Fair Grounds boosts purses 15 percent

Churchill Downs Inc. is raising purses at Fair Grounds Racecourse in New Orleans, according to a Fair Grounds press release. The release credited “strong handle” as the purse increase driver, but the release didn’t cite any handle figures, nor does CDI permit handle totals to appear in daily results charts at the racetracks it owns.

All purses will get a 15 percent boost beginning with the Jan. 13 race card, which will be drawn Jan. 6; maiden special weight races, for instance, are going up to $52,000 from $45,000.

Fair Grounds officials said before the 2021-22 race meeting began that purses were set conservatively owing to revenue slowdowns resulting from Hurricane Ida, which hit New Orleans in late August.

Fair Grounds began its 2020-21 season with higher purses than this meet, with maiden special weights worth $47,000. By the end of the last racing season, the same maiden race was worth $55,000 and further increases can be anticipated this winter.