A Marathon of Racing at Fair Grounds

Friday night and Saturday Fair Grounds Race Course featured 21 races in just over 24 hours. It all began with DJs and go-go dancers and ended with a horse leading the points race in the Road to the Kentucky Derby.
Starlight Racing has become an institution at Fair Grounds. A younger crowd appears for the festivities and pays $10 a head for access to the beer tent/party area. A band also plays in the clubhouse, encouraging patrons to explore. Based on my observations, the event is a success because it brings in people unfamiliar with racing and betting. I am unsure if these people return for anything other than more Starlight Racing but it is an unquestionable win for the track.

It is also a win for attendees. A club atmosphere with a DJ and a cast of go-go dancers, dressed in jockey silks and hot pants, keep the energy high but you can also come and go freely from this area with a wristband. Beer prices in the tent are reasonable, 16oz Miller Lite for $3.75 and Blue Moon for $1 more. Pony up $5 and $6 respectively and receive a commemorative cup that blinks and glows. Mixed drink are also available and Jameson had two booths set up. All of the regular spots are open as well. 

THE STARLIGHT RACING TENT

Many enjoy the event for the people watching and the uniqueness of night racing at the Fair Grounds, myself included. This time, I finally decided to get over my dislike of sauerkraut and try something new from Bratz Yʼall.

Sven Vorkauf, originally from Berlin, Germany, began serving up some favorites at festivals in 2012. The food quickly caught on, the booth is now a constant at Starlight Racing and The Drunk Pig won Best Pork at the Po-Boy Festival in 2013.


My friend Eric opted for NOLA Schnitzel, breaded and fried pork loin with crawfish remoulade on a muffaletta bun. I braced myself and chose the Drunken Pig, slow-roasted, pulled-pork, marinated in dark beer and served with mustard and home made sauerkraut with caramelized onions on a fresh bun. 
Both were delicious.
THE NOLA SCHNITZEL AND THE DRUNK PIG (FOREGROUND)

The schnitzel highlight was the remoulade slaw on top, you could actually see the crawfish! My complaint about sauerkraut is the same as about pickles, once they become an actual ingredient in a sandwich, not a side item, they become the dominant flavor. However, I was not about to order “hold the kraut” nor “go light on the kraut,” and couldn’t bring myself to ask for it on the side. After all, they feature it on almost everything they serve and I tell my daughter to keep trying things all the time. Turned out it was a good addition, lending a nice tartness to the hints of sweetness from the onions and the dark beer marinated pork. The only disappointment was the cold air sapped the sandwiches warmth too quickly. Next time you may not get pictures!
The horses racing on Starlight nights are unlikely to provide many “I remember the first time I saw ...” moments. The largest purse of the night was in the first race, $39,000, and the rest didn’t exceed $20,000. On the plus side, with a bit of planning, an attendee could pretty easily afford to claim a horse that appealed to them. 
Perhaps the most memorable part of the night was the rare moment of a dead heat in the fifth race. Combatlaan and Leroidessioux (say those a few times fast) battled down the stretch to a tie. One of the trainers told me the next day he still thought they had won. However, the judges disagreed. It was an exciting moment either way.
The following day brought a larger crowd and more of a buzz with five stakes races on the card, including the Lecomte Stakes, a Derby prep race. I won’t bother rehashing or analyzing the races from the day, there are much more qualified people doing that already, but I will share a few thoughts with you.
INTERNATIONAL STAR AFTER WINNING THE LECOMTE

Miss Wright has won me over to the excitement of Derby Prep races around the country though I needed no prodding for those happening in my backyard. I was lucky enough to see Vicarʼs In Trouble win the Lecomte and the Louisiana Derby, and get second in the Indiana Derby, in person last year. Following the points race to the Kentucky Derby this early can be misleading but it is exciting and plenty of races remain.
Getting an early glimpse of the horses that could appear in the run for the roses is a treat and just might give you an edge at the betting window. I had the California Chrome/Commanding Curve exacta in the Derby at least partly because of the latterʼs Louisiana Derby performance.
This year, the same red and white Ramsey colors made their way to the Winner’s Circle for the Lecomte with Miguel Mena piloting International Star through plenty of traffic late. There was no denying this horse victory on Saturday. International Star is now in a tie for the lead in points on the Road to the Derby with El Kabeir and I hope he will ship in from Florida for the Risen Star Stakes in February.
Incidentally, Miguel Mena and James Graham are both making strong cases to become go-to jockeys for Fair Grounds wagering, replacing the “retired” (I’m still convinced she’ll be back at some point) Rosie Napravnik. When in doubt over the last few years my default bet was any horse Rosie was riding. Graham is the leading jockey but Mena made a strong claim on Saturday, getting into the money in half his races. His two wins paid $14.80 and $20.40 and he even managed to show with a 51-1 long shot (paid $13.40).

It’s pretty rare to pay admission at the Fair Grounds two days in a row, usually the admission is free, but it was a great marathon of racing and totally worth it. A few more smart bets on Graham and Mena and it would have even been profitable.
Five Derby prep races will occur before the next one at the Fair Grounds, here’s a link to the list and standings.
Two more Derby Prep races will be run at Fair Grounds, put them on your calendar and I’ll see you there. 
February 21 is the Risen Star, with 50 points up for grabs to the winner and 
March 28 is the Louisiana Derby with 100 points at stake.
Come out on February 27 and March 20 for the two remaining Starlight dates, first post is at 5 p.m.