Oaklawn purses going up AGAIN!

[WinterTriangle]

"Just 13 days after bumping all allowance and maiden special weight races by $1,000 and claiming races by $300, the latest purse increase will add an additional $1,000 to all allowance and maiden special weight races, and $500 to all claiming races.......

This means purses will be as much as $2,000 per race higher than they were three weeks ago, and they could increase by still another $4,000 a race on top of that once the Festival begins. "
http://www.oaklawn.com/emailarchive.aspx?Id=215

Was at the track yesterday, people around here really support our track pretty well, although it is down from last year ....

[WinterTriangle]

Sat attendance at SA 6,000
Sat attendance at Oaklawn 32,000

I really appreciate the way people in this region support horseracing at our track. Last friday and saturday, I saw so many families there with young children, too. Racing should be a family event.

[Bruddah]

Sat attendance at SA 6,000
Sat attendance at Oaklawn 32,000

I really appreciate the way people in this region support horseracing at our track. Last friday and saturday, I saw so many families there with young children, too. Racing should be a family event.

Oaklawn has always focused on building fans for the next generation. I went to Oaklawn for the first time in 1965. Since then, I have visited over 25 race tracks in the country. I have missed only two Ark. Derbies and may have to miss my 3rd this year. Oaklawn has created a family reunion atmosphere for its' fans along with fun weekends.

The Cella's have the attitude they have run Oaklawn successfully for over 100 years as a family operation. During that period, Oaklawn has had very good years and some bad. Over all they have prospered and survived, where other properties and ownership have failed in this sport. While their Independent quirky personalities and attitudes have hackled operations like ESPN and others, they survive and thrive in a very small market, by creating customers for the future and have followed this receipe for decades. They continually outdraw markets that are 100's of times larger in scope and size. They understood early, that you need butts those seats, yet, they and Arlington Park were the innovators of simulcasting.

There could be something to their madness! When the State of Arkansas wouldn't allow Casinos they developed an electronic "pari mutual" racing game which allowed them to be competitive and to keep raising the purses for Horse Racing.

Their must be a Method to their Madness because there are many in the Horse Racing Industry which must tip their hats to Oaklawn's resilience over they years. :ThmbUp:

[boomman]

Oaklawn Park has had a GREAT meet plain and simple. They have had full fields which makes wagering on their product so attractive, and now are raising the purses to encourage the horsemen to stay through the end of the meet. They have always been fan friendly throughout their long history and I noticed a HUGE crowd there on track while watching the simulcast last Saturday. I am proud to call Lou Cella (one of the owners of Oaklawn) a friend, congratulations to their ENTIRE team and keep up the good work!:ThmbUp: :ThmbUp: :ThmbUp:

Boomer

[kroebuck67]

I'm very happy to have Oaklawn at my disposal (1.5 hrs away), and being an Arky, I'm proud of their reputation. The new casino area opening in May looks to be very inviting also. I'm also very pleased that they're introducing decently pursed stakes races for Arky-breds.

Here's my wish list (pipe dreams?):

A fall meet

More room for expansion/parking (unfortunately, the only way I could see this happening would be some sort of "imminent domain" takeover of the neighborhoods to the East of the backstretch).

Some 2-yr-old races in a fall meet, to showcase and develop Arky-breds

A Turf Course (infield?)

One more Ark-Derby graduate to win the Big One in KY, so we can finally get that GRADE ONE STATUS!

[bane]

Will be interesting when Pope heads of to Delaware leaving Oaklawn behind, he is an excellent racing secretary.

[Bruddah]

Will be interesting when Pope heads of to Delaware leaving Oaklawn behind, he is an excellent racing secretary.

I read where Pat Pope was going to Delaware, but thought, he would be back at Oaklawn next January. Is this not the way it is?

Thanks for your reply or any information. I am a big supporter of Pat Pope. He really has done a good job at Oaklawn. :ThmbUp:

[philcski]

I'm very happy to have Oaklawn at my disposal (1.5 hrs away), and being an Arky, I'm proud of their reputation. The new casino area opening in May looks to be very inviting also. I'm also very pleased that they're introducing decently pursed stakes races for Arky-breds.

Here's my wish list (pipe dreams?):

A fall meet

More room for expansion/parking (unfortunately, the only way I could see this happening would be some sort of "imminent domain" takeover of the neighborhoods to the East of the backstretch).

Some 2-yr-old races in a fall meet, to showcase and develop Arky-breds

A Turf Course (infield?)

One more Ark-Derby graduate to win the Big One in KY, so we can finally get that GRADE ONE STATUS!

They shouldn't have to wait for another one. The Graded Stakes Committee is a fraud in my mind until they award the Arkansas Derby a G1. According to their methodology, they award it based on the performance of horses that have run in it over the last 5 years (or so). Let's look at the future performance of the exacta over that timeframe, including career earnings.

2004- Smarty Jones ($9mm) WON Ky Derby G1, Preakness G1... 2nd Belmont G1; Borrego ($2mm) WON Pacific Classic G1, JCGC G1... 2nd Super Derby G2, Holly GC G1... 3rd SAH
2005- Afleet Alex ($2.7MM) WON Preakness G1, Belmont G1... 3rd Ky Derby G1; Flower Alley ($2.5MM) WON Travers G1, Jim Dandy G2, Salvator G3... 2nd BCC G1, Dwyer G2
2006- Lawyer Ron ($2.7MM) WON Woodward G1, Whitney G1, Oaklawn G2... 2nd Super Derby G2, JCGC G1, Salvator G3... 3rd Met Mile G1; Steppenwolfer ($650k) 3rd Ky Derby G1
2007- Curlin ($10.5MM) WON Preakness G1, BCC G1, JCGC 2X G1, Dubai WC G1, Stephen Foster G1, Woodward G1... 2nd Belmont G1, Man O War G1... 3rd Ky Derby G1; Storm in May ($500k) [did relatively nothing]
2008- Gayego ($800k) [sent to Dubai]; Z Fortune ($400k) [injured]

I don't know how they can look at this and tell me this is not a Grade I when the Wood, Santa Anita Derby, and Blue Grass run in the same timeframe are.

[toussaud]

the problem is everyone else that has ran in the race.

quick...name 5 other horses in t hose races..


go!

[philcski]

the problem is everyone else that has ran in the race.

quick...name 5 other horses in t hose races..


go!

Name the other horses in the Woodward or JCGC last year.

How about in the Blue Grass?

How about the Wood?

Stumped you yet?