Fair Grounds raises purse of Risen Star to $400k
 

The purses for seven other stakes were raised by $25,000.

Fair Grounds will run four fewer stakes races, but will have two new stakes. The total stakes purses will be about $100k less than what was announced going into the 2011-2012 meet.

http://www.fairgroundsracecourse.com...ore-74-million

Does raising the purse of the Risen Star make sense in the face of the new Kentucky Derby points system?

I think it still does. Fair Grounds has to compete with Oaklawn for 3yos. Assuming that Fair Grounds had not raised the purses for the Lecomte and Risen Star, which road to the Derby would look more enticing to an owner in 2012: Lecomte ($175k)-Risen Star ($300k)-Louisiana Derby ($1,000k) or Southwest ($250k)-Rebel ($500k)-Arkansas Derby ($1,000k)?

and I assume the LA Derby will be on the same day as the FL Derby, too. :rolleyes:

Why shouldn't it be? What's the difference if they're the same weekend or a week apart?

If they are a week apart, a runner could be wheeled right back.

DWL, is that you?

;)

I was going to at first say so that DWL could wheel the runner right back, but that lacked subtlety.

So can also wheel back from the Spiral... or into the Wood or Santa Anita Derby... or whatever. It's a calendar. The races are going to fall where they fall. I don't get the complaint. Based on this year's Louisiana Derby, what's the difference when they run it?

Consider the source.

That is cold.

makes perfect sense, considering who owns fairgrounds. anything to make the track more attractive to people mapping preps for their colts.