Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans will host the 13th running of the
Claiming Crown on December 3, 2011. Patterned after the Breeders’ Cup, the
Claiming Crown was designed to reward Thoroughbred racing’s “blue-collar” horses
and will offer races at varying distances on both dirt and turf.
“Fair Grounds is proud to bring the Claiming Crown to New Orleans,” said Eric
Halstrom, Vice President and General Manager of Racing for Fair Grounds. “One of
our stated goals has been to host top end national events at our racetrack, and
the Claiming Crown certainly fits very well. We look forward to teaming with
TOBA, the National HBPA and our local HBPA as we try to make the 2011 Claiming
Crown a record-setting event.”
“The Louisiana HBPA is happy the National HBPA and TOBA are bringing the
Claiming Crown to Louisiana,” Louisiana HBPA President Larry Robideaux said. “We
feel the Fair Grounds is a great choice to host this prestigious event. Claiming
Crown rewards the horses that are the backbone of racing.”
This will mark the first time Fair Grounds has hosted the event, which
debuted at Canterbury Park in Shakopee, Minnesota, in 1999. Canterbury has
hosted 10 of the first 12 renewals of the event. The Claiming Crown was held at
Philadelphia Park (now Parx Racing) in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, in 2002 and at
Ellis Park in Henderson, Kentucky, in 2007.
Further details on the event’s race lineup, purse structure, nomination and
entry deadline schedule, and eligibility dates will be released soon.
For more information about Claiming Crown please visit
www.claimingcrown.com.