About Fair Grounds

Fair Grounds Race Course, known to some locally as New Orleans Fair Grounds, operates as a modern racino featuring not only the live racing track but also the casino which helps massively boost revenue and therefore purse sizes.

This site, bearing in mind all its guises over the years, is the second oldest horse racing venue in America still in use (see this history of the track below).

Downtown New Orleans is only three miles away meaning this popular old site can bring in big crowds on its popular thoroughbred race days.

Fair Grounds History

The first races at what was then the Louisiana Race Course were organized by Bernard de Marigny and others as far back as 1839 though as was the way with so many new entities back in the day, the course did have to close at one stage.

It was reopened as Union Race Course in 1852 but closed after five years having not coped with competition from the neighboring Metairie Course. Another renaming came in 1859 although not much was happening at the Creole Race Course until in 1863, when it became Fair Grounds, racing was scheduled during the Civil War.

Following a reopening of the aforementioned Metairie Course, Fair Grounds was once again closed in 1871 but quickly returned the following year under the guidance of the Louisiana Jockey Club.

Racing was banned in New Orleans in 1908, though the track survived hosting motor racing and in 1940 legislation was given to allow racing once again in the area. New investors saved the track from certain destruction in 1941 and ensured horse racing was to continue after World War II.

A stable period followed and in 1981 the turf course was laid and then the facility sold on in 1990. Following a devastating fire a new grandstand had to be built in 1994 at a cost of $27 million, a grand reopening taking place on Thanksgiving Day 1997.

Although further damaged by Hurricane Katrina, another Thanksgiving Day reopening occurred in 2006 and since then the track has run on an even keel and remains popular with traditional race goers.

Fair Grounds Track Details

There is both a dirt oval and a turf course at Fair Grounds, both with very fair turns but no chutes.

Biggest Races

Six Grade 2 races are held at Fair Grounds and they are the highlight of the meet. They are:

Fair Grounds Oaks
Louisiana Derby
Mervin H. Muninz Jr. Memorial Handicap
Rachel Alexander Stakes
Risen Star Stakes

Wager At Fair Grounds With TVG!

Now you know all about the track, don’t forget you can wager on races there with TVG. Head to our schedules page to check out the latest race times then bet and watch live!

Address

1751 Gentilly Blvd, New Orleans, LA 70119, USA

Contact

info@fgno.com (504)944-5515