Turf Racing Returns to Fair Grounds Dec. 26

Turf racing will return to Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots for the "Road to the Derby Kickoff Day'' card, to be held on Monday, Dec. 26. With the portable rail set at 34 feet, fields will be limited to eight runners for the $100,000 Blushing K.D. and the $100,000 Buddy Diliberto Memorial. With the same parameters, turf racing will again be conducted on Dec. 31 with the runnings of the $100,000 Pago Hop and the $100,000 Woodchopper. 

"Going forward from there, we will monitor the condition of the course and run a limited number of turf races as the course allows," said executive director of racing Gary Palmisano Jr. "If all goes well, as is expected, the racing office will look to add turf races to the new condition book, which starts Jan. 5." 

Palmisano added, "We will be taking entries on Saturday for the two turf stakes on the 26th and then again for the two stakes on the 31st. We’re very pleased with the progress of the outer portion of the course and the team is working diligently on the inner portion. After these turf stakes we will see how the course performs and adjust future turf races accordingly."

Track officials had suspended turf racing since the beginning of the meet, which began on Nov. 18, to allow the track's grass to recover from damage to the inner portion of the course.