Grade II), the New Orleans Handicap (Grade II), the Mervin H. Muniz Jr. Memorial Handicap (Grade II)and the Fair Grounds Oaks (Grade II).