Oaklawn cancels Sunday and Monday, reschedules stakes

Oaklawn Park officials have canceled live racing on Sunday and Monday because

of a frozen racing surface and continued adverse weather conditions in the Hot

Springs, Arkansas, area. The facility will be open, however, on both days for simulcast and instant racing.

"We now face a day where the temperature will not get past the freezing mark

and a forecast for additional freezing rain throughout the day," Oaklawn General

Manager Eric Jackson said. "Our decisions are always based on safety to horses,

jockeys, fans and employees, so there was no questions how we had to decide."

Based on forecasts of improving conditions by midweek, track officials are

planning 11-race cards on Thursday, Friday and Saturday to run the stakes

originally carded for this weekend. The $50,000 Pippin S. is slated for

Thursday, the $50,000 Martha Washington S. for Friday, and the $250,000

Southwest S., highlighted by runaway Risen Star S. (G3) winner LAWYER RON (Langfuhr),

on Saturday.

"These are races of national importance and we want our

horsemen to have the chance to prepare their horses safely for all the major

events coming up in the next few months,"  Jackson said.