Following legal action, political backing, and a reversal by Churchill Downs after threatening to revoke its license, horse racing will resume at Fair Grounds Race Course from November 20 to March 22, 2026.
From November 20 to March 22, 2026, Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans will once again provide off-track horse racing betting.
According to FOX 8, the racing dates were formally approved during an emergency public hearing convened by the Louisiana Racing Commission (LRC) on Tuesday at Hotel Monteleone. The lawsuit comes after Churchill Downs, Inc. (CDI), the company that owns Fair Grounds and first indicated that it intended to stop racing in Louisiana, changed its leadership.
This came about as a result of recent discussions between CDI and the Horsemen’s Association of Louisiana, as well as actions taken by local authorities, Senate President Cameron Henry, and Governor Jeff Landry.
READ MORE: Betrivers is Testing Their Product for the Upcoming Launch of Multi-state Poker
On June 12, the New Orleans City Council also passed a temporary zoning ordinance that restricts unrelated property development in order to maintain the Fair Grounds’ horse racing function. With origins in the middle of the 19th century, the track is among the oldest in the nation and has been owned by CDI since 2004.
In the past, Churchill Downs threatened to revoke his license.
Early in June, Churchill Downs sent a letter to the LRC announcing that it will give up its racing license at Fair Grounds. Signed by CDI CEO Bill Carstanjen, the letter dated June 9 criticized recent Capitol events and the government’s failure to engage politically with the firm, claiming that these policies rendered racing activities financially unprofitable.
Courtesy: https://www.covers.com, https://www.casino.org, https://pechanga.net
