DAY 35 of 57
SUNDAY'S ESTIMATED ATTENDANCE 5,500
SUNDAY'S TOTAL HANDLE $2,986,556
SUNDAY'S ON-TRACK HANDLE $415,202
SUNDAY'S OFF-TRACK HANDLE $2,571,354
SUNDAY'S STARS
Jockey David Cabrera found the winner's circle twice on Sunday. Cabrera guided Greeleys Charm ($6.20, $3.80, $3.00) past the field in the fourth race for 4-year-olds and up. He followed that up in the fifth with a victory on Bo Tee, in a 1-mile, maiden claiming race. Bo Tee paid $9.40, $5 and $3.80.
A pair of trainers won two races Sunday -- Ingrid Mason in the first and seventh and Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas in the third and eighth. Mason's Iter ($8.40, $3.80, $3) won by 4 3/4 lengths over Oso Ready in the opener then came back with Crimson Creed ($20.40, $7.60, $5.20) in the seventh. Lukas' winners included Criminal Mischief ($17.20, $6.80, $5.60), ridden by Terry Thompson, and Goats Town ($22.60, $6.40, $3.60) with jockey Luis Contreras.
Another purse increase
Purse records keep tumbling at Oaklawn Park with the richest purses in America between January and April.
Starting with Saturday's Rebel Stakes card, Oaklawn will implement the second increase of the season, the 18th consecutive year the Hot Springs track has bumped purses at least once during a meet. Overnight purses will be bumped between $1,000 and $3,000. Maiden special weights and allowances races are growing by $3,000 per race, taking the maidens to $81,000 and the allowances to as high as $85,000.
Additionally, claiming races and maiden claiming races with a claiming price of $20,000 or greater as well as starter allowances are receiving a $2,000 increase. Other races are receiving a $1,000 bump.
"We believe Arkansas through Oaklawn may have the best racing-gaming model in America," said Oaklawn President Louis Cella. "Racing will always come first, but thanks to our vibrant gaming business we are able to offer the rich purses that attract the large fields and adds to the excitement our fans get to enjoy. Even with a rainy February, we still treated our guests to a one-of-a-kind entertainment experience."
Saturday's card was already the second richest of the Oaklawn season with the $900,000 Rebel Stakes for aspiring Derby hopefuls, the $350,000 Azeri Stakes for older fillies and mares and $300,000 Essex Handicap for older colts and geldings. With the increase, purses are projected to be more than $2 million this day.
"We're excited to reward our owners and trainers with the second purse increase of the season," said Oaklawn General Manager Wayne Smith. "Our best races are still to come and we're looking forward to watching the country's best 3-year-olds prepare for the Triple Crown races."
Live racing at Oaklawn continues through April 14.
Information for this report was contributed by the Oaklawn media department.
Sports on 03/12/2018