Fair Grounds Season Hits Midpoint With Leaders, Stakes, Fan Events Ahead
NEW ORLEANS (Jan. 25, 2026) — At the midway point of the 154th Thoroughbred racing season at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, familiar names sit atop the standings through Jan. 24.
Trainer Joe Sharp leads the meet with 23 wins from 100 starts, continuing a strong run after winning his first local leading trainer title last season.
The jockey standings feature a deadlock at the top, with Jose Ortiz and Paco Lopez tied for the lead at 37 victories apiece. Ortiz is the defending riding champion, while Lopez has remained a consistent presence in the winner’s circle throughout his first local meet.
In the owner category, two connections share the lead with six wins each: Calumet Farm, along with Earl J. Hernandez, Keith J. Hernandez, and John Duvieilh.
Recognized on the national stage for leadership on and off the track, jockey Jareth Loveberry has been named one of five finalists for the 77th George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award. A perennial leading rider at Fair Grounds since joining the colony in 2021, Loveberry is being honored for excellence both on and off the track. One of the most prestigious honors in sports, the Woolf Award recognizes riders whose careers and personal character have earned respect for themselves and for the sport of Thoroughbred racing. The 2026 winner will be announced in March.
With half of the meet complete, the races for leading trainer, jockey, and owner remain tightly contested as the Fair Grounds season moves toward its late-winter stakes schedule. Nominations close Saturday, Jan. 31, for Louisiana Derby Preview Day, scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 14, at Fair Grounds. The card is highlighted by the $500,000 Fasig-Tipton Risen Star Stakes for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles and the $300,000 Fasig-Tipton Rachel Alexandra Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles, both key preps on the Road to the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks. Also on the program are the $250,000 Mineshaft Stakes Presented by Relyne GI by Hagyard, the $175,000 Fair Grounds Stakes Presented by Horse Racing Nation on turf, the $100,000 Albert M. Stall Memorial Stakes on turf for fillies and mares, and the $100,000 Colonel Power Stakes on turf.
In addition to live racing, Fair Grounds has announced several upcoming fan-focused promotions and special events scheduled through mid-March:
Jan. 31, 12:45 p.m. — Exotic Animal Races / College Day
Feb. 14, 12 p.m. — Louisiana Derby Preview Day and Breast Cancer Awareness Event
Feb. 28, 12:45 p.m. — Wiener Dog Races
March 14, 3 p.m. — Clash of the Colleges Twilight Races
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About Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots
Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, one of the nation’s oldest racetracks, has been in operation since 1872. Located in New Orleans, La, Fair Grounds, which is owned by Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ Global Select Market: CHDN), also operates a slot-machine gaming facility and 13 off-track betting parlors throughout Southeast Louisiana. The 154th Thoroughbred Racing Season–highlighted by the 113th running of the Louisiana Derby–will run from Nov. 20, 2025 through March 22, 2026. More information is available online at www.fgno.com.
