Oaklawn Park's two most significant races for 3-year-olds -- the Arkansas Derby and the Rebel Stakes -- both will offer a guaranteed purse of $1,000,000 in 2019, the track announced Wednesday.
Oaklawn's 57-day season begins Jan. 25, and for the first time in the 115-year history of the facility it will extend past Arkansas Derby Day through Saturday, May 4.
Jennifer Hoyt, media relations manager for Oaklawn, said the decision to raise the purse of the Rebel, scheduled for March 16, is because the race continues to attract high-caliber horses who perform well in, and sometimes even win, Triple Crown races.
"[The Rebel] has become a race that stands on its own," Hoyt said. "A lot of really good horses have come out of it, and it has proven to be top Triple Crown preparation, if done right, and not just a prep for the Arkansas [Derby]."
Oaklawn also has added two new stakes races to the Racing Festival of the South. The $250,000 Oaklawn Invitational for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles will take place on closing day. The $200,000 Oaklawn Mile for 4-year-olds and up is scheduled for Friday, May 3.
"We couldn't be more excited about our new stakes and racing schedule," Oaklawn Park President Louis Cella said in a news release. "We are now able to present some of our best racing during the best time of the year weather-wise in Arkansas. We look forward to growing the new stakes races and providing our fans with world-class racing into May."
Hoyt said the hope is that the Oaklawn Invitational also will become a prep race for the Preakness and Belmont stakes. She said the increased purses reflect the symbiotic relationship the park's live race meet and gaming facilities have, with each attracting more and more visitors, enabling the track to continue to have some of the highest purses for live thoroughbred racing anywhere in the United States.
"We have a very successful model," Hoyt said. "But the thing is, the better your racing gets, the more people who want to bet on your racing, so we have benefited from both gaming and racing."
The Rebel has offered a $900,000 purse since 2016 and is the third of four races carrying Kentucky Derby qualifying points. The Arkansas Derby will hold its traditional spot on the calendar three weeks before the Kentucky Derby on April 13.
"The Rebel Stakes has become a significant prep in its own right and warrants a one-million dollar purse," Cella said. "We're extremely proud to offer the richest and most proven path to the Triple Crown."
The Rebel is not the only Oaklawn stakes race that saw a purse increase. The Fantasy Stakes for 3-year-old fillies was increased by $100,000 to $500,000. The Fantasy kicks off the Racing Festival of the South on Friday, April 12.
The Bayakoa Stakes for older fillies and mares was increased $50,000 to $200,000, and now will share the Presidents Day card Feb. 18 with the $500,000 Southwest Stakes and $500,000 Razorback Handicap.
Overall, the 2019 stakes schedule features 30 races worth $8,850,000.
Lara Farrar of The Sentinel-Record contributed to this story.
Sports on 07/19/2018