Top Earner Bear River Leads Classy, Competitive Edition of Thanksgiving Classic

By Kevin Kilroy —-

Top Earner Bear River Leads Classy, Competitive Edition of Thanksgiving Classic

12/21/2024 – Bear River with Axel Conception aboard wins the 19th running of the Richard R. Scherer Memorial Stakes at Fair Grounds. Hodges Photography / Lou Hodges, Jr.

NEW ORLEANS (Nov. 24, 2025) – The table is set for nine older male sprinters in Thursday’s $175,000 Thanksgiving Classic at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, where the field includes three millionaires led by Charles Marquis’ Bear River. With a combined $6,598,333 in career earnings, connections in the 101st running have plenty to be thankful for.

Written at six furlongs across the dirt, the Classic will go as Race 9. The Thanksgiving feast begins at noon CT, as the 10-race card drew 102 total entries. The 20-cent Crescent City 6, a new wager at Fair Grounds, begins in Race 5 and has a $6,192 carryover.

Boasting a bankroll of $1,698,823, Bear River’s most recent win came in September’s Turf Sprint (G2) at Kentucky Downs, which earned him a spot in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1). Although the 4-year-old finished near the back, the five-furlong distance was always a question for trainer Keith Desormeaux.

Dismissed at 10-1 on the morning line, largely because all four of his stakes wins came on turf or an off track, Bear River’s expected price reflects the parity of a field that includes two other millionaires: Baby Yoda and Surveillance, both owned by Flying P Stable.

Winner of the 2024 True North (G2) at Saratoga, Baby Yoda has earned the bulk of his $1,021,320 bankroll in New York. Claimed from Bill Mott’s barn for $100,000 in August and moved to Robert Falcone Jr., the 7-year-old has raced once for his new connections, finishing last in the Vosburgh (G3).

Thursday’s Classic will be Baby Yoda’s first start at Fair Grounds, while Surveillance owns six wins and a second from seven local starts on the main track. The 2024 off-the-turf Troy (G3) winner came up a neck short in this year’s John A. Nerud (G2). Since being claimed for $75,000 by Mike Maker in August, Surveillance has made two starts, winning the David Vance at Remington Park and finishing a troubled fourth last out in the Bet On Sunshine at Churchill Downs.

Both Baby Yoda and Surveillance are 5-1 on the morning line.

Runner-up to Miles Ahead in last year’s Thanksgiving Classic, the Japanese-bred Komorebino Omoide returns as the 3-1 morning-line favorite, entering off a three-month layoff for trainer Robertino Diodoro.

Thanksgiving Classic field, rail out (with jockey, trainer and morning line):

The Donegal Clan (Carlos Perez, Dane Noel, 12-1)
Goodlookinjustice (Fernando De La Cruz, Aaron West, 12-1)
Wendelssohn (Marcelino Pedroza Jr., Chris Hartman, 8-1)
Bear River (James Graham, Desormeaux, 10-1)
Komorebino Omoide (Paco Lopez, Diodoro, 3-1)
Baby Yoda (Reylu Gutierrez, Falcone, 5-1)
Surveillance (Ben Curtis, Maker, 5-1)
Mondogetsbuckets (Axel Concepción, Chris Block, 6-1)
The Wine Steward (Jareth Loveberry, Maker, 7-2)

Thanksgiving Day tickets are available at fairgroundsracecourse.com.

Festivities at the Fair Grounds

The 154th racing season at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots features a range of fan-favorite events:

Nov. 27 — Thanksgiving at the Fair Grounds: The 101st Thanksgiving Classic headlines a full day of racing and dining.

Dec. 6 — Exotic Animal Races / Family Day: Camels, ostriches and zonkeys return for a popular event first introduced in 2012.

Dec. 13 — Louisiana Champions Day: Ten races, including seven stakes, showcase top Louisiana-bred horses on dirt and turf.

Jan. 31 — Exotic Animal Races / College Day: College students and families enjoy the return of the exotic races.

Feb. 14 — Louisiana Derby Preview Day and Breast Cancer Event: major Derby/Oaks preps and a Breast Cancer Awareness event highlight the Valentine’s Day program.

Feb. 28 — Wiener Dog Races: Dachshunds sprint 30 yards for $1,000 in prizes.

March 14 (3 p.m.) — Clash of the Colleges Twilight Races: Evening racing and live music close out the college-themed event.

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About Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots

Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, one of the nation’s oldest racetracks, has been in operation since 1872. Located in New Orleans, La, Fair Grounds, which is owned by Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ Global Select Market: CHDN), also operates a slot-machine gaming facility and 13 off-track betting parlors throughout Southeast Louisiana. The 154th Thoroughbred Racing Season–highlighted by the 113th running of the Louisiana Derby–will run from Nov. 20, 2025 through March 22, 2026. More information is available online at www.fgno.com.