Oaklawn Park report

HOT SPRINGS — TVG gets back with Oaklawn

The cold war between Oaklawn Park and TVG ended Wednesday when the Los Angeles-based horse racing channel announced that it would carry Oaklawn’s races during the 2012 live meeting that begins Jan. 13.

Other than video streaming, Oaklawn has essentially been absent from TVG’s lineup since the final weeks of the 2006 live season.

Now it appears, Oaklawn will be TVG’s anchor track in early 2012.

“Oaklawn is an important addition to our TV lineup,” Tony Allevato, TVG executive vice president, said in a news release. “It is home to one of the nation’s premier winter race meets, offering events that are prominent on the Triple Crown trail.”

In 2002, Oaklawn reached a nonexclusive agreement toallow TVG to televise and accept account wagers on races.

But that five-year deal expired after the 2006 live season, souring in the final few weeks of the meeting when TVG dramatically reduced its Oaklawn coverage and gave priority to partners with exclusive agreements like Hawthorne, according to a statement released by TVG.

The balance of power during the winter has shifted in recent years, with HRTV, TVG’s major competitor, securing exclusive television rights to high-profile meetings at Santa Anita, Gulfstream Park and Fair Grounds.

Oaklawn’s stance toward exclusivity hasn’t changed, and its meet has been a staple on HRTV since the 2007 live season.

“We have a great relationship with HRTV,” said Bobby Geiger, Oaklawn’s director of gaming and wagering.

But Geiger said the addition of TVG is a “natural fit” for both parties.

The move coincides with one of TVG’s on-air analysts, Frank Mirahmadi, about to begin his first season as Oaklawn’s track announcer and Tampa Bay Downs, which conducts a winter meet, being pulled from TVG’s schedule because of a dispute over rates for the track’s signal.

“There’s almost too much first-quarter content on HRTV, to be able to show it all,” Geiger said.

“It’s Gulfstream, Santa Anita, Maryland tracks, Fair Grounds. There’s such a concentration of product for the first quarter on HRTV, people were complaining, ‘I don’t see Oaklawn, and if I do it’s on a delayed basis.’

“TVG will probably show, in all likelihood, more live races from Oaklawn than HRTV.”

Geiger said the marriage with TVG was spurred by customer request and facilitated by Churchill Downs Incorporated, which negotiates content requests on behalf of Oaklawn.

Initial conversations between CDI and TVG began last month, Geiger said.

Churchill Downs is a 50-percent owner in HRTV, which will still show Oaklawn races, so negotiations were delicate, Geiger said.

“We’re basically asking our partners, who are owners of the network that we don’t want to leave, want to offer competition,” Geiger said. “But Churchill is a great partner and it all worked out at the end.”

Geiger said wagering on Oaklawn’s races could increase with the addition of TVG.

“I think you always benefit from exposure,” Geiger said.

Strong hand

Trainer Donnie K. Von Hemel figures to have the older male handicap division covered during the 2012 Oaklawn meeting.

Von Hemel said the first major spring objective for Caleb’s Posse is the $200,000 Grade III Count Fleet Sprint Handicap on April 14.

Caleb’s Posse, who is on the grounds, has a chance to be champion 3-year-old male after winning 5 of 10 starts, including the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile on Nov. 5.

Von Hemel said Caleb’s Posse is not being pointed for any races early in the Oaklawn meeting.

The trainer has two candidates for Oaklawn’s series of two-turn stakes races for older horses.

Alternation, a Grade II winner this year at 3, is being pointed for the $100,000 Essex Handicap on Feb. 4,Von Hemel said.

Alternation has had two published workouts this month at Oaklawn.

Another 3-year-old, Moonshine Mullin, is scheduled to join Von Hemel’s stable this month.

Moonshine Mullin, who has been based in Canada with trainer Reade Baker, ran second in the $500,000 Grade II Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga on July 30.

Alternation ran fourth in the Jim Dandy.

Von Hemel said Moonshine Mullin will be the first horse he’s trained for Viking Farms Limited (Dick Johnson of Omaha, Neb.).

Von Hemel said he and Johnson have known each other for many years.

Final furlong

A laundry room at the north end of the grandstand suffered minor damage from a small fire Thursday night, said David Longinotti, Oaklawn’s assistant general manager/racing. Longinotti said the cause of the fire hasn’t been determined, but it was extinguished within minutes by the Hot Springs Fire Department. … The track will be closed for training today in observance of Christmas. … There were 921 horses on the grounds early Friday afternoon. The total is expected to reach 1,000 Monday, roughly 500 from capacity. … Eight horses under the care of Sal Guerrero were transferred to trainer Randy Morseon Dec. 16. Guerrero, a longtime assistant to Bob Holthus, inherited the horses following the trainer’s death last month.

Seven of the horses are owned by Dave Clark, the other by Juanita Winn of Hot Springs. Morse has previously trained for Clark.

… New York-based jockey Channing Hill has been in Hot Springs preparing for his first Oaklawn meeting.

… Trainer Mac Robertson said he hopes multiple graded stakes winner Win Willy can make his 2012 debut in the $100,000 Essex Handicap on Feb. 4. … Frank Mirahmadi, Oaklawn’s new track announcer, reports for work Jan. 2.