Fair Grounds Stakes Schedule for 2008-2009 meet

The stakes schedule released today shows significant reductions to the purses of some of the more important stakes at Fair Grounds. Hopefully the racing office is simply being overly conservative when it comes to stakes purses.

Here are some of the stakes with reduced purses, with last year's purse in parentheses.

Esplanade: $60,000 ($100,000)
Bonapaw: $60,000 ($100,000)
Letellier: $60,000 ($100,000)
Sugar Bowl: $60,000 ($100,000)

Leggio: $75,000 ($100,000)
Gaudin: $75,000 ($100,000)
Louisiana Hcp: $75,000 ($100,000)
Tiffany Lass: $75,000 ($100,000)

Pan Zareta: $75,000 ($100,000)
Colonel Power: $75,000 ($100,000)
Mineshaft: $125,000 ($150,000)
Silverbulletday: $150,000 ($200,000)
Risen Star: $200,000 ($300,000)