Louisiana Derby purse raised, date moved to late March

Fair Grounds has raised the purse of the Louisiana

Derby (G2) to $750,000, increased the distance to 1 1/8 miles and moved the

three-year-old fixture to March 27 -- five weeks prior to the 2010 Kentucky

Derby (G1).

The significant changes to its signature race and accompanying races, as well

as the addition of two new dirt races for fillies and mares, highlight a record

$7.24 million, 66-race stakes schedule for the 2009-10 Fair Grounds meet.

The 85-day Fair Grounds meet will have its earliest start date ever when the

historic New Orleans racetrack opens on November 6, a week earlier than last

year and well ahead of the old Thanksgiving Day opener of years past. Closing

day for the action-packed, 21-week season will be March 28.

In recent years, the Louisiana Derby, which produced Kentucky Derby winners

Black Gold (1924) and Grindstone (1996), had been a $600,000 race over 1 1/16

miles and was carded seven weeks prior to the Kentucky Derby. The momentous

switch of the 97th Louisiana Derby to closing weekend, along with moving the

$400,000 Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) to headline a stakes quartet for fillies and

mares on March 26, has altered both series of races. Three-year-old races such

as the $100,000 Lecomte S. (G3), now one mile and 40 yards, and Risen Star S. at

1 1/16 miles will move to January 23 and February 20, respectively.

The Louisiana Derby, one of 10 graded stakes run at the meet, is the

centerpiece of six stakes events on the March 27 program. Other showcased

affairs include the $500,000 Mervin H. Muniz Jr. Memorial H. (G2) for older

horses at about 1 1/8 miles on the Stall-Wilson turf course and the $500,000 New

Orleans H. (G2) for four-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles on dirt.

"We're excited about being the premier racing venue for our nation's best

three-year olds when preparing for the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks (G1),"

Fair Grounds Vice President and General Manager Eric Halstrom said. "Under the

leadership of Fair Grounds President Austin Miller, and with the support of the

Louisiana HBPA, our racing staff is embarking on a new historic direction for

the entire stakes schedule. Most predominantly, we have a broadened race

schedule and event-packed week of activities surrounding the Louisiana Derby and

Fair Grounds Oaks. These changes are sure to focus the racing world's attention

on New Orleans throughout our upcoming season."

Fair Grounds has also added a pair of dirt races for fillies and mares,

including a new 1 1/8-mile stakes race positioned on December 19 to potentially

entice a year-end showdown between RACHEL ALEXANDRA (Medgalia d'Oro) and

ZENYATTA (Street Cry [Ire]), the duo widely considered to be North America's top

two horses in training.

The unnamed race over conventional dirt in a central location currently

features a $100,000 purse, but track officials acknowledge that total prize

money could increase if a showdown between Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta does

materialize.

"Horse racing fans desire to see Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta race against

one another, and we're no different," Halstrom said. "By positioning this new

race six weeks after the Breeders' Cup World Championships and three weeks after

Churchill Downs' Clark (G2) and Falls City (G2) handicaps, it gives all parties

involved something to consider and opens the door for further discussions.

Anything further at this point would be premature and circumstances could be

different in four months, but this new race gives us an option to dream."

Zenyatta, Jerry and Ann Moss' five-year-old mare who is the reigning champion

older female, is now unbeaten in 12 career starts following Sunday's victory in

the  Clement L. Hirsch S. (G1) at Del Mar. Trainer John Shirreffs has

Zenyatta targeted for another appearance at this year's Breeders' Cup, which

will be held at Oak Tree at Santa Anita on November 6-7.

Rachel Alexandra, the flashy three-year-old filly who used the Fair Grounds

Oaks as a springboard to stardom, appears unlikely for this year's Breeders' Cup

due to co-owner Jess Jackson's dislike of synthetic racing surfaces. The Steve

Asmussen-trainee defeated males for the second time this year on August 2 with a

six-length romp in the Haskell Invitational (G1) at Monmouth Park. She has won

her last eight races by a combined 69 3/4 lengths -- a streak that also includes

victories in the Kentucky Oaks, Preakness S. (G1) and Mother Goose S. (G1).

Fair Grounds' other new event for fillies and mares is also unnamed and the 1

1/16-mile race is scheduled to feature a $200,000 purse on March 13, which is

three weeks prior to Oaklawn Park's Apple Blossom H. (G1).

Fair Grounds is expected to distribute an average of $350,000 in daily

purses. Stall applications for horsemen are due September 15, and the first day

of training over the nation's third-oldest Thoroughbred racing oval will be

October 5.