Fair Grounds Stakes

The Fair Grounds Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for four-year-olds and older run over a distance of about miles (9 furlongs) on the turf annually in mid-February at the Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, Louisiana. It currently offers a purse of $175,000.

History

The event was inaugurated on 21 February 1988 as the featured tenth race called the Fair Grounds Budweiser Breeders' Cup with sponsorship from Budweiser and the Breeders' Cup with handicap conditions for three-year-olds and older at the distance of about one and one-eighth miles. The event was won by the Irish bred five-year-old Top Guest in a time of 1:54. Top Guest had previously won the Stockholm Cup International as a three-year-old.

Budweiser ceased their sponsorship in 1995 while the Breeders' Cup continued until 2006.

The event was upgraded in 2006 to Grade III. That same year, 2006, the event was moved to Louisiana Downs due to the after effects of Hurricane Katrina which damaged the Fair Grounds racetrack.

Two horses have won the event three times. Yukon Gold won the event three consecutive times for in 1993 through 1995. Yukon Gold's third victory was on dirt since the event was moved off the turf. Mystery Giver also won the race three times, in 2002 through 2004.

Originally a handicap, in 2020 the conditions of the event were changed to a stakes allowance race, thus changing the name of the event to Fair Grounds Stakes.

The event has been held in mid-February since 2010 as is part of Louisiana Derby Preview Day at the New Orleans racetrack.

Records Speed record: miles – 1:47.29 Factor This (2020)

Margins: lengths – Joyeux Danseur (1998)

Most wins: 3 - Yukon Gold (1993, 1994, 1995) 3 - Mystery Giver (2002, 2003, 2004)

Most wins by a jockey: 5 - Robby Albarado (1997, 1998, 2003, 2004, 2006)

Most wins by a trainer: 3 - Hal Wiggins (1993, 1994, 1995) 3 - Richard R. Scherer (2002, 2003, 2004) 3 - Brad H. Cox (2015, 2016, 2020)

Most wins by an owner: 4 - Team Block (2002, 2003, 2004, 2006)

Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade RefAt Fair Grounds – Fair Grounds Stakes2026Lagynos5Jose L. OrtizSteven M. AsmussenHRH Prince Sultan Bin Mishal Al Saud miles1:48.02$175,000III 2025Taking Candy 5Irad Ortiz Jr.Cherie DeVauxLael Stables miles1:50.44$175,000III2024Beatbox 6Joel RosarioCherie DeVauxRob Comestro & Jeff Ganje miles1:49.96$175,000III2023Two Emmys 7James Graham Hugh H. RobertsonWolfe Racing & Hugh H. Robertsonabt. miles1:54.73$145,500III2022Cavalry Charge 5Brian Hernandez Jr.Dallas StewartWest Point Thoroughbreds, William Sandbrook & Robert Masielloabt. miles1:53.06$150,000III2021Captivating Moon 5Marcelino PedrozaChris BlockLothenbach Stables miles1:50.27$150,000III2020Factor This5Shaun BridgmohanBrad H. CoxGaining Ground Racing miles1:47.29$150,000IIIFair Grounds Handicap 2019Synchrony6Joe BravoMichael StidhamPin Oak Stableabt. miles1:48.09$150,000III2018Synchrony5Joe BravoMichael StidhamPin Oak Stableabt. miles1:48.82$150,000III2017Enterprising6Julien R. LeparouxMichael J. MakerMaxis Stable1:48.80$122,500III2016Chocolate Ride6Florent GerouxBrad H. CoxWentworth Brochuabt. miles1:49.31$125,000III2015Chocolate Ride5Florent GerouxBrad H. CoxJohn Wentworthabt. miles1:48.84$125,000III2014Potomac River5Juan P. VargasJose M. CamejoMaribel Ruelasabt. miles1:50.52$147,000III2013Optimizer4Jon CourtD. Wayne LukasCalumet Farmabt. miles1:56.06$145,500III2012Smart Bid6Edgar S. PradoH. Graham MotionAugustin Stableabt. miles1:51.91$122,500III2011Expansion6Gerard MelanconMillennium Farms & Mike McCartyabt. miles1:54.94$125,000III2010Blues Street6Javier CastellanoTodd A. PletcherAnstu Stablesabt. miles1:51.71$100,000III2009Diamond Tycoon5Julien R. LeparouxAndrew McKeeverCharlotte Musgraveabt. miles1:52.12$125,000III2008Daytona (IRE)4Mike E. SmithDan L. HendricksJeff Davenport, Tom Lenner, Jess Ravich & Thomas W. Murrayabt. miles1:50.09$140,000III2007Cloudy's Knight7Ramsey ZimmermanJames R. McMullenS J Stables abt. miles1:49.48$198,500IIIAt Louisiana Downs2006Fort Prado6Robby AlbaradoJeff TrosclairTeam Block miles1:43.16$189,800IIIAt Fair Grounds2005G P Fleet5Jose R. Martinez Jr.Steven B. FlintRichard, Bertram & Elaine Kleinabt. miles1:53.79$125,000Listed 2004Mystery Giver6Robby AlbaradoRichard R. SchererTeam Blockabt. miles1:51.77$119,500Listed 2003Mystery Giver5Robby AlbaradoRichard R. SchererTeam Blockabt. miles1:50.41$150,000Listed 2002Mystery Giver4Eddie Martin Jr.Richard R. SchererTeam Blockabt. miles1:50.13$147,000 Listed 2001Candid Glen4Andrew Leggio Jr.Glen C. Warrenabt. miles1:54.03$154,349 Listed 2000Profit Option5Lonnie MecheKenneth E. HoffmanTeam Canonie, M. Conway & K. Hoffman abt. miles1:52.52$159,100Listed 1999Aboriginal Apex6Larry MelanconNiall M. O'CallaghanGary B. Knappabt. miles1:51.71$150,000 Listed 1998Joyeux Danseur5Robby AlbaradoAlbert Stall Jr.B. Wayne Hughesabt. miles1:50.60$125,000 Listed 1997Snake Eyes7Robby AlbaradoWalter M. Bindner Jr.Marco Bommaritoabt. miles1:52.65$147,470 Listed 1996Born Wild4Mickey WallsDaniel J. VellaFrank H. Stronachabt. miles1:52.97$102,325Listed 1995Yukon Robbery 6Ricky FaulHal WigginsThomas C. Mueller miles1:51.50$101,975Listed 1994Yukon Robbery 5Ricky FaulHal WigginsThomas C. Muellerabt. miles1:50.27$98,225Listed 1993Yukon Robbery 4Ricky FaulHal WigginsThomas C. Muellerabt. miles1:50.60$77,400 19924Shane RomeroJames DaySam-Son Farmabt. miles1:53.00$77,800 1991First Tea 4Kenneth Bourque Paul H. Murphy David J. Hulkewicz abt. miles1:53.30$77,500 1990 Tower Above 'Em 6 Shane Romero Joseph Y. Soileau James Casselsabt. miles1:55.80$75,575 1989 Ingot's Ruler7Ronald Ardoin Tommie T. Morgan Mildred Fike abt. miles1:51.20$75,000 1988 Top Guest (IRE)5Jean-Luc Samyn Timothy A. Koons Dogwood Stableabt. miles1:54.20$65,000

Legend:

See also List of American and Canadian Graded races References