Calvin Borel isn’t the only Hall Of Fame jockey traipsing about the Oaklawn Park barn area these days. Gary Stevens, who permanently retired from riding in 2018, returned to the Hot Springs track December 1st to begin laying the groundwork for the 2021-2022 Oaklawn meet as the agent for Southern California-based jockeys Geovanni Franco and Tiago Pereira. Stevens, 58, said he represented Corey Nakatani during … Continue reading Mr. Gary Stevens
In a monumental schedule change, Oaklawn Park will open for its 118th season this Friday. The facility has added December race dates to the calendar for the first time in the track’s history. The 66-day meet will be conducted mainly on a Friday-Sunday basis and will conclude Sunday, May 8th. The crowning achievement of the meet is the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby, which received two major changes; the … Continue reading Razorback Racing Returns
CONCERT TOUR enters the Grade 1, $1 million dollar Arkansas Derby as a deserving favorite. Though it should be noted, he is not a monster on final times or speed figures, but that monster figure might appear on Saturday. The Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park is Race 12 on a card of 13 with a scheduled Post Time of 7:40. Here then is a look … Continue reading Arkansas Derby Winner…
The Road to the Kentucky Derby winds down on Saturday with the running of the $1 million dollar Grade 1 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park. The 1 1/8 mile historic race boasts an impressive roster of Winners. Highlighted by champions and/or classic Winners AMERICAN PHAROAH, CREATOR, CURLIN, LAWYER RON, AFLEET ALEX, SMARTY JONES, and VICTORY GALLOP just to name a few. If you’re going … Continue reading Arkansas Derby
Saturday’s $1 million dollar Rebel Stakes (G2) is the third of four qualifying points preps at Oaklawn Park for the May 1st Kentucky Derby. The April 10th Arkansas Derby is the final KD prep race at Oaklawn. The 1 1/16-mile Rebel offers Derby points to the top four finishers on a 50-20-10-5 scale as well as a hefty purse distribution. This year’s Rebel drew a competitive eight-horse … Continue reading Who Wins The Rebel ?
Although the Rebel Stakes (G2) at Oaklawn Park dates back to 1961, its significance as a Prep Race for the Kentucky Derby has increased by leaps and bounds since the turn of the century Held annually in the middle of March, the Rebel awards Kentucky Derby qualification points to the top four finishers in a 50-20-10-5 basis, which essentially guarantees the Winner a spot in the gate … Continue reading Rebel With A Cause
The jockey colony at Oaklawn Park has grown more competitive as the purses have increased throughout the past decade. One notable addition is Joe Talamo who is back at the Hot Springs, Arkansas track this year for his second full season. Smokin’ Joe – a former mainstay in southern California who was featured on the Animal Planet Network reality show Jockeys – decided to trade Santa Anita Park for … Continue reading Go, Go, Go, Joe Talamo
The highly-touted, Bob Baffert trained, NADAL will put his perfect record on the line Saturday in the second division of the Grade 1, $500,000 dollar Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park. But he won’t offer any Value in this talent laden field of equally prominent 3-year-olds. The second division of the Arkansas Derby is Race 13 on a card of 14 with a scheduled Post Time … Continue reading Arkansas Derby Division II
22 horses were entered for the 1 1/8-mile Arkansas Derby. After which Oaklawn Park officials decided to split the race into two divisions, both offering a $500,000 dollar purse. Churchill Downs opted to let both divisions of the Arkansas Derby race for the original 100-40-20-10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points. The generosity of point dispersion takes into consideration that the Wood Memorial, Blue Grass Stakes and, … Continue reading Arkansas Derby First Division Picks
The horse racing world like all areas of society continues to make changes in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and public health crisis. Racetracks across America have either adjourned live racing or prohibited anyone other than essential employees from entering. Many tracks have cancelled or postponed meets during their respective April/May seasons. But racing continues at a few tracks across the country that have instituted … Continue reading The First Saturday In May
