Fair Grounds

8th-FG, $54k, Msw, 2yo, f, 1mT, post time: 5:15 p.m. ET AL LATAFAH (Essential Quality) makes her first trip to the races for owner and breeder Shadwell Farm and trainer Brendan Walsh. The Feb. 5 foal is the first produce from her dam Altaf (Medaglia d'Oro), who was only seventh when making her first career appearance on the turf, but she went on to add three wins from as many starts on the main track, including the 2021 Lady's Secret Stakes at Monmouth Park in what would become her final...

Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots has cancelled its Friday program because of an interruption in water service, according to a press release on Friday from the track. The water main break in the neighborhood around Fair Grounds is being addressed. Live racing is scheduled on Saturday and Sunday with a first post of 12:45 p.m. CT.

Paving (Gun Runner) conquered her first career race as an 8-1 shot at Ellis Park Aug. 23. Ready for tougher competition and an exceedingly sloppy surface in New Orleans here, the 'Insighted' 30 cents on the dollar chalk trailed the field up the backstretch. The filly was not in a mood to quit though and around the far turn she was splashing along with gusto as Jose Ortiz steered. Entering the lane towards the center of the course, the Tom Amoss trainee came with a big run and she passed...

7th-FG, $55k, Alw (N2L)/OC ($125k), 2yo, f, 6f, 4:45 p.m. ET PAVING (Gun Runner) was no better than an 8-1 chance when unveiled over this distance at Ellis Park Aug. 23, but she belied her inexperience with a very professional effort, coming away to score by 2 1/2 lengths. Among the vanquished that day was Sister Troienne (Munnings), who has since rattled off three straight, including the Nov. 27 Wait a While Stakes as the odds-on favorite. The filly's stakes-winning dam Point System (Broken Vow) is a daughter of GSW...

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Heads In Beds at Del Mar. Hello Youmzain Filly Wins At Del Mar    Heads In Beds (Hello Youmzain) broke her maiden at Del Mar for Phil D'Amato on November 28 (video). Owned by Bridlewood Farm, e Five Racing Thoroughbreds, Madaket Stables and Michael Dubb, the three-year-old filly was bred by Mette Campbell Andenaes. Mandore International Agency bought the winner on behalf of...

6th-FG, $54K, Msw, 2yo, f, 5 1/2fT, 4:15 p.m. ET. Brittlyn Stable homebred CHARGING OVATIME (Not This Time) goes out for trainer Shane Wilson in New Orelans on Friday. Out of SW Charged Cotton (Dehere), the dark bay counts as half-sisters the late 15-time winner Ova Charged (Star Guitar) and 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard', & UAE group stakes winner Manama Gold (Star Guitar). The first-time starter hails from an extended female family which includes MSW Walkwithapurpose (Candy Ride {Arg}) and MGISW Schossberg (Broad Brush). Another homebred heads to...

Little Miss Curlin became the first black-type winner for freshman sire Charlatan (Speightstown) with a sharp performance in Friday's Donovan L. Ferguson Memorial S. at Fair Grounds. The 9-5 favorite battled through fractions of :21.69 and :46.09 and powered home to win by five lengths. The Coteau Grove Farms homebred previously won her debut, also versus fellow Louisiana-breds, by 4 1/4 lengths at Delta Downs Oct. 22. Little Miss Curlin's dam had a colt by Life Is Good in 2024 and a filly by Constitution this year. She was bred...

Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC's Copper Wind (Gun Runner—Copper Quest, by Lemon Drop Kid) was overlooked at 9-1 for her career debut at Fair Grounds on Thursday and rewarded her backers when coming from just off the pace to win. Stalking even-money choice Quick Kiss (Beau Liam) for much of the early running, the Winchell homebred made her move while three wide a furlong from home and proved best on the day while holding the favorite at bay by 1 ¾ lengths at the wire. Ageis (Essential Quality) was 5 1/2 lengths...

The 2025-26 stakes schedule for Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots will be headed $1-million GII TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby on Mar. 21, according to a track release Wednesday. After an increase last season, Fair Grounds' Road to the Derby remains valued at $1.875 million. The track's 154th racing season will offer 56 stakes worth $8.65 million. Louisiana Derby Day will feature eight stakes totaling $2.65 million, headlined by the 113th Louisiana Derby at 1 3/16 miles. The race awards 100-50-25-15-10 points on the Road to the GI Kentucky Derby. The...

When Andrew Schwarz and his sister Wendy Schwarz-Gilder decided to turn their longstanding enthusiasm for the Turf into a deeper commitment, in 2017, the option that best matched their outlook was a modest breeding program. If that meant taking their time, patiently building each page, so be it. All they knew was that they wanted to work with others of a similar disposition: people who gave time to each other, and to their horses. Schwarz, after all, is a real estate developer in New Orleans. "And in real estate, five...

Magnitude did not disappoint the hopefuls as he took the Iowa Derby stylishly at Prairie Meadows on Saturday evening. Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack's story this week on the colt's return to the races post-surgery reported that trainer Steve Asmussen was "dreaming big" about the Winchell-owned runner's prospects. The reason had something to do with the stellar result from the GII Fasig-Tipton Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds in mid-February when the 3-year-old won by 9 3/4 lengths with a 108 Beyer to boot. Prior to that, Magnitude had broken...

With a strong kick down the lane in the Tale of the Cat Stakes at Monmouth Park on Saturday, Tom's Magic (Justify) netted the second black-type win of his career and the Ontario-bred is intended for the August running of the King's Plate at Woodbine, according to his trainer. The chestnut came on the scene last fall and at second asking graduated by 1 3/4 lengths over the grass at Fair Grounds Dec. 22. The son of Justify then won the Black Gold Stakes at course and distance in what...