BIG OAKLAWN NEWS!!

[kingoftherapids]

In good purse news, Oaklawn is doing it again... raising purses. 7 million in stakes purses for 2015. Rebel stakes increased from 600k to 750k .

http://oaklawn.com/news/2014/jul/31/oaklawn-offer-all-time-record-stakes-purses-nearly/

[HawgWild]

That ought to bring some more horses in. The best Santa Anita can do is $300,000 for their major derby prep - San Felipe Stakes. So, you think we'll see a bonus enticement for a horse that can sweep the Rebel, Arkansas Derby & Kentucky Derby next year?

[jdelo77]

I was hoping for another meet ! Ohh well ....what ever Happend to adding dates / having another meet ?

[Torqued pork]

With only 3 weeks between the Ark. Derby and Louisville, I won't be shocked to see the Rebel winner bypass the Ark. Derby and just train up to Kentucky.

[Iwastherein1969]

I want Oaklawn to put more money into the claiming races and regular race day cards..excluding ARKY BRED races which should be downsized because they do NOTHING for racing in Arkansas...in Louisiana, one can race his La Bred horse all year around following La Downs, Delta Downs, Fair Grounds and Evangeline Downs...so it pays to have a LA bred....it does NOT pay to have an ARKY bred horse thus what is the point in trying to grow the Arkansas breeding business..makes ZERO sense to own an ARKY bred....again, I want Oaklawn to put considerably more money into open claiming races in order to bring in the better/consistent older horses to Oaklawn....half or more of each day's card at OP are NW2L 7,500, 15,000 and so on...these type of races are horrible, far worse than even high Mdn Claiming races of 50k or so.....way too many conditioned races for claimers are written and it makes for 3 good races per day and 6 or 7 DOG races per card....older open claimers need more money and they are the backbone of any race track....the top horses are going to come for the big Stakes for 3 year olds because they need the stakes money to qualify for the first Saturday in May..the money should go to the old war horses who keep the doors open day in and day out...JMHO

[HawgWild]

Not arguing with your recommendations but it seems it's always something. I remember complaining about the amount of Mdn races back in the day. There'd  be 5 of them on some cards. And, at one time, Oaklawn didn't require that a horse have a published workout to start. Try handicapping a maiden race with 6 first time starters and no published workouts.

There was a time many years ago when they did make a pretty big increase in the purses for claiming races. It didn't seem to bring in better horses. Instead, you'd see horses running for a claiming tag that was much higher than they'd ever run for before at a lesser track - Mountaineer, Delta Downs, Blue Ribbon, etc.

Now putting in a turf track would be really big. Thoughts on that?

[cbhawg03]

Now putting in a turf track would be really big. Thoughts on that?

Where is the room for a turf track coming from?

They would have to buy a lot of people out of their homes on the backside in order to have the room, otherwise, it would be a 5 Furlong Turf course

[kingoftherapids]

the current track is super wide. they could move the inside rail outward i would say at least 15 feet. but still, i dont know if they could do it weather wise

[cbhawg03]

the current track is super wide. they could move the inside rail outward i would say at least 15 feet. but still, i dont know if they could do it weather wise

Yea the dirt track is really wide, but I just don't see it coming, mainly because of your last line concerning "weather".

Surely, some of those houses in the neighborhood on the backside have been for sale over the years, the track could have bought most of them up by now in order to expand. It has to be the weather that keeps this from happening.

[cbhawg03]

Oaklawn does keep going in the right direction though. Look at Del Mar with all the breakdowns, Monmouth his cutting overnight purses by 10%.

Oaklawn keeps raising purses and has raised purses 2 to 4 times during the meet for the last _______ years, been a while since they haven't, would probably have to go back to pre-gaming days.

Oaklawn does need to do something about the paddock though, put in an actual winners circle to use for every race or at least non-stakes races.

Would like to see an early Pick 5, Super High 5 and a $0.10 Pick 6, do it just like Gulfstream does, only one winning ticket wins jackpot.

[Iwastherein1969]

until they cut out the NW2L or NW3L for 5k, 10k claimers the racing will suck...there are so many horses that fit that condition that you have one, maybe two a day of filly races for these types and one or two for colts ....there's 4 races right there....then the obligatory ARKY bred Mdn race, the open Mdn claimers and with 9 total races, there are maybe two races worth handicapping....gotta attract those open claimers who don't need conditions, they give the most honest effort day in and day out of any level of horse at the track