Wagering down double digits at shortened Fair Grounds meet

The 2019-2020 Fair Grounds race meet which was halted early because of coronavirus unsurprisingly showed across-the-board business declines compared to the previous season.

The 2018-2019 meet marked a major rebound from the previous racing season in New Orleans, but those gains were wiped away this season by a meeting that ended six days early after the city was essentially shut down to minimize viral spread. The Louisiana Derby card of March 21 wound up being closing day instead of Sunday, March 29, the last scheduled racing day.

Fair Grounds raced 76 days during the meet, which began Nov. 18 and handled $189,245,032 on a total of 695 races. Fair Grounds averaged $2,490,099 in daily handle, down 13.2-percent compared to the previous season; $272,295 per race, down from $304,764 in 763 races during 2018-2019; and $33,994 per starter, down 8.4 percent compared to last season. Fair Grounds had 5,567 starters this season, an average of 8.01 per race, compared to 6,264 for an 8.21 average during the 2018-2019 season. Gross handle during the 18-day 2018-2019 meet was $232,534,689.

Despite running fewer races than the previous season, Fair Grounds increased turf races from 216 last season to 222 this season. While favorites won at 34 percent for the meeting, turf favorites struck at a low 27 percent rate.

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Fair Grounds began racing spectator-free on March 13 before shutting down entirely after New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell issued a stay-at-home order on March 20.

Brad Cox won his fourth straight training title and ended the season on fire, winning the Louisiana Derby with Wells Bayou, the Fair Grounds Oaks with Bonny South, and the Muniz Memorial with Factor This, all on closing day. Cox also won a division of the Risen Star – which was split into two races when it attracted 23 entrants – with Mr. Monomoy, who shortly thereafter was diagnosed with an ankle injury and sent off-track for recovery. Factor This was a star of the meeting, winning the Fair Grounds Stakes before capturing the Muniz.

James Graham with 63 winners edged Colby Hernandez and Mitchell Murrill, who each had 60 wins, to win his second jockey title. Winalot Racing was leading owner with 13 victories.

A spate of positive drug tests marred the meet, with eight horses trained by Joe Sharp disqualified from wins during December after testing positive for the prohibited drug levamisole. Silver Dust, trained by Bret Calhoun, tested positive for the same drug following his win in the Louisiana Stakes.

Sharp contended he was using the medication as a wormer (though it is not in widespread racetrack use for that purpose) and received a $1,000 fine, but no suspension, for each infraction.

Jockeys also had a rough go during the season, with Shaun Bridgmohan, Joel Dominguez, Jack Gilligan, Aubrie Green, Kody Kellenberger Eddie Martin, Edgar Morales, and Marcelino Pedroza all suffering at least minor injuries after racing incidents.