Amoss, Byrne plan to have horses at Oaklawn

Trainers Tom Amoss and Patrick Byrne are among the new faces on board for the Oaklawn Park meet that opens Jan. 16.

Amoss, who also will have a winter division at Fair Grounds, said it has been a number of years since he had a string based at Oaklawn. Byrne will stable at the track for the first time. He said he last raced at Oaklawn in 2003. He sent out Eugene’s Third Son to a runner-up finish in that year’s Arkansas Derby.

Oaklawn is projecting purses will average a record $475,000 a program.

“The purses are very good there,” Amoss said. “That has a lot to do with why we’re coming.”

Amoss plans to have a 10-horse division at Oaklawn.

Byrne, who has been a winter regular in south Florida, anticipates having about the same number of horses in Hot Springs.

“We thought the money was great at Oaklawn,” said Byrne, who has a number of runners for Chuck and Maribeth Sandford. “It’s a big change, but change is always good in my book.”

Byrne said his Oaklawn group will include Tapster, a Tapit colt out of the Grade 2-winning mare Royale Michele.

Oaklawn received requests for 2,800 stalls. It can house 1,500 horses.