Louisiana’s Best to Be Showcased Over Six Closing-Weekend Stakes at Fair Grounds
NEW ORLEANS (March 16, 2026) – The closing weekend of the Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots 2025-26 racing season will feature 11 stakes races, six of them written for Louisiana-breds. A pair are set for Saturday, March 21, and four will be run on Sunday, March 22. Some of the best Louisiana-breds in training will be featured, including Braken Poppa, Nine Part, Our Moneyman, Margie’s Intention, Blue Fire, Synthetic, and Sippin On Gin.
First up Saturday is the 1 mile 70-yard $100,000 Crescent City Oaks. Slated as Race 2 on the 14-race program, a field of seven Louisiana-bred fillies is led by Braken Poppa. Tabbed as the 4-5 morning-line favorite, Braken Poppa boasts a stellar 3-for-4 record and is undefeated going two turns, winning all three starts at Fair Grounds in increasingly impressive fashion, including a decisive score in the $100,000 Louisiana Broodmare of the Year Stakes on Feb. 28. Owned by Bradley Kent and Ken Reimer and trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, the daughter of Aurelius Maximus will be guided by leading rider Jose Ortiz.
Thirteen entered, and a dozen older statebred turf sprinters will line up in the 5 1/2-furlong $100,000 Costa Rising Stakes, scheduled as Race 8 on Louisiana Derby Day, the opening leg of an estimated $1 million All-Stakes Pick 5. Tabbed as the 3-1 morning-line favorite, Keith Plaisance’s Nine Part will take on stakes company for the first time in just his second turf attempt after dominating six rivals by 2 1/4 lengths going 5 1/2 furlongs Feb. 21 for trainer Bobby Felks. A five-time winner from six starts who has never lost at Fair Grounds, Nine Part will again be ridden by Jose Ortiz.
First post for Saturday’s 14-race Louisiana Derby Day program is noon.
The 1 1/16-mile $100,000 Crescent City Derby will be held Sunday, closing day at Fair Grounds. Set as Race 7, the first of four stakes, the statebred derby is led by Allied Racing Stable’s Our Moneyman. The Bret Calhoun trainee, who broke his maiden last fall at Keeneland, will stretch out to two turns for the first time. Axel Concepcion has the call on the 6-5 morning-line favorite.
Trained by Brad Cox, grade 1-placed Margie’s Intention will make her 4-year-old debut in the 1 mile 70-yard $100,000 Shantel Lanerie Memorial, set as Race 8. The 2025 Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan winner Margie’s Intention will make her first start in her home state since running second to Blue Fire in last year’s Crescent City Oaks, whom she’ll face again Sunday. The Steve Asmussen-trained Blue Fire exited a win in the local Bob F. Wright to run a game second against open company in the Bugler at Oaklawn Park. She has five wins from seven starts at the Shantel Lanerie distance.
Synthetic, one of the stories of the meet, will put her perfect record on the line in the $100,000 Ova Charged Stakes. Owned by Keith Plaisance and trained by Bobby Felks, Synthetic has been untouchable in her four wins, including beating open allowance company Jan. 31. She will be tasked with 5 1/2 furlongs on the turf in what will be her first start on the grass. The Ova Charged will go as Race 11.
The 1 1/16-mile $100,000 Star Guitar Stakes presented by Brittlyn Stables will see Sippin on Gin return to the main track after a turf experiment in the Edward Johnston Memorial. Trained by Bret Calhoun and owned by Allied Racing Stable, the 2025 Crescent City Derby winner was installed as the 7-2 morning-line favorite in a field of nine older males.
First post for closing day’s 13-race card is 12:45 p.m. CT.