Horse Racing News is the source of thoroughbred racing information with horse racing odds, betting tips, racing picks, race results, and handicapping. Latest news and articles on top horse racing contenders, jockeys, trainers, three-year-olds, race tracks, and major stakes races such as the Triple Crown races: the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes as well as the Breeders' Cup horse races.Fair Grounds Creates “New Orleans Ladies” Race To Lure Filly Rachel Alexandra
Posted on Tuesday, December 8th, 2009
Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots announce today that a $200,000 stakes race for fillies and mares on March 13 has been named the “New Orleans Ladies“.
The 1 1/16-mile contest is one of many options for the connections of super-filly and Horse of the Year candidate Rachel Alexandra to consider as they plot her first race of 2010. Last season, filly Rachel Alexandra was an easy winner of Fair Grounds’ richest race for fillies, the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2), which was run at 1 /16 miles on the main track.
“We’re delighted to have perhaps the greatest racehorse in the world training over our surface again this winter,” said Fair Grounds Vice President and General Manager Eric Halstrom. “Our hope is that once Rachel Alexandra is ready for a race she won’t have to travel any farther than the 100 yards from her stall door to our track. We’ll be cheering for her wherever she goes, but we would love to see her run here in New Orleans.”
Filly Rachel Alexandra has been exercising over the Fair Grounds track on a daily basis since shortly after her arrival from Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., on Nov. 27.
Race horse trainer Steve Asmussen has said a specific race for Rachel Alexandra’s comeback won’t be discussed until she is closer to being ready, which he estimated as “no sooner than March.” Majority owner Jess Jackson is similarly not getting ahead of himself but did say in a recent Daily Racing Form article that Fair Grounds was a possibility.
“If the timing is right for Rachel, we will do everything in our power to make the race attractive to her connections,” Halstrom said. “We’re ready to roll out the red carpet.”
The New Orleans Ladies is the richest race of the season for fillies and mares and serves as a counterpart to the New Orleans Handicap (G2) for older horses.
“With a $200,000 purse we expect the New Orleans Ladies to become a regular fixture on the stakes schedule that will attract top females from throughout the region and perhaps beyond,” Halstrom said.
Horse racing news edited from www.fairgroundsracecourse.com.
Tags: Rachel Alexandra
"Fair Grounds Creates “New Orleans Ladies” Race To Lure Filly Rachel Alexandra" was posted on Tuesday, December 8th, 2009 at 11:00 pm and is filed under Fair Grounds, Horse Racing Industry, Horses, Race Tracks News, Stakes Races, USA Horse Racing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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