Louisiana Derby

The Louisiana Derby, inaugurated in 1894, is a Grade II race held annually at Fair Grounds Race Track in New Orleans. Serving as a pivotal prep race on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, it offers a $1 million purse and awards qualifying points to the top five finishers. Notably, the race has produced Kentucky Derby winners such as Black Gold (1924), Grindstone (1996), and Funny Cide (2003).

Bet on TwinSpires.com

Bet the Louisiana Derby

Bet the Louisiana Derby

Location: Fair Grounds Race Course, New Orleans

Inaugural Race: 1894

TV Coverage: Stream live on TwinSpires.com!

Current Distance: 1 & 3/16 Miles

Track Type: Left-Handed, Dirt

Age Qualification: 3YOs

Purse: $1,000,000

Race Date: Saturday, March 22nd

Today's Races

All Races

VIEW ALL

Race Type

2025 Louisiana Derby Morning Line Odds

Official race entries and morning line odds will be listed below once they are released.

2024 Louisiana Derby Results

POST
HORSE
JOCKEY / TRAINER
WIN / PLACE / SHOW
5
Catching Freedom
Flavien Prat / Brad H. Cox
$8.60 / $4.40 / $3.20
7
Honor Marie
Ben Curtis / D. Whitworth Beckman
$6.40 / $4.40
11
Tuscan Gold
Tyler Gaffalione / Chad C. Brown
$7.60
12
Track Phantom
Joel Rosario / Steven M. Asmussen
10
Common Defense
Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. / Kenneth G. McPeek
3
Antiquarian
John R. Velazquez / Todd A. Pletcher
4
Agate Road
Irad Ortiz, Jr. / Todd A. Pletcher
8
Next Level
Jose Riquelme / J. Keith Desormeaux
6
Awesome Ruta
Mitchell Murrill / Joseph M. Foster
2
Hall of Fame
Ricardo Santana, Jr. / Steven M. Asmussen

Exotic Payoffs:

  • $1 Exacta (5-7) Paid: $39.10
  • $0.50 Trifecta (5-7-11) Paid: $178.95
  • $0.10 Superfecta (5-7-11-12) Paid: $138.97

Watch the 2024 Louisiana Derby

History of the Louisiana Derby

The Louisiana Derby is a Grade II prep race along the Road to the Kentucky Derby. It is annually hosted at Fair Grounds Race Track and currently offers a sizeable purse of $1 million dollars. Typically run in late March, the Louisiana Derby also provides the top-five finishers 100-50-25-15-10 derby points for entry in to the first leg of the Triple Crown. This remains one of the longest running and storied competitions in the history of American Thoroughbred racing.

The very first running of the race was held at Crescent City Race Course in 1894, but the race was named the Crescent City Derby. The race was officially moved to the Fair Grounds and rebranded as the Louisiana Derby. The only other track to host the Louisiana Derby is Jefferson Park, who held that honor for eleven years from 1920 through 1931.

Weather and outstanding circumstances have forced cancellations for the race. In 2006, the race was cancelled due to the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina. There was also a period where the race was not allowed to run from 1909 through 1919 because racing was illegal in the state of Louisiana.

The current distance of the race is 1 3/16th miles. At its original distance of 1 1/8th miles, Clev Er Tell established the speed record in 1977, clocking a time of 1:42.60. From 1988 through 2009, the Louisiana Derby was run at a distance of 1 1/16th mile with Crypto Star achieved the speed record over that distance at 1:42.60 in 1997. In 2010, the race returned to its original 1 1/8th mile distance but in 2020 the race was extended to 1 3/16th miles. At this length Epicenter has so far turned in the best time of 1:54.38, doing so in 2022.

Only two winners from the race have won the Kentucky Derby. Black and Gold was the first to accomplish this feat, having done so in 1924. The most recent horse to accomplish this feat was Grindstone, who did so in 1996. Another famous Louisiana Derby winner is Risen Star, who would go on to win the 1988 Preakness and Belmont Stakes as well. Master Derby, winner of the 1975 Preakness Stakes, also scored in the Louisiana Derby.

Two winners went on to take the Preakness Stakes: Master Derby (1975) and Risen Star (1988), who also won the Belmont Stakes. The best recent winner was Gun Runner (2016), who went on to finish third in the Kentucky Derby before a great 4-year-old campaign that culminated with victory in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

The best guide for punters is the Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds the previous month. Four notable winners – Girvin, Gun Runner, and International Star and Noble Indy – all won the Risen Star Stakes, while others to complete the double include Friesan Fire (2009), Pyro (2008), and Repent (2002) and Epicenter (2022).

All-Time Winners and Historical Results of Louisiana Derby

Year
Winner
Jockey / Trainer
Dist. (Miles) / Time
2024
Catching Freedom
Flavien Prat / Brad H. Cox
Sample Data
2023
Kingsbarns
Flavien Prat / Todd A. Pletcher
​1 3⁄16 M / 1:57.33
2022
Epicenter
Joel Rosario / Steven M. Asmussen
​1 3⁄16 M / 1:54.38
2021
Hot Rod Charlie
Joel Rosario / Leandro Mora
​1 3⁄16 M / 1:55.06
2020
Wells Bayou
Florent Geroux / Brad H. Cox
​1 3⁄16 M / 1:56.47
2019
By My Standards
Gabriel Saez / W. Bret Calhoun
​1 1⁄8 M / 1:49.53
2018
Noble Indy
John R. Velazquez / Todd Pletcher
​1 1⁄8 M / 1:50.28
2017
Girvin
Brian Hernandez Jr. / Joe Sharp
​1 1⁄8 M / 1:49.77
2016
Gun Runner
Florent Geroux / Steve Asmussen
​1 1⁄8 M / 1:51.06
2015
International Star
Miguel Mena / Michael Maker
​1 1⁄8 M / 1:50.67

TWINSPIRES HORSE RACING BETTING, ODDS & LIVE VIDEO

TwinSpires Horse Racing is a leading destination for legal wagering in the United States. TwinSpires' parent company, Churchill Downs — the home of the Kentucky Derby — has a 148-year history and has been a leader in betting since 1875.

The premier online betting experience of TwinSpires caters to several exciting industries, offering advance-deposit wagering for horse racing, live track video signals and more. It also offers mobile apps and easy-to-use desktop experiences that are always being improved.

TwinSpires strives to support racing fans of all levels; longtime racing fans, sharps, newcomers, and veterans alike. TwinSpires also benefits bettors with data-driven insights and rich offerings of educational content, handicapping, picks, analysis editorial, and strategies through all platforms.

Discover our offerings in global horse racing from the North America, South America, Europe, Asia and Australia! Whether you are seeking free picks and offers for today's horse racing, expert insight, or the variety of strategies involved with handicapping, we have you covered. Check out race tracks near you, now!