New stakes, purse increases added to Fair Grounds meet

Officials at Fair Grounds announced Friday an 18-percent increase to the

purse schedule as well as five new stakes for Louisiana-breds.

Overnight purses will increase $4,000 per race, effective December 15, and

three Louisiana-bred stakes next month will receive $25,000 purse increases to

$75,000. The changes boost daily average purses to $370,000, the largest ever

for a meet in Louisiana.

The closing weekend of Fair Grounds' abbreviated 134th season has been

labeled "Louisiana Lagniappe Weekend" and will feature six $75,000 stakes for

state-breds, including five first-time events -- the Louisiana Lagniappe Sprint

and Louisiana Lagniappe Ladies on January 21; and the Louisiana Lagniappe Ladies

Sprint, Louisiana Lagniappe Classic and Crescent City Oaks on January 22. The

latter race replaces the Battler Star S. in the sophomore filly division.

The purse increases came about because of better than expected business at

five Fair Grounds affiliated off-track betting (OTB) facilities in the New

Orleans area that reopened on October 26.

Fair Grounds Race Course and five other OTBs remain closed in the wake of

Hurricane Katrina. Fair Grounds' 37-day meet, moved to Louisiana Downs, will end

on January 22, 2006.