Strong entries to kick off 2019 Will Rogers Downs meet

Will Rogers Downs in Claremore, Okla., opens its Thoroughbred meet on Monday with a more expansive roster of trainers than last year. The 28-date season runs through May 25.

Will Rogers racing secretary and announcer John Lies made a concerted effort to recruit a variety of barns for the new season, and the track’s stable area is filled with more than 50 outfits this meet versus 35 in 2018.

The barn area, as in years past, has a full population of more than 550 horses.

“Our barns are always full,” Lies said. “The main difference this year is we have more trainers on the backside than we did last year. I really do believe that’s a very important factor in helping us create more competitive racing.”

Lies said Will Rogers also tweaked its dates, opening two weeks later than last year.

“That helps us for a couple of reasons,” he said. “One is better springtime weather, and two, the dates jive better with other racetracks that pushed their meets back later, Sam Houston and Oaklawn.”

Will Rogers is racing every Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday through May 1, then Saturdays, Mondays, and Tuesdays through May 25. First post is 1:15 p.m. Central.

Lies said there will be a double draw for Monday and Tuesday cards each Thursday. The first round of entries was strong. Lies said Monday’s opener averages 8.8 horses per race and Tuesday’s card averages 9.1 horses per race. Both are 10-race programs.

Purses at the meet are projected to average $135,000 a program, said Lies. Maiden special weight races are worth $19,800 and no-conditions allowances are worth $27,500.

The eight-race stakes schedule launches Monday, April 1, with the $50,000 Wilma Mankiller for fillies and mares at six furlongs. It is one of two open-company stakes at the meet. The other, the $50,000 Highland Ice, is for 3-year-olds and up at six furlongs on Tuesday, April 2. The remaining stakes cater to various Oklahoma-bred divisions, and will be run on Mondays and Tuesdays. Each of those stakes has a purse of $55,000.

End Zone Athletics was the leading owner last year at Will Rogers, and the stable’s principal, trainer Karl Broberg, is back in town with a division of horses. Scott Young, who has won the meet’s past three training titles, also has returned to Will Rogers. The riding colony includes defending champ Bryan McNeil. Jockey Luis Quinonez said he plans to ride at Will Rogers on the dates that do not conflict with Oaklawn.

Welder, a two-time horse of the meet stabled at a local training center, is expected to be active during the new season, said Lies. Lies also looks for participation from Fiddlers Tsunami, who was the horse of the meet in 2018.

Will Rogers has more than 250 electronic gaming machines. The track also has an updated simulcast facility, said Lies.

The feature Monday is a first-level allowance for 3-year-olds and up at six furlongs, and the chief players appear to be Daftar, who last raced at Oaklawn; Sendmethemoney, who last raced at Remington Park; and Street General, who last raced at Delta Downs.