Fair Grounds draws opening-day card

Thanksgiving’s opening card of the 2021-22 Fair Grounds meet, drawn Thursday in New Orleans, attracted 95 entrants spread among nine races.

The program has an early noon Central first post and is headlined by the $150,000 Thanksgiving Classic, a six-furlong sprint that lured seven runners. The field, from the rail out, comprises Necker Island, Pyron, Went West, Greeley and Ben, Emerald Forest, Strike Power, and Just Might.

The supporting feature is the $75,000 Joseph R. Peluso Memorial, which is named for the longtime Louisiana racing official who unexpectedly died last winter. Worth half as much as the Thanksgiving Classic, the Peluso drew a much deeper and stronger field than the Thursday feature, with 11 fillies and mares entered to go 1 1/16 miles on the Fair Grounds grass course.

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