Fair Grounds Race Course
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| Location | New Orleans, Louisiana |
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| Owned by | Churchill Downs Inc. |
| Date opened | 1852 |
| Course type | Flat/Thoroughbred |
| Notable races |
Louisiana Derby (G2) New Orleans Handicap (G2) Mervin H. Muniz Jr. Mml Handicap (G2) Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) |
| Official website | |
Fair Grounds Race Course, often known as New Orleans Fair Grounds, is a thoroughbred racetrack and racino in New Orleans, Louisiana. It is operated by Churchill Downs Louisiana Horseracing Company, LLC.
As early as 1839 Bernard de Marigny, Julius C Branch and Henry Augustine Tayloe, organized races at the "Louisiana Race Course" laid out on Gentilly Road, making it the second oldest site of horseracing in America still in operation, after Freehold Raceway and the Saratoga Race Course. It began on March 20th and lasted for five days. In 1852 it was renamed the Union Race Course. In 2009, the Horseplayers Association of North America introduced a rating system for 65 Thoroughbred racetracks in North America. Of the top Fifteen, New Orleans Fair Grounds was ranked #12, behind Evangeline Downs in Opelousas, Louisiana, which was ranked #6.
As early as 1839 Bernard de Marigny, Julius C Branch and Henry Augustine Tayloe (son of John Tayloe III of The Octagon House, a leading turfman, founder of the Washington Jockey Club (1798), who imported the great English thoroughbred Diomed that sired Sir Archy-whose progeny include Lexington, Secretariat and American Pharoah; grandson of John Tayloe II who imported Childers (by Flying Childers), Jenny Cameron and Jolly Rogers (three of the most important colonial imports) and who built the grand colonial estate and stud farm Mount Airy), organized the first races at the "Louisiana Race Course" starting March 20, 1839, and lasting five days.
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