Horse Racing News is the source of thoroughbred racing information with horse racing odds, betting tips, racing picks, race results, and handicapping. Latest news and articles on top horse racing contenders, jockeys, trainers, three-year-olds, race tracks, and major stakes races such as the Triple Crown races: the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes as well as the Breeders' Cup horse races.Gayego Wins 2008 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park
Posted on Saturday, April 12th, 2008
Gayego held off Z Fortune to win the $1 million Arkansas Derby , one of the final major prep races for the 2008 Kentucky Derby, on Saturday, April 12, at Oaklawn Park.
Solidifying his credentials as one of the legitimate 2008 Kentucky Derby contenders, Gayego was racing on a dirt track for the first time after running on Santa Anita Park’s synthetic surface in his last three races.
Trained by Paulo Lobo, Gayego paid $6.40, $4.40 and $3.80. Z Fortune, conditioned by Steve Asmussen and ridden by Robby Albarado, paid $7.40 and $6. Tres Borrachos under jockey Tyler Baze returned $14.80 to show.
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$1M Arkansas Derby April 12 at Oaklawn Park
Posted on Thursday, April 10th, 2008
The $1 million Arkansas Derby on Saturday, April 12, at Oaklawn Park attracted a large field of 14 three-year-old horses wanting the $600,000 winner’s share to boost their graded earnings for a coveted spot on the 2008 Kentucky Derby. The full field of the Arkansas Derby with jockeys and weight includes:
- Victory Pete under jockey Clinton Potts, 118 lbs.
- Tres Borrachos under jockey Tyler Baze, 118 lbs.
- Shekinah under jockey Christopher Emigh, 118 lbs.
- King’s Silver Son under jockey Luis Quinonez, 118 lbs.
- Gayego under jockey Mike Smith, 122 lbs.
- Isabull under jockey Timothy Doocy, 118 lbs.
- My Pal Charlie under jockey Julien Leparoux, 118 lbs.
- Blackberry Road under jockey Calvin Borel, 118 lbs.
- Liberty Bull under jockey Eusebio Razo, Jr., 122 lbs.
- Golden Yank under jockey Larry Sterling, Jr., 122 lbs.
- Ablaze With Spirit under jockey M. Clifton Berry, 122 lbs.
- Z Fortune under jockey Robby Albarado, 122 lbs.
- Indian Sun under jockey Richard Migliore, 118 lbs.
- Jazz in the Park under jockey Miguel Mena, 118 lbs.
With 3 weeks left before the 2008 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, 3-year-old horses aspiring for the Triple Crown are scrambling to earn enough graded stakes money to be eligible as one of the 2008 Kentucky Derby contenders.
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Denis of Cork Still Unbeaten After Southwest Stakes Win at Oaklawn Park
Posted on Monday, February 18th, 2008
The only unbeaten horse in the field of 11 3-year-olds, Denis of Cork won the $250,000 Southwest Stakes (gr. III) by 2 1/4 lengths Monday afternoon at Oaklawn Park.
The one-mile Southwest Stakes serves as the first stop of the Triple Crown trail in Oaklawn Park leading to the 2008 Kentucky Derby.
A bay son of Harlan’s Holiday, trained by David Caroll for owners Mrs. and Mrs. William Warren Jr., Denis of Cork stretched his unbeaten record to 3-for-3. Denis of Cork covered 1 mile in 1:37 4/5 over a fast track, and paid $11.60, $5.40 and $3.60 as the third choice.
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Horse Trainer Steve Asmussen Records 4,000 Career Wins
Posted on Sunday, February 17th, 2008
Forty-two-year-old horse trainer, Steve Asmussen, who entered Sunday horse racing 2 wins short of the milestone, records his 4,000th career win with J J’s Bud at Oaklawn Park.
Steve Asmussen won his first race at Fair Grounds when 3-year-old colt Far East Gold won the 5th race under jockey Shaun Bridgmohan. A little more than five minutes later, 3-year-old gelding J J’s Bud, ridden by Luis Quinonez, broke his maiden in the 3rd race at Oaklawn Park giving Steve Asmussen his memorable score.
As a horse trainer, Steve Asmussen has so far had his most successful year in 2007 with Curlin who captured the Arkansas Derby (gr. II), ran 3rd in the Kentuckucky Derby (gr. I), victorious in the Preakness Stakes (gr. I), placed in the Belmont Stakes (gr. I) and then went on to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Curlin later won the Horse of the Year honors.
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Oaklawn Park 2008 Horse Racing Stakes Schedule
Posted on Wednesday, January 23rd, 2008
Live racing returns to Oaklawn Park at Hot Springs, Arkansas on Friday. There will be nine races on Friday with a CLASSIX carryover pool at $21,683. Saturday’s weekly feature will be the $50,000 Dixie Belle Stakes, for three-year-old fillies at six furlongs.
2008 Oaklawn Park Stakes Schedule
| Date | Horse Racing Stakes | Conditions | Purse | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18-Jan | Dixieland | 3-Year-Olds | $50,000 | 5 1/2 Furlongs |
| 19-Jan | American Beauty | 4-Year-Olds & Up, Fillies and Mares | $50,000 | 6 Furlongs |
| 21-Jan | Smarty Jones | 3-Year-Olds | $50,000 | 1 Mile |
| 26-Jan | Dixie Belle | 3-Year-Olds, Fillies | $50,000 | 6 Furlongs |
| 2-Feb | King Cotton | 4-Year-Olds & Up | $50,000 | 6 Furlongs |
| 9-Feb | Essex Handicap | 4-Year-Olds & Up | $100,000 | 1 1/16 Miles |
| 16-Feb | Pippin | 4-Year-Olds & Up, Fillies and Mares | $50,000 | 1 1/16 Miles |
| 17-Feb | Martha Washington | 3-Year-Olds, Fillies | $50,000 | 1 Mile |
| 18-Feb | Southwest | 3-Year-Olds | $250,000 | 1 Mile |
| 23-Feb | Mountain Valley | 3-Year-Olds | $50,000 | 6 Furlongs |
| 1-Mar | Spring Fever | 4-Year-Olds & Up, Fillies and Mares | $50,000 | 5 1/2 Furlongs |
| 8-Mar | ** Razorback Breeders’ Cup Handicap | 4-Year-Olds & Up | $150,000 | 1 1/16 Miles |
| 9-Mar | *Azeri Breeders’ Cup | 4-Year-Olds & Up, Fillies and Mares | $175,000 | 1 1/16 Miles |
| 15-Mar | Rebel | 3-Year-Olds | $300,000 | 1 1/16 Miles |
| 16-Mar | Honeybee | 3-Year-Olds, Fillies | $100,000 | 1 1/16 Miles |
| 22-Mar | Hot Springs | 4-Year-Olds & Up | $50,000 | 6 Furlongs |
| 28-Mar | Rainbow Miss | 3-Year-Olds, Fillies (Ark. Bred) | $50,000 | 6 Furlongs |
| 29-Mar | Carousel | 4-Year-Olds & Up, Fillies and Mares | $50,000 | 6 Furlongs |
| 30-Mar | Rainbow | 3-Year-Olds, C&G (Ark. Bred) | $50,000 | 6 Furlongs |
| 5-Apr | Oaklawn Handicap | 4-Year-Olds & Up | $500,000 | 1 1/8 Miles |
| 5-Apr | Apple Blossom Handicap | 4-Year-Olds & Up, Fillies and Mares | $500,000 | 1 1/16 Miles |
| 6-Apr | Fantasy | 3-Year-Olds, Fillies | $250,000 | 1 1/16 Miles |
| 6-Apr | Bachelor | 3-Year-Olds | $50,000 | 6 Furlongs |
| 9-Apr | Bayakoa | 4-Year-Olds & Up, Fillies and Mares | $100,000 | 1 1/16 Miles |
| 10-Apr | Count Fleet Sprint Handicap | 4-Year-Olds & Up | $150,000 | 6 Furlongs |
| 11-Apr | Fifth Season | 4-Year-Olds & Up | $100,000 | 1 1/16 Miles |
| 11-Apr | Prima Donna | 3-Year-Olds, Fillies | $50,000 | 6 Furlongs |
| 12-Apr | ***Northern Spur Breeders’ Cup | 3-Year-Olds | $100,000 | 1 Mile |
| 12-Apr | ***Instant Racing Breeders’ Cup | 3-Year-Olds, Fillies | $100,000 | 1 Mile |
| 12-Apr | Arkansas Derby | 3-Year-Olds | $1,000,000 | 1 1/8 Miles |
Oaklawn Park’s three-year-old centerpiece event is the $1 million Arkansas Derby, which will be run on Saturday, April 12. The Arkansas Derby is an important prep race leading up to the 2008 Kentucky Derby and the Triple Crown races this spring. Also, 2007 Horse of the Year Curlin is the first Arkansas Derby winner to be given that honor.
Racing at Oaklawn Park runs from January 18 through April 12. Live racing occurs Thursday through Sunday until March 19, when Wednesday racing is added to the schedule. Information on the upcoming meet and special holiday racing dates may be found on the Oaklawn Park official web site.
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Oaklawn Park Live Racing Starts January 18
Posted on Tuesday, January 15th, 2008
Live racing in Oaklawn Park at Hot Springs, Arkansas kicks off January 18 as their 56-Day Live 2008 Thoroughbred Meet gets under way. The historic facility, which has a traditional dirt surface, first hosted racing in 1905.
Racing at Oaklawn Park in 2008 starts with a four-day weekend, highlighted by three-year-old racing through, through Monday, Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, January 21 where a Smarty Jones Bobble Horse will be given away.
This year’s three-year-old crop at Oaklawn will highlight the opening day, January 18, card at 5 1/2 furlongs in the $50,000 Dixieland Stakes. The inaugural running of the $50,000 Smarty Jones Stakes at one mile will be on Monday, January 21. The race is named in honor of the colt who captured the hearts of the nation and Oaklawn’s $5 million Centennial Bonus in 2004, the Smarty Jones Stakes may be the first look at serious Arkansas Derby candidates.
Three of Oaklawn’s major horse races, the Southwest Stakes (gr. III) at 1 mile, Rebel Stakes (gr. II) at 1 1/16 miles, and Arkansas Derby (gr. II) at 1 1/8 miles, will certainly be the most significant events for 3-year-olds and the response is expected to be strong. These three horse races are important Kentucky Derby prep races.
The $250,000 Southwest Stakes will be the featured on Presidents Day, Monday, February 18. Southwest was recently designated to a Grade 3 horse race by the Graded Stakes Committee which means the money earned by horses in this race will count towards eligibility to start in the Kentucky Derby in May.
This year’s Rebel Stakes with a purse of $300,000 is scheduled for Saturday, March 15. Racing fans will not forget the 2007 Rebel Stakes, since it was the first stakes effort by eventual Preakness Stakes and Breeders’ Cup Classic winner and Horse of the Year favorite, Curlin.
Oaklawn’s three-year-old centerpiece event is the $1 million Arkansas Derby, which will be run on Saturday, April 12. Curlin’s record 10 1/2 lengths win last year was an awesome show of his incredible talent, but also served to further establish the Arkansas Derby as the most important event leading up to the Triple Crown races of the Spring.
With the past four Arkansas Derby winners all turning out to be champion-level competitors, Smarty Jones, Afleet Alex, Lawyer Ron and Curlin, clearly all eyes of the nation will focus on the three-year-olds produced at the track this year.
The first 3-year-old filly race of the year will be the $50,000 Dixie Belle at 6 furlongs on Saturday, January 26 followed by the 1 mile $50,000 Martha Washington Stakes on February 17. Graded stakes competition for the young ladies will start with the $100,000 Honeybee at 1 1/16 miles on March 16, and conclude with the $250,000 Fantasy also at 1 1/16 miles on April 6, as part of the Racing Festival of the South.
For older horses, the $500,000 Oaklawn Handicap (gr. I) at 1 1/8 miles and the $500,000 Apple Blossom Handicap (gr. I) at 1 1/16 miles will both be held April 5. Last year’s Oaklawn Handicap and Apple Blossom Handicap were won by Lawyer Ron and Ermine, respectively.
Racing at Oaklawn Park runs from January 18 through April 12. Live racing occurs Thursday through Sunday until March 19, when Wednesday racing is added to the schedule. Information on the upcoming meet and special holiday racing dates may be found on the Oaklawn Park official web site.
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Oaklawn Park Opens With Record Purses for 2007 Race Meet
Posted on Monday, December 18th, 2006
Oaklawn Park will run its 56-day race meet from Jan. 19-April 14. It features 27 stakes headed by the $1-million Arkansas Derby (gr. II) on closing day. The total stakes schedule is valued at $4.5 million with record daily average purses of $290,000, up from $275,000 a day this year because of increased revenue from Instant Racing.
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