Oaklawn increasing average daily purses 12 percent in 2016

Purses during the Oaklawn Park meet that opens in January are projected to average a record $475,000 a program, the Hot Springs, Ark., track announced on Thursday. Oaklawn anticipates distributing $27 million in total purses during the season that starts Jan. 15 and runs through April 16. Of that amount, a record $7.5 million is dedicated to the stakes schedule that Oaklawn announced in July.

Oaklawn will open its meet with maiden special weight purses at $68,000, which represents an $8,000 increase over the start of the season in 2015. Purses for no-conditions allowances will be as high as $75,000, up $9,000 from last season, while the minimum purse will be $21,000, an increase of $3,000 from 2015.

Oaklawn, which has an ontrack gaming center, has increased purses in each of its last eight seasons. The track’s 2016 average daily distribution announced Thursday represents a 12 percent increase from the 2015 season and a 76 percent increase over 2008, according to a release from Oaklawn.

Stall applications for the upcoming meet are due Oct. 29.