Louisiana Derby Day Stakes Nominations Released

By Kevin Kilroy —-

Louisiana Derby Day Stakes Nominations Released

Trio from Cox and pair from Baffert added to long Louisiana Derby list

Centennial running of New Orleans Classic likely led by Sierra Leone

New Orleans, La (March 10, 2025) – Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots released nominations for the eight stakes scheduled for Louisiana Derby Day, headlined by the $1 million TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby (G2). Scheduled for Saturday, March 22, the day’s festivities will include the centennial running of the $500,000 New Orleans Classic presented by Relyne GI By Hagyard (G2).

The 112th running of the Louisiana Derby, a Championship Series event on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, will be one of four graded stakes on the closing weekend card along with the New Orleans Classic, the $400,000 Fasig-Tipton Fair Grounds Oaks (G2), the last local stop on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks; and the $300,000 Muniz Memorial presented by Horse Racing Nation (G2).

The winning horse of the Louisiana Derby and the Fair Grounds Oaks will each receive 100 points toward the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) or the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1), respectively. The second- through fifth-place finishers will earn 50-25-15-10 points on a sliding scale.

Entries for the Louisiana Derby Day program will be taken Saturday, March 15.

Written for 1 3/16 miles, the longest Derby prep to date, the Louisiana Derby attracted 86 nominations, including a trio trained by Brad Cox and a pair conditioned by Bob Baffert who were not on the previously published Early Bird list.

Of the newest additions, CHC & WinStar Farm’s John Hancock leads Cox’s brigade, which totals 18 nominations in all. The Constitution colt proved himself in his first Derby prep, wiring the field last out in the Sam F. Davis at Tampa Bay Downs. Cox won his first Louisiana Derby last year with Catching Freedom, who is nominated to the New Orleans Classic.

Having won the local derby in 2004 with Wimbledon, Baffert’s potential shots at a second title include Madaket Road and Getaway Car, both owned by SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Robert Masterson, Tom Ryan, Waves Edge Capital & Catherine Donovan.

Likely for the 100th running of the New Orleans Classic is the 2024 Risen Star champion Sierra Leone. The Chad Brown trainee went on to run second in Kentucky Derby 150, win the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), and be named the Eclipse 3-Year-Old Horse of the Year. Closing with 18 nominations, the 1 1/8 miles New Orleans Classic would be the first start of Sierra Leone’s 4-year-old campaign.

The 1 1/16 miles Fair Grounds Oaks attracted 24 nominations, and Godolphin’s multiple graded stakes winner Good Cheer leads the list. The Cox trainee has posted two local drills since extending her perfect record last out in the Rachel Alexandra (G2). Also undefeated and likely in the local oaks starting gates is Grantley Acres, Ryan Conner, and Berkels0813’s Silverbulletday winner Simply Joking, trained by Whit Beckman.

Of the 28 older horses nominated for the Muniz Memorial, six have already reached millionaire status, including Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, and Richard Schermerhorn’s 2025 Pacific World Cup Turf (G1) winner Spirit of St. Louis, trained by Chad Brown, and Klein Racing’s Brilliant Bertie from Cherie DeVaux’s barn. Written to go 1 1/18 miles across the Stall-Wilson, the Muniz is one of three turf stakes scheduled for Louisiana Derby Day.

Louisiana Derby Day will have an early first post of noon p.m. CT.

The 153rd Thoroughbred racing meet comes to an end on Sunday, March 23 and closing day will include three added money affairs for statebreds. Nominations for all 11 closing weekend stakes can be found here: CLICK HERE.

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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 15 off-track betting parlors throughout Southeast Louisiana. The 153rd Thoroughbred Racing Season–highlighted by the 112th running of the Louisiana Derby–will run from Nov. 22, 2024 through March 23, 2025. More information is available online at www.fgno.com.