Fair Grounds' 136th season ends

The final race of Fair Grounds Race Course's 136th season was run

Sunday, but the meet's legacy may not be determined until later this year.

For instance, will Louisiana Derby (G2) winner PYRO (Pulpit) go on to become

only the third horse to achieve a Louisiana Derby-Kentucky Derby (G1) double?

Will his stablemate, 2007 Horse of the Year CURLIN (Smart Strike) be the first

horse to train on the Gentilly oval and go on to win the world's richest race,

the $6 million Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1)? Or will one of the talented

three-year-old fillies on the grounds this winter continue a recent trend by

capturing the Kentucky Oaks (G1)?

What is certain is that the 2007-08 Fair Grounds meet will go down in history

as the first to be run with slot-machine gaming in operation at the track. With

slots operating out of a temporary facility that opened in September, and that

had previously served as the on-track home for simulcasting, construction of a

permanent facility continued throughout the meet.

"On behalf of our staff, we owe a tremendous amount of gratitude to our

on-track patrons who battled the inconveniences brought about by our ongoing

construction," Fair Grounds President Randy Soth said. "However, we feel we

offset those circumstances by offering a high-quality racing product, especially

on our major event days."

The most notable of those events was Louisiana Derby Day on March 8, which

was headlined by Pyro's impressive win. A record all-sources handle of

$12,962,024 was set, while at Fair Grounds, simulcast-era marks were set for

attendance (9,971) and on-track handle ($1,027,467).

Pyro and Curlin's conditioner, Steve Asmussen, finished as Fair Grounds'

leading trainer for the seventh time in eight years. Asmussen became the first

trainer in Fair Grounds history to average more than one win per day and the

third trainer ever to win at least 80 races. He finished with 86 wins, 37 more

than second-place Cody Autrey.

Autrey's primary jockey and owner claimed the other two titles.

Louisiana native Jamie Theriot captured his first Fair Grounds riding title

with 94 wins, 13 more than Shaun Bridgmohan, who rode at Fair Grounds for the

first time this winter. Six-time Fair Grounds leading rider Robby Albarado was

third with 79 wins.

Heflin and Driver Racing took home the owner's title with 36 wins, doubling

the total of second-place Maggi Moss, who finished with 18 wins. Sandy and Jerry

Heflin were leading owners in 2006-07.

Pyro, the only multiple graded stakes winner of the meet, was a landslide

choice of media and racing officials as Horse of the Meeting.

Dates for Fair Grounds' 2008-09 season are to be submitted to the Louisiana

State Racing Commission next month.