Oaklawn hires Rick Hammerle as racing coordinator

Rick Hammerle, who has logged more than 30 years as a racing official at such top tracks as Santa Anita, Gulfstream Park, and Del Mar, has been brought on as racing coordinator for Oaklawn Park, the Hot Springs, Ark., track announced Thursday. He will work with Jed Doro, vice president of racing at Oaklawn, and Pat Pope, the track’s longtime racing secretary, during the meet that opens Jan. 24.

Hammerle most recently served as vice president of racing and racing secretary at Santa Anita. He launched his career in 1987 at Golden Gate Fields, and went on to serve as a racing official at Gulfstream, Monmouth Park, the Meadowlands and Del Mar.

“We are very excited to have Rick join the racing department team,” Doro said in a press release . “His experience and connections are going to be invaluable as we continue to grow our racing program.

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“We have a lot great things happening at Oaklawn right now and we’re glad Rick is going to be part of it. We’re in the process of building six new barns, we’re anticipating record purses for the 12th straight year, and we’ll soon be releasing an exciting 2020 stakes schedule.”

Hammerle was named Santa Anita’s racing secretary in 2003 and in 2011 was promoted to vice president of racing for the track. He has been a member of the graded stakes committee as well as the selection committee for Breeders’ Cup. He was a longtime racing coordinator for Del Mar.

Oaklawn will race through May 2 as part of an extended meet calendar first introduced in 2019. In the past, the track had raced through mid-April.