Fair Grounds Wins Game of Chicken with Churchill Downs Inc.

Churchill Downs Inc. played hardball in a war of words. They balked in a game of chicken, keeping horse racing alive in Louisiana for at least another year at Fair Grounds Race Course.

Churchill Downs Inc. (CDI) released a statement this week that the winter meet will go on as originally planned at Fair Grounds.

“We are pleased to have reached an agreement with the horsemen to continue racing at Fair Grounds Race Course following productive conversations with Governor Landry and Senator Henry,” said CDI spokesperson Tonya Abeln. “We remain committed to collaboration with stakeholders in pursuit of positive outcomes for the horse racing industry in Louisiana and look forward to continuing to move forward–our focus is firmly on the future.”

The news comes a week after Churchill Downs threatened to pull its racing license from Fair Grounds. According to the company, CDI had “no choice” but to pull its racing license after losing a legal battle with the Louisiana Supreme Court.

In short, Historical Horse Racing (HHR) machines were deemed a new form of gambling, therefore illegal to operate at the historic site in New Orleans. Without HHR machines to supplement their revenue, the company could not afford to cover the cost of racing.

It was clearly a threat to horsemen in the Louisiana community. Fortunately, they were able to rally the troops and win this game of chicken. It’s unclear what concessions were made by the Governor of Louisiana, or when exactly the meet will happen.

Traditionally, Fair Grounds hosts racing from Thanksgiving through March, when Derby hopefuls race in the Louisiana Derby. Fair Grounds is a vital winter training ground in the sport. Gulfstream Park in South Florida is the only other major track that operates during that time.

This is just one win in the battle for horse racing in the state of Louisiana. It’s a complex issue, one that could be saved if the second-oldest racetrack receives designation as a state historic site. The Paulick report details those issues and provides a potential path forward for horse racing to succeed in the state.

In the meantime, it’s a great day to celebrate the folks at Fair Grounds. CDI rarely loses, and this time, they left this game of chicken empty-handed.