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Fair Grounds Announces Purse Increase

BOSSIER CITY, Louisiana -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- Four days before the start of its 134th racing season at Harrah's Louisiana Downs, Fair Grounds Race Course announced today an increase of more than $500,000 to its purse schedule.

Overnight purses will feature a $1,000-per-race increase, effective with the opening-day card.

Additionally, the purses for the four stakes races on "Road to the Derby" Kickoff Day on Jan. 14, 2006 - the Grade III Risen Star, the Grade III Silverbulletday, the Grade III Bayou Breeders' Cup Handicap and the Duncan F. Kenner Breeders' Cup - have been increased to $250,000 each. The increase does not include stakes races other than the four mentioned and will increase purses to an average of approximately $315,000 per day, the largest ever for a meet in Louisiana.

The purse increase was implemented due to better than expected business levels at five Fair Grounds affiliated off-track betting ("OTB") facilities in the New Orleans area that reopened on Oct. 26. Fair Grounds Race Course and five other OTBs remain closed in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

Fair Grounds' 37-day race meet at its temporary host site, Harrah's Louisiana Downs, begins Saturday, Nov. 19. Entries for Saturday's opening 10-race program will be taken on Wednesday.

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