Louisiana Racing Commission Approves Fair Grounds’ 155th Racing Season Dates and Stakes Schedule

By Kevin Kilroy —-

Louisiana Racing Commission Approves Fair Grounds’ 155th Racing Season Dates and Stakes Schedule

70-day meet set for Nov. 19 through March 21
58 stakes scheduled for upcoming Thoroughbred season

NEW ORLEANS (Aug. 28, 2026) — The Louisiana State Racing Commission has approved Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots’ 2026-27 thoroughbred racing dates and stakes schedule for its 155th racing season. The 70-day meet is scheduled from Nov. 19 through March 21, with the possibility of two additional race days.

The upcoming season will feature 58 stakes, highlighted by Louisiana Derby Day on Saturday, March 20. The card will feature eight stakes, headlined by the Louisiana Derby (G2) and Fair Grounds Oaks (G2), along with the New Orleans Classic (G2), Muniz Memorial Classic (G2), Tom Benson Memorial, Costa Rising, Crescent City Derby and Crescent City Oaks.

Louisiana Derby Preview Day, on Saturday, Feb. 13, will feature six stakes, led by the Risen Star (G2) and Rachel Alexandra (G2). The program also includes the Mineshaft (G3), Fair Grounds Stakes (G3), Colonel Power and Albert M. Stall Memorial.

Road to the Derby Day is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 16, with six stakes headed by the Lecomte (G3). The card also includes the Silverbulletday, Louisiana (G3), Duncan F. Kenner, Colonel E.R. Bradley and Marie G. Krantz Memorial.

The Road to the Derby series gets underway on Dec. 19 with the Gun Runner and Untapable, which share the card with the Tenacious and Buddy Diliberto Memorial.

The meet opens Thursday, Nov. 19, with the John Valene Memorial and Joseph R. Peluso Memorial. Six Louisiana-bred stakes will be offered across the first three race days as preps for Louisiana Champions Day.

The Thanksgiving Classic is scheduled for Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 26, with the Pan Zareta set for Saturday, Nov. 28.

Louisiana Champions Day will be held Saturday, Dec. 12, with seven stakes for Louisiana-breds: the Robby J. Albarado Louisiana Champions Day Classic, Bernard S. Flint Louisiana Champions Day Turf, Patrick Mouton Louisiana Champions Day Ladies Turf, Harold J. Delahoussaye Louisiana Champions Day Juvenile, James “Sweet” Hodges Louisiana Champions Day Sprint, Howard “Murray” Woodward Louisiana Champions Day Ladies Sprint, and Don Stemmans Louisiana Champions Day Lassie.

The Kudzu Juvenile, a stakes race for Alabama-bred 2-year-olds, returns to the Fair Grounds stakes schedule and will be run Dec. 11 alongside the Magic City Classic.

The Pago Hop and Woodchopper are scheduled for Dec. 26.

The two divisions of the Louisiana Futurity, along with the Nelson J. Menard Memorial, are scheduled for Jan. 2. The Bob F. Wright Memorial and Gary P. Palmisano Sr. Stakes will be run Jan. 9.

The Mardi Gras Stakes is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 9.

A six-stakes program on Saturday, Feb. 27, will include the Edward J. Johnston Memorial, Red Camelia, Evelyn Benoit, Murray Valene, Black Gold and Allen “Black Cat” Lacombe Memorial.

Closing day, Sunday, March 21, will feature three Louisiana-bred stakes: the Star Guitar, Shantel Lanerie Memorial and Ova Charged.

Regular first post during the meet will be 12:55 p.m. CT, with noon post times scheduled for Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 26), Louisiana Champions Day (Dec. 12), Road to the Derby Day (Jan. 16) and Louisiana Derby Preview Day (Feb. 13). First post will be 3 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 12; Friday, Feb. 19; and Friday, Feb. 26.

The first 2026-27 Thoroughbred condition book is in preparation.

General season tickets go on sale Sept. 1, 2026, and are available through the Fair Grounds Ticketing Portal (https://www.fairgroundsracecourse.com/race-day-tickets/).

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 155th Thoroughbred Racing Season will run from Nov. 19, 2026 through March 21, 2027. More information is available online at www.fgno.com.