Oaklawn Park

Beginning Dec. 26--Opening Day of Gulfstream Park's Championship Meet--fans will be able to meet and watch track announcer Pete Aiello call a race while helping to retrain, rehome and retire Thoroughbreds. For a $50 donation per person, up to six fans can watch Aiello call a race from the announcer's booth with the proceeds going to the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA). "The TAA is very grateful to the team at Gulfstream Park and Peter Aiello for this unique and fun way to raise funds and awareness for aftercare. We hope...

Last year's meet at Oaklawn Park was not a particularly good one for jockey Cristian Torres. Largely unknown on the circuit when he came in and sidelined for the last five weeks of the meet when fracturing his right ankle in a spill, he won just 19 races, ending up 15th in the standings. Fast forward some eight months later and Torres is tearing the place apart. Two weeks into the meet, he's the leading rider with 11 wins and is winning with 33% of his mounts. "We've started off...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 6th-AQU, $85K, Msw, 2yo, 1m, 2:10 p.m. Picked up for $975,000 as a Keeneland September grad, ABSTRACT (Curlin) takes to the track in the afternoon for the first time for Repole Stable and St Elias Stable under the direction of Todd Pletcher. His dam, a half-sister to three stakes horses in Mom'z Laugh (Leroidesanimaux ({Brz}), Cajun Breeze (Congrats), and Peace At Dawn (Peace Rules), took a trio of Florida-bred stakes and ran second in the GIII Delta Downs Princess S. Looking to improve second-time out...

Another Oaklawn meet is underway and with the Arkansas track offering the highest purse structure in the country during the winter months, expectations are that it will be another banner season in Hot Springs. To discuss the Oaklawn season, the TDN Writers' Room podcast presented by Keeneland called upon track president Louis Cella to explain why Oaklawn has become such a phenomenon. Cella was this week's Green Group Guest of the Week. "It's because we don't charge $12 for a beer," Cella said when asked how Oaklawn continues to draw...

Louis Cella joins this week's TDN Writers' Room to share what is in store for this year's race meet at Oaklawn Park.

Two-for-two at Horseshoe Indianapolis earlier this summer, Count de Monet didn't receive a lot of respect at the tote board, going off for his stakes debut at Oaklawn at 15-1. Despite wanting a similar front-running position as Tyler's Tribe, Count de Monet was outrun to the lead by that rival and boxed in against the fence by Too Much Info (Maclean's Music). Still covered up around the turn as Tyler's Tribe paced the field through opening fractions of :22.33 and :46.11, Count de Monet began to make up ground when...

After some test rings last spring, Oaklawn's fund-raising efforts for local Thoroughbred aftercare began in earnest Dec. 9 with the opening of its scheduled 68-day live racing season. The final six days of the 2021-2022 meeting raised $14,000 through the new "Ring the Bell" program, which gives winning connections following each race an opportunity to donate at least $100 toward aftercare. Money raised is earmarked for the Arkansas Thoroughbred Retirement Program and Rehabilitation Foundation Inc., a collaboration between the Arkansas division of the Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association and Oaklawn....

by Margaret Ransom Since neither of the top three first-crop sires battling it out to win the 2022 division title had a runner on Thursday, their numbers remain unchanged. The focus now turns to a busy Friday with Bolt d'Oro (Medaglia d'Oro) in a solid position to pull away from both Justify (Scat Daddy) and Good Magic (Curlin) with six runners total--three in the fifth race at Turfway Park, two in the sixth at Woodbine and another at Oaklawn Park. Good Magic's lone runner on Friday--Zia Park Juvenile S. winner...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 3rd-OP, $90K, Msw, 2yo, f, 1m, 2:26 p.m. A daughter of prolific broodmare Tamboz (Tapit), MADLY DANCING (Curlin) is a half-sister to eight winners from as many to race including GI Preakness S. third Creative Minister (Creative Cause), MGSP Battalion Runner (Unbridled's Song), MGSP Oceanwave (Harlan's Holiday), GISP Dolder Grand (Candy Ride {Arg}), and MSP Late Nite Mischief (Into Mischief). Tamboz herself is a full-sister to GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile victor and sire Tapizar. Madly Dancing, a $525,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase, races for...

After a failed attempt in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint in which he bled, Tyler's Tribe (Sharp Azteca) will return to his comfort zone for his next start. Trainer and co-owner Tim Martin reports that his Iowa-bred gelding will start next in the Dec. 9 Advent S. at Oaklawn at 5 1/2 furlongs on the dirt for 2-year-olds. "This will give him five weeks between races," Martin said. "We worked him last week and he didn't bleed. Everything looked good. I'll breeze him again Saturday. In this race...

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar. Off as the 2-1 favorite on debut, it was an uphill battle from the start for Effortlesslyelgant (f, 2, Liam's Map--County Clare, by Uncle Mo) at Churchill Downs Nov. 23. "It was kind of what I'd call a nightmare scenario, but that's horse racing," owner Alex Lieblong said with a laugh. Off a beat slowly from post three, the $475,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase was on the move...

Willis Horton, an owner and breeder in Thoroughbred racing for decades whose Willis Horton Racing campaigned champions Will Take Charge (Unbridled's Song) and Take Charge Brandi (Giant's Causeway), passed away Friday at the age of 82 after a bout with COVID-induced pneumonia. The news was first reported by Daily Racing Form. Originally from Zach, Ark., Horton grew up on a farm and competed in rodeos. His wife of 64 years, Glenda, had a similar upbringing, and the two owned quarter horses before branching out into the world of Thoroughbreds. Horton's...