With the Louisiana Derby 2023 approaching fast, it’s time to gear up your knowledge once the big race takes place. Of course, you’d want to read up on the contenders, predictions, and watching options. But the race is even better if you want to amaze your friends with fun facts!
Want to know what happened from 1909 to 1919 or who was the first Louisiana Derby winner? Find out such facts below if you want to leave your friends in awe, wondering how you’re an ultimate Louisiana Derby fan:
Louisiana Derby Is a Prep Race
If you’re confused about the Louisiana Derby and where it stands in the Kentucky Derby Championship, remember that it is one of the many prep races for the Kentucky Derby.
Moreover, such prep races have four groupings: the Kentucky Derby Prep Season, the Championship Series (which includes the Louisiana Derby), Japan Road, and the Europe Road. However, how does a horse qualify for the big leagues of the Kentucky Championship?
Well, the classic qualifying factor is with an earning method of a point-based system on all of the prep races. For the Louisiana Derby, the top five winners will qualify for a 100-40-30-20-10 system – a stepping stone for racers eyeing a spot in the series.
On the other hand, points vary for horses competing outside the US. In Japan, the highest earning method goes to the Fukuryu race with a 40-16-12-8-4 point system, and the Europe Road consists of point splits of 10-4-3-2-1, 20-8-6-4-2, and 30-12-9-6-3.
Nevertheless, all prep races offer a golden ticket to the fast five racers to qualify for the Kentucky Derby. Moreover, plenty of prep races will mean you’d need a fast-updating newscast from sports betting sites suh as TVG to keep you updated. Whether you’re looking for the four races in Japan or the seven in Europe, you can always count on this fast network to keep you on the go!
It’s as Old as the Kentucky Derby
The Louisiana Derby stands as one of the oldest Kentucky Derby prep races, dating back to 1894. With this, you could say that the Louisiana Derby has as much history and is as old as the Kentucky Derby itself.
What Happened From 1909 to 1919
1909 to 1919 was a sad time for all horse racing fans since the Locke Law came into the picture. In 1908, the Louisiana Legislature banned horse racing, which meant that the Louisiana Derby wasn’t up and running for ten years.
Likewise, horse racing during this era became a channel for betting not placed on official books. As such, horse racing and betting also became a massive concern as people concluded that it could drive away legal business operations. It was in 1916 when the legislature repealed the Locke Law, and racetracks returned to their former glory.
Black Gold Is First Louisiana and Kentucky Winner
Black Gold stamped his name in gold in 1924 when he became the first winner of the Louisiana Derby and moved on to win the Kentucky Derby. This American Thoroughbred began his career in 1923, and he welcomed the following year with four consecutive wins, one of which was the Kentucky Derby.
With Black Gold’s Kentucky Derby win, his owner, Rosa Hoots, became the first woman to have bred a Derby winner. In his lifetime, Black Gold held a record of 18 wins, and his career ended with his remains buried at Fair Grounds infields. Even now, Black Gold’s legend continues as it became a tradition for winning horses to place flowers on his grave as a tribute.
1999: The Race Upgraded From Grade III To Grade II Status
Races are also graded according to those consistently providing the highest quality competition. Here, the American Graded Stakes Committee identified Grade III as the lowest and Grade I as the highest, with criteria for the amount of planned purse, the race’s running time, and whether it’s a turf race.
With this, you could say that all is well for the Louisiana Derby since it went on a significant upgrade in 1999 from a Grade III status to a Grade II. So, you could always expect this derby to deliver exciting horse racing performances primarily since it provides quality competition with a generous purse of 1,000,000 dollars and almost a century of running time.
Only Two Fillies Have Won in the Louisiana Derby
If you don’t know what a filly is, it’s a female horse that’s still too young to be considered a mare. Moreover, only Carolyn A. in 1947 and Grecian Princess in 1964 have won in the long history of the Louisiana Derby.
For Carolyn A, the mud track at Fair Grounds favored her to win the 20,000 dollars, and it was a shocking win by a head for Grecian Princess. With this, both fillies marked their name in history as only those who have won in the Louisiana Derby.
Final Thoughts
With these six facts, you’ve gained new and fun trivia to surprise your friends and incoming fans this season. Likewise, you’ve not only learned about the glittering wins of Black Gold, Carolyn A, or Grecian Princess, but also a few of the derby’s rough history. Nevertheless, turbulent history or not, delving deeper into the Louisiana Derby allows you to connect deeply as a fan and enjoy the race much more.
