HORSE RACING
Oaklawn purses to top $400,000 per day
Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs announced Thursday that it is projecting a purse distribution of $23.5 million for its 57-day 2015 racing season, which runs from Jan. 9-April 11.
It is the seventh consecutive year Oaklawn has been able to increase purses, bolstered in part by revenues from its on-track gaming center that is in the process of being expanded.
Oaklawn will open its meet with maiden special weight races worth $60,000, an increase of $5,000 over the start of this past winter’s meet and up from $34,000 in 2007. In other categories, open allowance races will be worth as much as $65,000, up $5,000 from the start of last season, while the meet will open with a minimum purse of $18,000, a boost of $500.
Oaklawn previously announced its stakes schedule would be worth a record $6.6 million for 2015, with the purse for the Rebel Stakes ballooning to $750,000 from $600,000.
The track’s total purse distribution has increased by 33 percent since 2008, according to a release issued by Oaklawn.
“In this day and age, it’s always gratifying to be able to raise purses — and for us to be able to do so year after year is a reflection of Oaklawn’s commitment to bringing the highest quality racing to Arkansas,” said David Longinotti, director of racing for Oaklawn.
The track’s stall applications are due Oct. 23.
Longinotti said the spike in purse distribution can also be attributed to the success of Instant Racing and other electronic gaming. An additional factor behind the latest purse increases, Longinotti said, was the successful launch this year of Oaklawn’s own advanced deposit wagering service, Oaklawn Anywhere.
Oaklawn is nearing the completion of a expansion to its gaming area, which will increase its size by 50 percent and is expected to be completely finished in time for the 2015 season.
Longinotti said the track expects purses to increase even more once the project is complete.
FOOTBALL
Watson Chapel player collapses
A Watson Chapel Junior High player was hospitalized Thursday night after collapsing on the field during a scrimmage against Monticello.
The ninth-grader, who was not identified, was in stable condition at Arkansas Children’s Hospital on Thursday night, said Watson Chapel varsity coach Jared Dutton.
Dutton said that the player, who was on defense, was involved in a play and lined up for another before collapsing.
The player received medical attention on the field at Wildcat Stadium in Pine Bluff. He was taken by ambulance to Jefferson Regional Medical Center in Pine Bluff before being airlifted to Children’s Hospital.
— Jeremy Muck
GOLF
UCA hires Runge as men’s coach
Former professional golfer Steven Runge has been named the men’s coach at Central Arkansas.
Runge, who played collegiately at Ohio State, spent the past three years at Clayton State University in Morrow, Ga. Prior to his stint at Clayton State, Runge was an instructor at the David Leadbetter Golf Academy in Bradenton, Fla.
Runge, a Mission Viejo, Calif., native, played professionally for 15 years, including two years on the PGA Tour and nine years on the Nationwide (now Web.com) Tour, earning victories at the Utah Open in 1997 and the Panama Open in 2001. He qualified for the Buick Open and the Hardees Classic on the PGA Tour in 1993.
UCA returns two-time Southland Conference player of the year Pep Angles, a senior, and all-conference junior James Newton.
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL COACHES
Call in game information
Please call the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette with football game reports before 10:30 p.m. each Friday this fall. Call (800) 272-4650 or (501) 378-3411.
We need records, score by quarters, scoring plays and top rushing, passing, receiving and defensive performances. The Democrat-Gazette also will publish statistics each Friday throughout the regular season.
Email statistics and news tips to Democrat-Gazette high school football coordinator Jeremy Muck at jmuck@arkansasonline.com.
Scores also can be tweeted using the hashtag #arpreps.