Oaklawn kicks off 54-day meet with record purses

Oaklawn's stakes program is again highlighted by the Grade 1, $1 million

Arkansas Derby, which concludes the "Racing Festival of the South," on April 11.

Preceding the Arkansas Derby for classic hopefuls are the $150,000 Smarty Jones on

January 19; the Grade 3, $300,000 Southwest on February 16; and the Grade 2,

$750,000 Rebel on March 14.

Other meet highlights include the Grade 1, $600,000 Apple Blossom Handicap

for fillies and mares on April 10; the Grade 2, $600,000 Oaklawn Handicap on

April 11; the Grade 2, $300,000 Azeri for fillies and mares on March 14; the

Grade 3, $400,000 Fantasy for three-year-old fillies on April 4; and the Grade

3, $300,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap on April 9.

The 2015 Oaklawn racing season will mark the seventh consecutive year of

increased purses. The total purse projection for the meet is more than $23

million, and maiden special weight races will carry purses of $60,000 -- $5,000

more than when the 2014 season opened. Open allowance races will offer purses up

to $65,000, and the minimum purse will be $18,000. Purses at Oaklawn have risen

by more than one-third since the initial opening of the gaming center, and the

quality of racing has tracked right along with it.

Oaklawn received requests for nearly 3,000 stalls for the 2015 racing season,

double the quantity that it can house. Horsemen returning will include Hall of

Famer D. Wayne Lukas; Randy Morse, who will have Grade 1 winner Moonshine Mullin

in his stable again; Ken McPeek, Steve Hobby, Chris Richard, Ron Moquett and

Donnie Von Hemel.

Six-time Sovereign Award winning trainer Mark Casse returns for his second

straight year and will be joined by newcomers Wayne Catalano, Mike Stidham,

Steve Margolis and Tony Dutrow, among others. Six-time leading trainer Steve

Asmussen also returns, and is expected to start both Breeders' Cup Distaff

winner Untapable and Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile runner-up Tapiture in stakes

engagements during the season.

In addition to offering free general admission throughout the meet, Oaklawn

will also offer purse bonuses for horses that run and win without Lasix.

The Oaklawn Lasix-free Bonus program will provide a 10 percent bonus to the

winner's share of the purse for all horses that run and win without Lasix. This

means Oaklawn Lasix-free incentives will range from $1,080 for its minimum purse

of $18,000 up to $60,000 for the Arkansas Derby. The total potential bonus

supplement will be $1.4 million.

Lasix-free bonus payments will be provided by Oaklawn itself and will not

come out of the purse fund.

In Thursday's Dixie Belle, the likely favorite is the undefeated Promise Me

Silver, a Texas-bred who has won four races by a combined 21 1/2 lengths,

including the $50,000 Letellier Memorial at Fair Grounds on December 20.

Also expected to attract support are stakes debuters Sarah Sis, a Keeneland

allowance winner in October, and Toutsie Rules, a Keeneland graduate who took an

allowance at Fair Grounds last time.

In addition to the races, Oaklawn will also be offering their traditional

50-cent corned beef sandwiches promotion for fans in attendance on opening day.

Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com