Oaklawn Park boosts purses again for 2017 meet

Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., will offer record purses for its 2017 meet that opens in January, the track announced Wednesday. It will be the ninth straight season that the track has opened with purses higher than its previous meet.

Oaklawn, which operates a gaming center, announced that maiden special weight purses will be worth $72,000, and allowances will be worth as much as $80,000. In addition, the bottom-level purse will be $23,000. The maiden special weight purse is $4,000 higher than in 2016, according to the Oaklawn release. Purses for allowance races will be up as much as $5,000, while the bottom-level purse is an increase of $2,000 over 2016.

Stall applications are due Oct. 27.