Louisiana Derby Day Graded Stakes Probables Take Shape at Fair Grounds

By Kevin Kilroy —-

Louisiana Derby Day Graded Stakes Probables Take Shape at Fair Grounds

NEW ORLEANS (March 13, 2026) – Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots’ Louisiana Derby Day program is beginning to take shape from a strong group of nominees targeting the closing-weekend stakes card, headlined by the Grade 2 $1 million TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby.

The Louisiana Derby headlines an eight-stakes program featuring four graded events, including the Grade 2 Fasig-Tipton Fair Grounds Oaks, the Grade 2 $500,000 New Orleans Classic presented by Hagyard, and the Grade 2 $300,000 Muniz Memorial Classic Stakes presented by Horse Racing Nation.

Entries for Louisiana Derby Day will be taken March 15. First post is scheduled for noon Central time.

Written for 3-year-olds at 1 3/16 miles, the Louisiana Derby is a Championship Series event on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, awarding 100-50-25-15-10 qualifying points to the top five finishers toward the Kentucky Derby. Probable starters include Chip Honcho, runner-up in the Risen Star Stakes after previously capturing the Gun Runner Stakes as a 2-year-old; Golden Tempo, who closed strongly for third in the Risen Star after winning the Lecomte Stakes earlier this meet; Pavlovian, winner of the Sunland Derby, who edged Express Kid by a nose in his first stakes victory going 1 1/8 miles; and Universe, runner-up in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes last fall.

Also among the likely starters are the recent maiden winners Easterly, who drew clear late to break his maiden by 2 3/4 lengths in a 1 1/16-mile race at Gulfstream Park; Autobahn, an impressive 5 3/4-length maiden winner going 1 1/8 miles at Gulfstream Park; and Emerging Market, who rallied from off the pace to win a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight at Tampa Bay Downs.

Topping the probables for the 1 1/16-mile Fair Grounds Oaks, which awards 100-50-25-15-10 qualifying points to the top five finishers toward the Kentucky Oaks, is Bella Ballerina, who most recently added the Grade 2 Rachel Alexandra Stakes to her stakes resume. Also prominent is Luv Your Neighbor, who has run second in each of the local Oaks preps this year.

Also likely are Rags to Riches winner Life of Joy; Love and Trust, an impressive maiden winner at Fair Grounds; and Maximum Offer, who exits a strong fourth in the Martha Washington Stakes.

Written for older horses at 1 1/8 miles, probables for the New Orleans Classic presented by Hagyard include defending champion Touchuponastar, who dominated the Louisiana-bred stakes ranks last season and most recently captured the Premier Night Championship at Delta Downs by 11 1/2 lengths.

Also among the likely starters is Not This Boy, winner of the Tenacious Stakes in December; West Coast shipper Westwood, who enters off a front-running victory in the San Pasqual Stakes; Life and Times, a lightly raced 5-year-old who finished third in the Fred W. Hooper Stakes; and Corporate Power, winner of the Sir Barton Stakes and runner-up in the Curlin Stakes, who recently returned to winning form in a Fair Grounds allowance.

Written for older horses at 1 1/8 miles on the turf, probables for the $300,000 Muniz Memorial presented by Horse Racing Nation include multiple Grade 1 winner Program Trading; Lagynos, last-out winner of the Grade 3 Fair Grounds Stakes; Woodchopper-titleholder Montador and his Stidham-trained stablemate Tom’s Magic; and Chorleywood champion Rebel Red (GB).

Louisiana Derby Day highlights the final weekend of the Fair Grounds meet, which concludes Sunday.

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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.