Southwest Stakes moved a second time; will be held next Sunday

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Oaklawn Park has moved the date of the Grade 3, $750,000 Southwest Stakes for a second time. The race will now be held Sunday, Feb. 21, according to Jason Milligan, the track’s vice president of racing. The same card will include the Grade 3, $600,000 Razorback Handicap and the Grade 3, $250,000 Bayakoa.

Oaklawn was forced to cancel racing over the Presidents Day holiday weekend due to a forecast for extreme winter weather. The Southwest and Bayakoa were to be originally be run Monday, but that date was subsequently changed to next Saturday, Feb. 20. The new date of next Sunday was set with freezing temperatures in the local forecast through at least Wednesday.

“We’re looking at the weather forecast and we’re just trying to give ourselves the best opportunity for the horsemen and the horses to get these races in,” Milligan said Saturday.

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Entries for the Sunday card will be taken on Wednesday.

Milligan said the Dixie Belle and the Downthedustryroad Stakes, which were to share a card next Sunday, have been moved to Saturday, Feb. 20. Entries for those races will be on Tuesday.

Oaklawn was unable to offer training Friday or Saturday due to freezing temperatures. Those temperatures were forecast to drop even lower starting Sunday.

“We’re hoping the weather apps change for the better for us,” said Milligan.