Ostrich Races Tonight

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Ostrich Races Return to Fairgrounds courtesy NOLA DEFENDER

Posted Friday, August 15th, 2014 by Liz Davas

An American quarter horse can reach speeds up to 55 miles per hour while its unlikely race partner, the ostrich can get about to about 30 miles per hour. New Orleanians can decide which one they prefer this Saturday at the seventh annual Summer Quarter Horse Meet and Exotic Animal Races.

Held at the Fairgrounds, the event features traditional quarter horse races, zebra races, and ostrich races.  The first post is 4p.m., with the zebra race scheduled at 5p.m. The star of the night, the ostrich, makes its debut on the track at 6:40 p.m.

Grandstand tickets are $5 — kids under 12 get in free. Clubhouse admission is $10 for both adults and children ages 5 to 12 — kids under 5 get in free.  Both the Grandstand and Clubhouse are first come first serve open seating.

Two local food trucks, Crepes a la Carte and Messina’s, alongside the Clubhouse Dining Room will provide the grub while snowballs for the kids and frozen margaritas for their parents are on hand in the Paddock.

Tickets are available for purchase here.

Zebras, Ostriches, and Beers Oh My!

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Exotic Animal Racing Returns!

UPDATE:   The threat (bad weather) has caused at least one local entity to activate their tropical weather plans. The Fair Grounds Race Course was planning to open their annual Quarter Horse meet, and race some zebras and ostriches on Saturday night.

However, the threat of tropical weather has led the Gentilly track to evacuate the 1,000 horses and other animals in their barns.   Fair Grounds Director of Marketing Mark Conner said the process to evacuate takes several days in advance of a storm.  If you wait too long, you get to a point where it’s not safe,” he said.

The opening of the Quarter Horse season is now slated for Wed., Aug. 21. Exotic animal racing is canceled for Saturday, August 17, but will go on as planned on August 24.

NEW ORLEANS – Zebras, more ostriches, more beer, more horses and more races will make the sixth Summer Quarter Horse Meet at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots the biggest New Orleans has ever seen. The exotic animal racing nights that have become an August rite of summer will be, Aug. 17 (cancelled due to probability of rain)  August 24 (still scheduled), while the American Quarter Horse season will be expanded to 14 racing dates, Wednesdays to Saturdays from Aug. 16 to Sept. 7.

First post is 1 p.m. (all times Central Daylight Time) Wednesdays to Fridays. First post on Saturdays is 4 p.m. The Saturday twilight programs will play host to three marquee events – three different ostrich races on Aug 17, Zebra racing and the first ever New Orleans Ostrich Championship on Aug 24, as well as the second annual “Tails & Ales Beer Festival Presented by Abita” on Closing Night, Sept. 7.

Tickets and Pricing General Admission for live racing is free except for exotic animal racing night, Aug. 24, when General Admission is $15. Kids 12 and under get in free for General Admission only. General Admission will be available for sale at fgno.com/tickets beginning July 22, 2013.  Clubhouse Admission is $25 for adults and $10 for kids, ages 5-12.  Kids under age 5 get in for free. All Grandstand and Clubhouse box seats and open seating are first-come, first-served with general admission.

The Clubhouse Dining Room will offer a family-friendly limited menu including mini-pizza, chicken quesadilla, pulled pork poboy, Thai chili or BBQ wings, Nathans® chili cheese hot dogs, chili cheese fries, supreme nachos and drunken shrimp cocktail.  Concessions stands will also be open.  Beginning July 23, reservations for dining room tables with purchase of Clubhouse Admission are available Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. by calling 504-948-1024. Surcharges may apply for certain Clubhouse Rows.  Tickets may be purchased in advance for both exotic animal racing nights by visiting fgno.com/tickets. Private Suites are available and may be reserved by calling Group Sales at 505-948-1285.

General Admission on Closing Night, Sept. 7, will be free allowing access to the first floor of the Grandstand as the “Tails & Ales Beer Festival Presented by Abita” will be taking place on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th floor Clubhouse. Tickets to the Beer Festival are $35 for General Admission and $70 for VIP in advance.  All tickets to this event are available for purchase through Ticketmaster.com. Tickets will be $40 at the door for General Admission and $75 for VIP (discounted Designated Driver admission pricing is also available). The General Admission beer tasting begins at 4 p.m. coinciding with the first race of the evening. VIP Admission beer tasting starts at 3:00p.m

Ostriches, Camels and Horses Oh My!

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By Jim Mulvihill, Communications & Pari-Mutuel Marketing Manager

Ostriches, camels and horses, oh my! For one night only on August 18, Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots will present live racing with camels and ostriches along with live Zydeco music, a mascot race and a full program of American Quarter Horse races.

The family-friendly evening starts at 4 p.m. and features 11 Quarter Horse races, one camel race, one ostrich race and the chaotic local mascot race.

General admission is $10. Children 12 and under are free. There are no advance tickets for general admission, which must be paid at the door. General admission includes entry for live Zydeco music on the first floor of the air-conditioned Grandstand.

The Struthio Stakes for ostriches of all ages, named to honor the participants by their genus,is set for 7:10 p.m., and post time for the Dromedary Dash, named for the one-humped species of camel, is 8:40 p.m.

Fair Grounds jockeys will ride the ostriches and a roster of celebrities (to be announced) will pilot the camels. Both exotic animal races are non-wagering events.

The local mascot race, hosted by Fair Grounds’ own Gentilly Billy, will include fuzzy friends like Hugo (New Orleans Hornets), Boudreaux (New Orleans Zephyrs), Bones (New Orleans Voodoo), Monty the Lion (Hotel Monteleone), Havoc (Loyola University) and Gold Digga (Xavier University of Louisiana). Post time for the mascot race is 7:55 p.m.

The 11 Quarter Horse races will be run from 4 p.m. to 9:55 p.m., highlighted by the featured $40,000 Audubon Stakes for Louisiana-bred fillies and mares at 350 yards.

Tails & Ales Presented by Abita Beer in the Clubhouse

Also that evening, the inaugural Tails & Ales Presented by Abita Beer, a tasting featuring a variety of craft and specialty beers from around the world, will be held on the fourth and fifth floors of the Clubhouse. An exclusive VIP premium tasting with exclusive craft beers not available in the general tasting area, plus hors d’oeuvres by WOW Café & Wingery, PJ’s and City Diner, will be on the fifth floor.

Tails & Ales Presented by Abita Beer is a production of Blue Deuce Entertainment, organizers of the popular New Orleans International Beer Festival at Champions Square.

Admission for “Tails & Ales,” which includes live racing admission, is $30 in advance through Ticketmaster.com or $35 at the door. The VIP experience – which includes an exclusive “VIP Hour” with entrance before the general public from 4-5 p.m. – is $60. Discounted “Designated Driver” admission is available for $15 (General Admission) or $25 (VIP). “Tails & Ales” tickets are limited so fans are encouraged to purchase online in advance.

Private suites are available for groups by calling Fair Grounds Group Sales at (504) 948-1285.

photo and article courtesy Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots
http://www.fairgroundsracecourse.com/content/camel-ostrich-racing-coming-august-18-tails-ales-beer-tasting-debuts-same-night