The GIII Southwest Stakes, won by subsequent GI Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan (Goldencents) this year, will be worth $1 million in 2025, Oaklawn Park announced Tuesday. The race was worth $800,000 this year.
The second of four Kentucky Derby points races to be contested at Oaklawn, the Southwest will be run Jan. 25 and joins the $1.25-million GII Rebel Stakes and the $1.5-million GI Arkansas Derby as Oaklawn's seven-figure preps for the first race of the Triple Crown.
Oaklawn's Derby prep series begins with the Jan. 4 $250,000 Smarty Jones Stakes. The Rebel is scheduled for Feb. 22 and the Arkansas Derby will be run Mar. 29. The Smarty Jones, Southwest and Rebel are run at 1 1/16 miles, while the Arkansas Derby is 1 1/8 miles.
Purses for Kentucky Oaks points races at Oaklawn have also increased, with the GIII Honeybee Stakes being bumped $100,000 to $500,000 and the Martha Washington Stakes increased to $300,000. The Martha Washington kicks off the series and will complement the Southwest Stakes Day card. The Honeybee is scheduled to complement the Rebel Stakes Day program. Both serve as preps for the $750,000 GII Fantasy Stakes, which served as a launching pad this year for GI Kentucky Oaks winner Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna).
“With the success of Arkansas-owned Mystik Dan and of Thorpedo Anna, the facts speak for themselves and echo what we've been saying for a number of years,” Oaklawn president Louis Cella said. “There is no better place for horsemen to prepare Thoroughbreds for future success than Oaklawn. Not only were our runners able to win the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks this year, Seize the Grey (Arrogate) keyed a Preakness Stakes trifecta of horses that had competed in Oaklawn races.”
In addition to the 47 traditional stakes races that offer a total of $16.2 million in purses, Oaklawn also announced the addition of 10 restricted overnight stakes races, each offering a purse of $145,000, making the Arkansas track's 2024/2025 stakes schedule worth $17.65 million.
Other premiere races on the Oaklawn schedule include the $1.25-million GI Apple Blossom Handicap for older fillies and mares Apr. 12, and the $1.25-million GII Oaklawn Handicap Apr. 19.
Prep races for the Apple Blossom include the $250,000 GIII Bayakoa Stakes, which will be run Feb. 8, and the $400,000 GII Azeri Stakes Mar. 8.
Preps for the Oaklawn Handicap include the $500,000 GIII Razorback Stakes Feb. 22 and the $500,000 GIII Essex Stakes Mar. 22. The $250,000 GIII Whitmore Stakes will be run Mar. 15, and the $500,000 GIII Count Fleet Sprint Handicap is scheduled for Apr. 12. The $500,000 GIII Oaklawn Mile is one of the three stakes races that will support the Arkansas Derby Day card Mar. 29.
Oaklawn's 2024-2025 season opens Dec. 6 and continues through May 3.
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