toussaud
12-04-2011, 10:03 PM
Robert Yates - Arkansas DemGaz
Classix now $1 wager Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs has lowered the minimum wager on three multirace bets for the 2012 live meeting that begins Jan. 13.
The minimum wager for the Classix has been reduced from $2 to $1.
The minimum wager for the Pick 4 and Pick 3 has been reduced from $1 to 50 cents.
The Arkansas Racing Commission approved Oaklawn’s request to lower the minimums during its regularly scheduled meeting Wednesday morning in Little Rock.
David Longinotti, Oaklawn’s assistant general manager/ racing, said track officials believe lowering the minimums could spur more interest in the wagers.
“That’s our hope,” Longinotti told the commission.
Mutuel handle on the Classix, which requires bettors to select the winners of races 3-8, has tumbled dramatically in recent years.
It accounted for less than 1 percent of total on-track handle — a little more than $40 million — during the 2011 live meeting.
The Pick 3 requires bettors to select the winners of three consecutive races.
The Pick 4 requires bettors to select the winners of four consecutive winners.
Longinotti told the commission that if lowering the minimums on the Classix, Pick 3 and Pick 4 generates more wagering interest in 2012, Oaklawn will consider adding additional multirace bets in the future.
Making the grade
Oaklawn’s graded stakes races for the 2012 season:
GRADE I (2) $1 million Arkansas Derby, $500,000 Apple Blossom Handicap
GRADE II (3) $500,000 Rebel Stakes, $350,000 Oaklawn Handicap, $300,000 Fantasy Stakes
GRADE III (5) $250,000 Southwest Stakes, $200,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap, $150,000 Azeri Stakes, $125,000 Honeybee Stakes, $125,000 Razorback Handicap
No graded changes
Oaklawn will again have 10 graded stakes races during the 2012 live meeting that begins Jan. 13.
All of the races will carry the same grade as 2011.
The American Graded Stakes Committee assigned Grade I status — the highest grade — to the $500,000 Apple Blossom Handicap and the $1 million Arkansas Derby.
Retaining Grade II status are the $350,000 Oaklawn Handicap, $300,000 Fantasy Stakes and the Rebel Stakes, which has been raised from $300,000 to $500,000.
The $250,000 Southwest Stakes, $200,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap, $150,000 Azeri Stakes, $125,000 Honeybee Stakes and $125,000 Razorback Handicap remain Grade III events. “They seem to be trying to put a stricter limit on the number of graded stakes races,” said David Longinotti, Oaklawn’s assistant general manager/racing. “I’m just glad we didn’t lose any.”
Rocket Man
Macho Rocket earned a 77 Beyer speed figure for his front-running debut victory by a neck Sunday at Hollywood Park in suburban Los Angeles.
Owned by Frank Fletcher of North Little Rock, Macho Rocket ran 6 furlongs in 1:10.02 over a synthetic surface.
The gray son of Macho Uno, an $825,000 purchase earlier this year, marked Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert’s first starter for Fletcher.
“He said he is a fast … I can’t even tell you the words he said,” Fletcher said, recounting a phone conversation with Baffert after the race. “He said he is very fast.”
Fletcher said the first major goal for Macho Rocket next year is the $250,000 Grade III Southwest Stakes on Feb. 20 at Oaklawn.
Baffert is also preparing Fletcher’s Senor Hambone, an unstarted 2-year-old Hard Spun colt, for his career debut in Southern California.
Fletcher purchased Senor Hambone for $675,000 earlier this year.
“He’s going to be a two-turn horse, for sure,” Fletcher said. “He’s bigger and stronger and may be a better shot for a mile and eighth, whatever, than the other horse.”
Fletcher purchased both horses in April at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s spring sale of 2-year-olds in training.
On the grounds
There were 344 horses at Oaklawn Saturday morning, said David Longinotti, Oaklawn’s assistant general manager/racing.
Trainers with horses stabled in Hot Springs include Donnie K. Von Hemel, Gary “Red Dog” Hartlage, Dan Peitz and Tim Ritchey.
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Classix now $1 wager Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs has lowered the minimum wager on three multirace bets for the 2012 live meeting that begins Jan. 13.
The minimum wager for the Classix has been reduced from $2 to $1.
The minimum wager for the Pick 4 and Pick 3 has been reduced from $1 to 50 cents.
The Arkansas Racing Commission approved Oaklawn’s request to lower the minimums during its regularly scheduled meeting Wednesday morning in Little Rock.
David Longinotti, Oaklawn’s assistant general manager/ racing, said track officials believe lowering the minimums could spur more interest in the wagers.
“That’s our hope,” Longinotti told the commission.
Mutuel handle on the Classix, which requires bettors to select the winners of races 3-8, has tumbled dramatically in recent years.
It accounted for less than 1 percent of total on-track handle — a little more than $40 million — during the 2011 live meeting.
The Pick 3 requires bettors to select the winners of three consecutive races.
The Pick 4 requires bettors to select the winners of four consecutive winners.
Longinotti told the commission that if lowering the minimums on the Classix, Pick 3 and Pick 4 generates more wagering interest in 2012, Oaklawn will consider adding additional multirace bets in the future.
Making the grade
Oaklawn’s graded stakes races for the 2012 season:
GRADE I (2) $1 million Arkansas Derby, $500,000 Apple Blossom Handicap
GRADE II (3) $500,000 Rebel Stakes, $350,000 Oaklawn Handicap, $300,000 Fantasy Stakes
GRADE III (5) $250,000 Southwest Stakes, $200,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap, $150,000 Azeri Stakes, $125,000 Honeybee Stakes, $125,000 Razorback Handicap
No graded changes
Oaklawn will again have 10 graded stakes races during the 2012 live meeting that begins Jan. 13.
All of the races will carry the same grade as 2011.
The American Graded Stakes Committee assigned Grade I status — the highest grade — to the $500,000 Apple Blossom Handicap and the $1 million Arkansas Derby.
Retaining Grade II status are the $350,000 Oaklawn Handicap, $300,000 Fantasy Stakes and the Rebel Stakes, which has been raised from $300,000 to $500,000.
The $250,000 Southwest Stakes, $200,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap, $150,000 Azeri Stakes, $125,000 Honeybee Stakes and $125,000 Razorback Handicap remain Grade III events. “They seem to be trying to put a stricter limit on the number of graded stakes races,” said David Longinotti, Oaklawn’s assistant general manager/racing. “I’m just glad we didn’t lose any.”
Rocket Man
Macho Rocket earned a 77 Beyer speed figure for his front-running debut victory by a neck Sunday at Hollywood Park in suburban Los Angeles.
Owned by Frank Fletcher of North Little Rock, Macho Rocket ran 6 furlongs in 1:10.02 over a synthetic surface.
The gray son of Macho Uno, an $825,000 purchase earlier this year, marked Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert’s first starter for Fletcher.
“He said he is a fast … I can’t even tell you the words he said,” Fletcher said, recounting a phone conversation with Baffert after the race. “He said he is very fast.”
Fletcher said the first major goal for Macho Rocket next year is the $250,000 Grade III Southwest Stakes on Feb. 20 at Oaklawn.
Baffert is also preparing Fletcher’s Senor Hambone, an unstarted 2-year-old Hard Spun colt, for his career debut in Southern California.
Fletcher purchased Senor Hambone for $675,000 earlier this year.
“He’s going to be a two-turn horse, for sure,” Fletcher said. “He’s bigger and stronger and may be a better shot for a mile and eighth, whatever, than the other horse.”
Fletcher purchased both horses in April at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s spring sale of 2-year-olds in training.
On the grounds
There were 344 horses at Oaklawn Saturday morning, said David Longinotti, Oaklawn’s assistant general manager/racing.
Trainers with horses stabled in Hot Springs include Donnie K. Von Hemel, Gary “Red Dog” Hartlage, Dan Peitz and Tim Ritchey.
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