Arkansas Derby moved to May 2; purse trimmed to $750,000

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Oaklawn Park announced Friday that it has rescheduled the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby for May 2. The mile and an eighth race was to be held on April 11.

The Arkansas Derby came under consideration for a potential date change this week when Churchill Downs announced it was postponing the Kentucky Derby to Sept. 5.

The Arkansas Derby will have a purse of $750,000, according to a press release from Oaklawn. It had been worth $1 million, but an across-the-board purse reduction that was to start Saturday dictated the change. The move was made at the hands of the coronavirus pandemic, which has temporarily closed the casino and prohibited ontrack attendance at Oaklawn.

The Arkansas Derby will maintain its Kentucky Derby qualifying points – including 100 to the winner.

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“Churchill Downs understands the circumstances created by the current health crisis, and, therefore, will allow the full 170 points towards Kentucky Derby eligibility as long as we meet the minimum purse threshold of $750,000,” Lou Cella, president of Oaklawn, said in the press release. “The purse reductions are across the board. If operations return to normal between now and May, we will adjust them accordingly.”

Bill Walmsley, president of the Arkansas Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, said Thursday that horsemen and Oaklawn agreed to reduce purses by about 30 percent to avoid a potential $7 million overpayment if the casino and ontrack attendance are not able to resume prior to the meet closing May 2. If the casino and ontrack operations are able to return, purses will go back to their normal levels, said Walmsley.

Oaklawn also announced Friday that it is moving the Grade 3 Fantasy – now worth $400,000 versus $600,000 – to May 1. It had been a prep for the Kentucky Oaks, which will now be run Sept. 4. The Fantasy will also maintain its qualifying points value for the Kentucky Oaks.

The Oaklawn Invitational, a race for 3-year-olds introduced last year with a purse of $300,000, will move to April 11 and have a purse of $200,000. The mile and an eighth race had been scheduled for May 2, designed to produce starters for the Preakness.

In other stakes movements, the Grade 3 Count Fleet Sprint will be run April 18, versus April 11. It will share a card with the Grade 1, $600,000 Apple Blossom. The Grade 2, $600,000 Oaklawn Handicap will be run May 2, versus April 18. It shares a card with the Arkansas Derby.