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PONTCHARTRAIN™
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10 15 02 |
New Orleans Know-It-All
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The first horse interred at the New Orleans Fair Grounds was the legendary Pan Zareta, though three other equine champions are buried there and a marker nearby commemorates a fifth horse whose remains lie elsewhere.
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Courtesy of The New Orleans Fairgrounds
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Hey Blake,
Are there other horses buried in the infield of the Fair Grounds besides Pan
Zareta and Black Gold?
Jan
Dear Jan,
Yes, there are two other horses buried somewhere in the infield; however, there
are no markers for these winners. One unmarked grave belongs to La Doree, winner
of the Fair Grounds Oaks on Dec. 17, 1978. Running a distance of 1 1/8 miles
in 1:52.2 for a purse of $30,000, the filly was trained by Louis Roussel III.
The other horse is Tudor Tambourine, which won the New Orleans Handicap on March
13, 1977. Also running a distance of 1 1/8 miles, Tudor Tambourine won a purse
of $110,000 for an excellent time of 1:49.4. The late Ruth Fertel of Ruth's
Chris Steak House fame was a co-owner.
I'm sure you and many others have noticed
a third white marker in the infield, not far from those of Black Gold and Pan
Zareta. This is a marker for the very famous Tenacious, although the horse is
not buried there. Tenacious was bred by Mrs. Joe W. Brown, the first woman inducted
into the Fair Grounds Hall of Fame. He was trained by John B. Theall and was
extremely popular with the fans -- and for good reason. This great horse won
11 stakes at the Fair Grounds including three Louisiana Handicaps, two New Orleans
Handicaps, and the 1957 Thanksgiving Handicap. Tenacious retired with a record
of 112 starts, 20 wins, 16 seconds and 17 thirds. He died in 1967 at Spendthrift
Farm in Kentucky and is today a member of the Fair Grounds Hall of Fame.
Since you mentioned Black Gold and Pan Zareta,
I feel compelled to mention at least a few of their accomplishments. Winning
his first and last race at the Fair Grounds, Black Gold was the first horse
to win both the Louisiana Derby and the Kentucky Derby in 1924. He also won
the Ohio and Chicago Derbies in that same year. Bred and owned by Rosa Hoots
and trained by Hanley Webb, Black Gold came to a tragic end on Jan. 18, 1928.
His spectacular career ended when he broke down near the finish and completed
the race on a broken leg. The next day he was buried in the Fair Grounds infield.
Pan Zareta is known as the mare who won more
races and carried more weight than any other in the history of the American
turf. Between 1912 and 1917, she started 151 times and won 76 times, with 31
seconds and 21 thirds. Twenty-eight times she carried 130 pounds and seven times
140 pounds! After setting or equaling 11 track records, she died of pneumonia
in 1918. Both Pan Zareta and Black Gold are members of the National Museum of
Racing's Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
I imagine, like me, you are impatiently waiting
for Nov. 28, when the Fair Grounds opens for its 131st season.
Hey Blake,
While looking through some old photos of my grandfather's years of service during
World War II, I found one of him and several of his buddies on furlough in New
Orleans. They appear to be in a bar/restaurant/club type of atmosphere. On the
top of the picture "1428 Canal Street" is scrawled. I was wondering if you could
give me some information on what this establishment was called, if it is still
there, and if not, is the building still there?
Andrew M.
Pennsylvania
Dear Andrew,
New Orleans has long been famous for its establishments where one can find
liquid refreshment of an adult nature. Although during Prohibition finding one
took some effort, after 1933, quenching your thirst in the Big Easy became very
easy indeed. Your grandfather and his buddies discovered The French Casino,
a bar that opened in the late 1930s. It existed with this name until the early
1960s when for a brief time it was called The Gay Nineties Lounge. But by the
1970s, the area was under construction; and if you drive by today, you will
see the Tidewater Building with Bank One and Dialysis Clinics Inc. that occupy
most of the block.
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