Fair Grounds to offer 18-race marathon card

by Brisnet.com

To make up for races cancelled due to heavy rains Thursday, Fair Grounds

announced Friday it will expand the March 30 racing program to include a record

18 live Thoroughbred races, with first post at 12:40 p.m. (CDT). The Starlight

Racing events on that date -- a college sports-themed party with music by Groovy

7 and DJ Kemistry -- will begin as originally scheduled at 5 p.m. and the

Starlight party will carry on in the Clubhouse until 11 p.m.

Standard admission prices -- free Grandstand General Admission and $7

Clubhouse General Admission -- will be in effect during the early afternoon

races, until 3:30 p.m. The Starlight Racing pricing -- $5 Grandstand General

Admission and $10 Clubhouse/Miller Lite Beer Garden admission -- will be charged

for the rest of the afternoon and evening.

Clubhouse dining will not be available during the afternoon, as the staff

will be busy preparing for Starlight Racing. Reservations for Clubhouse dining

during Starlight Racing are sold out. Concession stands will be open throughout

the day.

Thursday's 10-race program at Fair Grounds was cancelled due to torrential

rain, necessitating the makeup races.

The prodigious March 30 card will kick off a historic closing weekend, with

11 stakes to be run. Fair Grounds Oaks Day with the Susan G. Komen "Pink Out" on

March 31 will feature four stakes restricted to fillies and mares, while

Louisiana Derby Day with the annual "Fillies, Fashion & Fizz" party on April 1

will feature seven stakes, including three Grade 2 events, topped by the $1

million Louisiana Derby.