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Arkansas Derby Boosted to $1.25M, Date Changed for ’22

Oaklawn announced Tuesday that the purse for the 2022 GI Arkansas Derby has been increased to $1.25 million and will be contested Saturday, Apr. 2. The date shift is a departure from the traditional three weeks before the Kentucky Derby and the increased purse makes the race the richest event among Derby preps. In 2022, Oaklawn will offer a record 36 stakes worth $12.3 million. In addition to the Arkansas Derby, three stakes will carry million dollar purses and 15 other stakes will offer purses ranging from $200,000 up to $750,000. Every stakes race will have at least a $150,000 purse. With the shift in the track's racing calendar that now begins in December, Oaklawn will stage its first 2-year-old stakes since 1973–the Advent S. On opening day, Friday, Dec. 3.

“When we launched our $100 million expansion program two years ago, we said our goal was to take Oaklawn to a new level of excellence,” Oaklawn President Louis Cella said. “Historically, Oaklawn's 3-year-old series has offered the most Kentucky Derby qualifying points of any track in the country. With the extra timing between races and added purse money, we believe Oaklawn will only grow as 'the' place to prepare for the Triple Crown races.”

The new date of the Arkansas Derby will have a ripple effect on Oaklawn's other major 3-year old races. The $1,000,000 GII Rebel S. will be run Saturday, Feb. 26, the $750,000 GIII Southwest S. is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 29. The Smarty Jones S. will kick off the series on New Year's Day with a purse that has been increased by $100,000 to $250,000.

Highlighting the older horse divisions, the GII Oaklawn H. and GI Apple Blossom H., will both offer a $1-million purse. The are both scheduled for Apr. 23. Also slated for older horses during the meet are the $150,000 Fifth Season S. Jan. 15, GIII Razorback H. Feb. 12 and the $500,000 Essex H. Mar. 19. For older fillies and mares, Oaklawn has added the $150,000 Pippin S. Jan. 8, $250,000 GIII Bayakoa S. Feb. 5 and the Mar. 12 $350,000 GII Azeri S.

The Arkansas-bred program will feature six stakes races after the addition of the $150,000 Natural State Breeders' S. for 3-year-old fillies and older at one mile May 6. The highlight of the series is the $200,000 Arkansas Breeders' Championship for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/16 miles May 7.

The 2021-2022 Oaklawn live meet runs Friday, Dec. 3 through Sunday, May 8. There is no racing Dec. 24-26 for Christmas or Apr. 17 for Easter.

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Wagering Down Slightly in June from 2020

Wagering on U.S. races has dipped slightly from $998,331,984 in 2020 to $993,147,243 this season, according to the Thoroughbred Racing Economic Indicators released by Equibase Tuesday. The drop represents a 0.52% change over a year ago. Conversely, wagering rose 0.22% from pre-COVID-19 figures in 2019 when $990,923,384 was wagering during the month of June. In 2021, purses rose 49.17% to $103,624,634 from last year as did race days which increased to 437 from 300 in 2020. Purse figures for the comparable time frame in 2019 were $115,194,83, with 499 race days conducted in June of that year. Also up over last year, 3,413 races were contested in the U.S. (+37.34%) as was number of starts, rising 18.49% to 23,870. Average purse size fell 13.73% to 6.99 last month, while average wagering per race day tumbled 31.71% to $2,272,648. Average purses per race day increased by 2.4% to $237,127.

Generally speaking, the year-to-date figures showed increases, including U.S. wagering rising 24.20% to $6,277, 894,486 and U.S. purses rising 58.85% to $514,950,882. Also showing big gains from 2020 to 2021, U.S. race days rose 44.58% to 1,881 and U.S. race days increasing to 15,792 from 10,906 in 2020. Average field size fell to 7.43 from 8.08, while average wagering per race day also dipped to $3,337,530 from $3,885,109.

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Belmont Fall Stakes Schedule Released

The New York Racing Association, Inc. announced the stakes schedule for the 28-day fall meet at Belmont Park, which will include 20 graded stakes, including 47 stakes worth $11.15 million in purses. The fall meet, which will run from Thursday, Sept. 16 through Sunday, Oct. 31 will offer four Grade I races and five “Win and You're In” qualifiers to the Breeders' Cup in November at Del Mar. The first Breeders' Cup qualifier is the $1-million Jockey Club Derby for 3-year-olds going 1 1/2 miles on the turf Sept. 18. That card will also feature the GI Jockey Club Oaks and Grand Prix American Jockey Club Invitational.

The meet's first graded races will take place Sept. 25-26, headed by the GII Kelso H. and the GIII Athenia S. The following day will offer the GII Gallant Bloom S., with the undercard rounded out by the Bertram F. Bongard S. for New York-bred juveniles going seven furlongs.

Seven graded stakes make up the weekend of Oct. 2-3, highlighted by Saturday's GI Woodward S. and the GI Champagne S. affording a spot in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile to the winner. The undercard will feature the GII Miss Grillo S. and the GIII Belmont Turf Sprint. Grade I action continues on the following day with the GI Frizette S., Breeders' Cup 'Win and You're In' for the Juvenile Fillies. The day will also include the GII Pilgrim S. and GIII Fasig-Tipton Waya S.

The Saturday, Oct. 9 card includes the GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic, the GII Vosburgh S., a 'Win and You're In' event for the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint and the GIII Matron S. The following afternoon will offer the fall meet's final Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint qualifier with the GIII Futurity S. in addition to the GII Beldame S. and GIII Knickerbocker S.

Closing weekend will offer eight stakes for New York-breds on Empire Showcase Day Oct. 30, led by the Empire Classic. A trio of $250,000 stakes includes the Empire Distaff, Sleepy Hollow S. and Maid of the Mist S. Also on tap are a pair of $200,000 contests in the Mohawk S. and Ticonderoga S., in addition to the $150,000 Iroquois S. and Hudson S. The meet will conclude with five stakes–the Zagora S., the Pumpkin Pie S., Awad S. and the Chelsey Flower S.

A trio of stakes have been added to the fall schedule–the $100,000 Glen Cove for sophomores fillies sprinting seven furlongs on the turf Oct. 15; the $100,000 Carle Place S., for 3-year-olds also going seven furlongs on the turf Oct. 22; and the $100,000 Oyster Bay S. for 3-year-olds and up going seven furlongs on the turf will be run Oct. 29.

For the complete Belmont Park fall meet stakes schedule, please visit www.NYRA.com/stakes.

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Champions Talk RSVP Deadline July 9

Champions Talk, a fundraiser for the NY Race Track Chaplaincy, will be held July 19 at 3p.m. at the Fasig-Tipton Pavilion in Saratoga Springs. The RSVP deadline has been extended to July 9. A limited number of seats are available for the round-table discussion featuring five champion jockeys–Chris McCarron, Jorge Velasquez, Richard Migliore, Laffite Pincay Jr. and Angel Cordero Jr. The event, which will be followed by a cocktail reception, will be moderated by Tom Durkin. Each attendee will receive a free limited edition autographed bobblehead of our honoree, Irad Ortiz Jr.

To purchase tickets, sponsor the event, or donate, click here.

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