Fair Grounds

Fair Grounds Race Course, often known as New Orleans Fair Grounds, is a thoroughbred racetrack and racino in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. It is operated by Churchill Downs Louisiana Horseracing Company, LLC.

In 1838 Bernard de Marigny, Julius C Branch and Henry Augustine Tayloe, organized races at the Louisiana Race Course, laid out on Gentilly Road, making this the oldest horseracing site in America still in operation, after Freehold Raceway closed in 2024. Racing began on April 10, 1838, and lasted for five days. In 1852 it was renamed the Union Race Course. In 2009, the Horseplayers Association of North America introduced a rating system for 65 Thoroughbred racetracks in North America. Of the top Fifteen, New Orleans Fair Grounds was ranked #12, behind Evangeline Downs in Opelousas, Louisiana, which was ranked #6.

Opened

1837

Owner

Churchill Downs Inc.

Notable races

Louisiana Derby (G2) · New Orleans Handicap (G2) · Mervin H. Muniz Jr. Mml Handicap (G2) · Fair Grounds Oaks (G2)

From Wikipedia: Fair Grounds Race Course, CC BY-SA 4.0; the opening of the article, quoted as written.