Oaklawn Park officials have canceled live racing on Sunday and Monday because
of a frozen racing surface and continued adverse weather conditions in the Hot
Springs, Arkansas, area. The facility will be open, however, on both days for simulcast and instant racing.
“We now face a day where the temperature will not get past the freezing mark
and a forecast for additional freezing rain throughout the day,” Oaklawn General
Manager Eric Jackson said. “Our decisions are always based on safety to horses,
jockeys, fans and employees, so there was no questions how we had to decide.”
Based on forecasts of improving conditions by midweek, track officials are
planning 11-race cards on Thursday, Friday and Saturday to run the stakes
originally carded for this weekend. The $50,000 Pippin S. is slated for
Thursday, the $50,000 Martha Washington S. for Friday, and the $250,000
Southwest S., highlighted by runaway Risen Star S. (G3) winner LAWYER RON (Langfuhr),
on Saturday.
“These are races of national importance and we want our
horsemen to have the chance to prepare their horses safely for all the major
events coming up in the next few months,” Jackson said.