A power outage shortly before live racing was set to begin on Jan. 29 has caused the cancellation of both live and simulcast racing at Oaklawn Park.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Win Willy, winner of the 2009 Rebel Stakes (gr. II), signaled his readiness for a return to stakes action when he drew off for a 2 1/2-length win Jan. 21 at Oaklawn in a one-mile optional claimer.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Summer Bird, who received the Eclipse Award as the top 3-year-old male earlier in the week, was back in his stall Jan. 22 after a walk and being spoiled by his owners, Drs. K. K. and Vilasini Jayaraman.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Westrock Stable's Decelerator and Jay Em Ess Stable's Rapid Racer head a field of seven talented 3-year-old fillies going six furlongs in the $50,000 Dixie Belle Stakes as Oaklawn opens its 54-day meet Jan. 15.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
A Kentucky lawmaker has again requested an opinion from the state attorney general as to whether Instant Racing machines are legal under pari-mutuel statutes.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009A collision at Oaklawn Park in Arkansas injured jockey Tim Doocy and forced officials to euthanize two horses Dec. 7.
Tuesday, December 08, 2009
Tim Ice, trainer of Belmont Stakes (gr. I) winner Summer Bird, will shift his stable from Louisiana to New York following the end of the Oaklawn Park meet next spring, he said Nov. 2.
Thursday, November 05, 2009
Stan Bowker, who has more than 40 years of race track experience, has accepted the position as state steward for the Arkansas State Racing Commission, director Ron Oliver announced Sept. 23.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Kentucky Sen. Damon Thayer, who sponsored the legislation that resulted in Kentucky's Breeders' Incentive Fund, has inquired about another method of garnering funds for the state's Thoroughbred industry.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Oaklawn Park realized an increase in handle and attendance during its 54-day meet that ended April 11, according to a published report.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Jockey Tim Doocy became the 25th rider to win 5,000 races when he guided Color Out to victory in the nightcap at Oaklawn Park on April 4.
Saturday, April 04, 2009
Proud Spell will miss the April 4 Apple Blossom Handicap (gr. I) at Oaklawn Park in Arkansas, according to trainer Larry Jones.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009Citing continued success in all product lines during its current live racing season, Oaklawn Park officials March 21 announced a second purse increase.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Champion Proud Spell returns to the races March 12 at Oaklawn Park, making her 2009 debut in a 1 1/16-mile allowance/optional claiming event. Her regular rider, Gabriel Saez, will be aboard as the 4-year-old filly prepares for the Apple Blossom Handicap (gr. I) April 4 at Oaklawn.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
He had to work a little harder than the typical 2-5 shot has to, but Old Fashioned pulled clear late and came out on top in his 2009 debut Feb. 16 with a 3 1/4-length victory over a stubborn Silver City in the $250,000 Southwest Stakes (gr. III) at Oaklawn Park.
Monday, February 16, 2009
The Horseplayers Association of North America has introduced this year a rating system for 65 Thoroughbred racetracks in North America. Featured exclusively on BloodHorse.com is a countdown of the top 10 tracks. Oaklawn Park is #9.
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
Larry Jones might have one of the top Kentucky Derby (gr. I) hopefuls this year, and he plans to bring the horse to Arkansas.
Friday, January 16, 2009Delaware Park announced Dec. 8 that Pat Pope had been appointed racing secretary for the track's upcoming 72nd meet.
Thursday, January 08, 2009Advance deposit wagering outlets owned by TrackNet Media, TwinSpires.com and XpressBet, as well as Youbet.com, will be taking bets on the upcoming 2009 Oaklawn racing season under an agreement announced Dec. 31.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Add a little more distance and throw in a few extra runners, and a rerun of the May 3 La Troienne Stakes (gr. III) is essentially what you'll have in the $100,000 Dogwood (gr. III) at Churchill Downs.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Last year, Steve Asmussen and Robby Albarado teamed up with eventual Horse of the Year Curlin to clobber eight other contenders in the $1 million Arkansas Derby (gr. I). On April 12 at Oaklawn Park the trainer/jockey duo will collaborate again with Zayat Stables' Z Fortune, but this time their starter has a lot to prove.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) winner War Pass, current Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) favorite Pyro, and filly sensation Eight Belles head a list of 110 nominations for the 72nd running for the Arkansas Derby (gr. II) at Oaklawn Park.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Every morning for more than four decades David Vance made the same trek up Interstate I-71 to Turfway Park. Beginning in 1966, his first year as a trainer, Vance's schedule was the same, waking up at the crack of dawn, jumping in his car, and venturing to the Florence, Ky., racetrack to tend to his stable of horses. But Dec. 9, while making the drive for who-knows-how-many-thousandth-time, life changed in an instant.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
The ninth race at Oaklawn Park March 13 was declared a non-event when track workers were unable to move the malfunctioning starting gate out of the way in time for the stretch run of the 1 1/16-mile allowance heat.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
The 3-year-old Dixie Union colt will either run in the WinStar Derby or Lane's End Stakes.
Saturday, February 23, 2008Due to harsh weather conditions, live racing at Oaklawn Park has been cancelled for Friday, Jan. 25. The facility will remain open for simulcasting.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Two colts by Holy Bull battled through the stretch at Oaklawn Park Jan. 21, and it was Kenneth Maier's Liberty Bull who earned a neck victory over Alex and Joann Lieblong's Isabull in the $50,000 Smarty Jones Stakes for 3-year-olds at one mile.
Monday, January 21, 2008John Morgan, a retired horseman who trained Thoroughbreds for approximately 35 years, died Dec. 16 in Hot Springs, Ark. According to a release from Oaklawn Park, the 76-year-old trainer succumbed to cancer.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Trainer Cole Norman was arrested and charged Nov. 26 with driving while intoxicated, hit and run, simple criminal property damage, and possession of the drugs Lortab and Xanax without a prescription in his hometown of Haughton, La.
Thursday, November 29, 2007The Race Track Chaplaincy of Arkansas has named Rev. John "TC" Megahan as chaplain for the 2008 racing season at Oaklawn Park.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Oaklawn Park has signed an agreement to allow TrackNet Media Group to manage the track's simulcast sales, it was announced Oct. 15.
Monday, October 15, 2007Oaklawn Park officials have no immediate plans to expand the racetrack's gambling-machine offerings, but they said a Sept. 27 ruling by the Arkansas Supreme Court to uphold a law that permitted electronic gaming devices at the track is a major step forward.
Thursday, September 27, 2007Services for Donna Trant, personal secretary to Oaklawn Park owner and president Charles Cella, will be held Tuesday, June 5, at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Mrs. Trant, 52, died June 1 of cancer.
Monday, June 04, 2007Trainer Cole Norman is facing manslaughter charges in Hot Springs, Ark., for his role in a fatal accident that left an 86-year-old woman dead.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007In spite of unsatisfactory weather conditions throughout much of the winter-spring, business at Oaklawn Park stayed strong on track through the 2007 live racing season. While attendance and daily average slipped, on-track wagering remained strong.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007Fox Hill Farm's Round Pond, winner of last year's Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Distaff (gr. I) and five of six career starts at Oaklawn Park, will return with her "home court advantage" as she heads a tough field of eight older mares in the 42nd running of the Apple Blossom Handicap (gr. I) April 7.
Wednesday, April 04, 2007The Hancock family's Claiborne Farm will be the presenting sponsor for HorseRacing TV's coverage of two important Kentucky Derby preps -- the Florida Derby (gr. I) and Arkansas Derby (gr. II). The Florida Derby will be March 31. The Arkansas Derby is April 14..
Wednesday, March 28, 2007For the second time this season, Oaklawn Park has increased all overnight purses by $1,000. The latest purse increase, which will take effect with races carded for March 14, will bring the total increase in purses this year at Oaklawn to more than $1 million.
Saturday, March 10, 2007Jockey Beverly Burress, who led all apprentice riders at Oaklawn Park during the 2006 meet, suffered injury to her left knee in a training accident March 8 and will be out of action indefinitely. The horse she was riding in the training accident, Black Type Magic, was uninjured in the mishap.
Thursday, March 08, 2007Hard Spun has four of a kind going into Monday's Southwest Stakes. We see a straight flush coming.
Sunday, February 18, 2007Beginning Thursday, Jorge Lara will be the trainer of record of horses racing at Oaklawn Park now with Cole Norman, according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Monday, February 12, 2007Trainers Bob Holthus, Don Von Hemel, and Tim Ritchey were honored by the Arkansas Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association.
Saturday, February 10, 2007Trainer Cole Norman was involved in a fatal head-on car accident Feb. 5 in Arkansas that left an 86-year-old Hot Springs, Ark., woman dead.
Wednesday, February 07, 2007Purse monies intended for Oaklawn Park during the four canceled days of racing this week will be redistributed starting Feb. 8 through the balance of the season, which concludes on April 14.
Friday, February 02, 2007Wintry conditions which have made the racing surface at Oaklawn Park unsuitable for racing have forced the cancellation of this week's live racing. Racing has been cancelled through Feb.4, and will resume Feb. 8.
Thursday, February 01, 2007A Virginia House of Delegates committee is scheduled to tackle legislation to authorize Instant Racing at a Jan. 30 hearing.
Thursday, January 25, 2007Jockey Terry Thompson won the 2,000th race of his 15-year career when he rode David Vance trainee Peace Pledge to a three-length victory in Oaklawn Park's fifth race on Sunday.
Monday, January 22, 2007Irish Dreamer, a $1,500 Ocala Breeders' Sale colt, stormed to a decisive upset victory in the $50,000 Dixieland Stakes on opening day at Oaklawn Park Friday before a crowd of 20,070.
Saturday, January 20, 2007HorseRacing TV will present live coverage of Oaklawn Park's 56-day winter racing season when the Hot Springs, Ark., track kicks off its meeting Jan. 19.
Wednesday, January 17, 2007Live racing from Oaklawn Park will be part of the lineup on HorseRacing TV when the meet begins Jan. 19 at the Arkansas racetrack.
Thursday, January 04, 2007