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.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.
The minimum purse for a claiming race will be $11,000, the highest ever at Oaklawn. Maiden special weight races will be carded for $32,000.
Racing in 2007 will begin with a three-day weekend, Jan. 19-21, and move to a four-days-per-week schedule until March, with the single exception being Monday racing on Presidents Day, Feb. 19.
“There is great love and support for the track, and people annually build their vacations around the live racing season. The incredible success of our Instant Racing business, plus our addition of games of skill to the mix, should continue to provide a great source of purse funds for some time to come,” said the official statement.
Instant Racing machines are pari-mutuel in nature–they used recycled races–but have the look and feel of video lottery terminals.
Games of skill for Oaklawn were approved by referendum, and the Arkansas Racing Commission recently approved rules for their operation.
The traditional Racing Festival of the South will be held April 6-14. The major races for 3-year-olds are the $250,000 Southwest Stakes Feb. 19, the $300,000 Rebel Stakes (gr. III) on March 17, and the Arkansas Derby.
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"Oaklawn Park Opens With Record Purses for 2007 Race Meet" was posted on Monday, December 18th, 2006 at 2:53 pm and is filed under Horse Racing Industry, Oaklawn Park, Race Tracks News, Stakes Races, USA Horse Racing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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