Oaklawn to boost purses on Southwest, Rebel, and Arkansas Derby cards

Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., will offer maiden special weight purses of as much as $87,000 on three designated programs next year as part of a $32 million purse structure for the 2019 meet that will extend to May.

Oaklawn’s meet opens Jan. 25 and will run 57 dates through May 4.

Maiden special weights are worth $77,000 going into the meet, but will be worth $87,000 on the Southwest, Rebel, and Arkansas Derby cards, said Jennifer Hoyt, a track spokeswoman.

A similar policy will be in place with some allowances, which will begin at the $78,000 level and be worth as much as $88,000 on those same three cards. Hoyt said the idea was brought forward by Oaklawn racing secretary Pat Pope.

“The thought is to make our big days bigger,” Hoyt said.

The hope is the concentrated purses will lead trainers shipping horses in for either the Southwest on Feb. 18, the Rebel on March 16, or the Arkansas Derby on April 13 to bring other runners for the card.

Oaklawn last month announced an $8.8 million stakes schedule. Last week, it released its first condition book.

Hoyt said Oaklawn plans to recruit horses for the new season by sending representatives to the Keeneland yearling auction in September and to tracks in New York and California. Hoyt said Oaklawn also is discussing a possible trip to Woodbine.

Oaklawn is building three new barns. Hoyt said one is nearly complete, while all are on schedule to be finished in advance of when horses begin to arrive Nov. 26. Stall applications for Oaklawn are due Nov. 8.