Oaklawn Park increasing purses beginning Saturday

Oaklawn Park on Sunday announced that overnight purses will be increased for the second time at this meet starting Saturday.

The increases will range from $1,000 to $3,000 a race in a move that pushes maiden special weights to a track-record $81,000 and some allowances as high as $85,000. Oaklawn also is increasing races with a claiming price of $20,000 or more by $2,000 each, while the same purse bump will be in effect for starter allowances. Other categories will increase in value by $1,000.

Oaklawn’s average daily handle on its live races was up 12 percent over the first half of the meet a year ago, according to the track. Oaklawn handled an average of $3,342,675 a program over the first 27 dates of the meet, up from $2,972,256 during the corresponding period in 2017.

“We believe Arkansas, through Oaklawn, may have the best racing-gaming model in America,” Lou Cella, president of Oaklawn, said in a press release. “Racing will always come first, but thanks to our vibrant gaming business, we are able to offer the rich purses that attract the large fields and adds to the excitement our fans get to enjoy. Even with a rainy February, we still treated our guests to a one-of-a-kind entertainment experience.”

Oaklawn absorbed 16 inches of rain in February, but there were no cancellations during the record precipitation levels. The track has 1,400 player positions at its gaming center, which is located near the paddock.

The purse increases will start on a program that features the Grade 2, $900,000 Rebel; Grade 2, $350,000 Azeri; and $300,000 Essex Handicap, and the combination of those stakes and the overnight purse increases could push the value of the card to more than $2 million, according to Oaklawn. The program will be drawn Wednesday.

Oaklawn races through April 14.