Purse increases to 19 of 31 stakes races and the creation of a Racing
Festival of the South Preview Day are among the highlights of Oaklawn’s 2014
stakes schedule. The minimum purse for all open stakes races was increased from
$60,000 to $100,000, while the minimum purse for state-bred stakes was increased
from $60,000 to $75,000.
Oaklawn begins its 57-day race meet January 10, 2014.
The Razorback Handicap and Azeri Stakes each received a $50,000 increase to
$200,000, and the Razorback has been moved back a week to March 15 where it will
help create a Racing Festival of the South Preview card along with the Azeri and
the $600,000 Rebel Stakes. These races are the final local preps for the
$500,000 Oaklawn Handicap, $500,000 Apple Blossom Handicap and $1 million
Arkansas Derby, respectively.
“The popularity of Instant Racing and electronic games of skill continues to
grow in Arkansas, which is tremendous for our stakes program,” Director of
Racing David Longinotti said. “We don’t think it’s a coincidence that our purses
have steadily grown over the last 10 years and in that same period, 10 Triple
Crown races have been won by horses that raced at Oaklawn with Oxbow being the
latest. We also expect our overnight purses to be a record for our track this
coming season.”
Additionally, Oaklawn is returning to a more traditional Racing Festival of
the South schedule with stakes races once again extending over the final two
weekends of the meet.
The $400,000 Fantasy Stakes for three-year-old fillies on the Kentucky Oaks
path will now be held on Saturday, April 5, after anchoring a Wednesday program
the last two years. The Count Fleet Sprint Handicap has had its purse increased
from $250,000 to $300,000 and will return to its traditional Thursday spot on
April 10. The meet will once again culminate with the 78th running of the
Arkansas Derby on April 12, and the closing day card will also feature the
Oaklawn Handicap, $100,000 Northern Spur Stakes and $100,000 Instant Racing
Stakes.
The complete stakes schedule can be found
here.
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