Oaklawn Park

The favorite to land an Eclipse Award as the country's outstanding jockey of 2021 will begin his 2022 push at Oaklawn. Joel Rosario is named on seven horses Friday, which will mark his first day as a regular in Hot Springs and first action since suffering a hairline fracture of a rib when he was unseated shortly after the finish of a Dec. 2 race at Aqueduct. Rosario ($32,944,478) was eyeing a single-season North American record for purse earnings before the injury. Now healthy, Rosario's return to the saddle will...

GI CCA Oaks winner Maracuja (Honor Code), who arrived at Oaklawn Park New Year's Day, is expected to target the Apr. 23 GI Apple Blossom S., according to trainer Rob Atras. Based primarily in New York, Atras will be represented by a small string of runners at Oaklawn for the first time this winter. "It's kind of the first time I've kind of really, officially, opened up a second string," Atras said. "Obviously, in the summer we have to split our string up in Saratoga and Belmont, but this is...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 2nd-TAM, $26.5K, Msw, 3yo/up, 1m40yds, 1:08 p.m. ET    While their other four competitors are a combined 0-for-37, late-debuting newcomers Aussie Pride (Curlin) and Mint (Bodemeister) sport huge pedigrees and in one case, a massive price tag. The former, who carries the Godolphin blue for trainer Bill Mott, was the second topper at the 2019 Keeneland September sale at a gaudy $4.1 million. He's out of New Zealand champion sprinter Bounding (Aus) (Lonhro {Aus}), who is a half to G1 Investec Derby hero Anthony Van...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 6th-GP, $60K, Msw, 3yo/up, 6f, 2:56 p.m. ET Well-related UNEXPECTED (California Chrome) makes his debut here for trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. and the Chu family's Baoma Corporation, which also campaigned his MGISW half-sister Bast (Uncle Mo). A $500,000 FTSAUG '18 yearling, Bast was a frequent visitor to California winner's, scoring victories in the GI Del Mar Debutante S., GI Chandelier S., GI Starlet S. and the GII Santa Ynez S. in her final career start. She was also a stubborn third in the GI Breeders'...

Trainer Peter Miller has been fined $5,000 and assessed one half (1/2) point in accordance with the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) multiple medication violations rule as a result of Mr. Dougie Fresh (Ghostzapper) testing positive for phenylbutazone after working at San Luis Rey Downs on Sept. 13, according to a Los Alamitos board of stewards ruling Sunday. Phenylbutazone--more commonly referred to as just "bute"--is a class 4, category C drug. This constituted Miller's third class 4 medication violation in California in 365 days. On Sept. 2, Miller was fined...

An impasse whose origin dates back more than two years that has prevented Nevada race books from taking betting on three simulcasting signals controlled by Churchill Downs, Inc. (CDI), was reportedly resolved on Wednesday, although it remains unclear which side budged or what changed in the negotiations. Mike Brunker of the Las Vegas Review-Journal broke the story Dec. 1. Three signed contracts for the Fair Grounds, Turfway Park and Oaklawn Park that were suddenly offered by CDI were inked into agreement on Wednesday by the Nevada Pari-Mutuel Association, which represents...

Morris G. Nicks, who trained for parts of six decades, primarily in Arkansas, Louisiana and Kentucky, died Nov. 25 at his home in Waskom, Texas. He had been fighting cancer and was 74 years old. His passing was confirmed by his wife Ellen in a Daily Racing Form story that broke the news Sunday. His son, the trainer Ralph Nicks, told DRF that his father had requested no funeral services to be held. According to DRF, Nicks grew up on a farm in Texas and galloped horses and rode in...

Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas will deliver the keynote address at the National Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (HBPA)'s annual convention in March. The conference will be held Mar. 1-5 at Oaklawn Park's new hotel overlooking the first turn. "When we seek out our keynote speaker, we look for inspiration and passion," said Eric Hamelback, CEO of the National HBPA. "Not only do we get that in spades with D. Wayne Lukas, but his overall legacy is unmatched in horse racing. Yet it's not only that Wayne has...

The Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, the nation's leading source of private funding for equine medical research, has created an endowment to support the "A. Gary Lavin Chair." The full-time position, created in recognition of the late Dr. Gary Lavin's contributions to the foundation and to equine health, will include research advisory committee (RAC) member recruitment, orientation, and management; management of grant applications, reviews, deadlines, and conflict eliminations; fundraising; and publicity. "Dr. Lavin made innumerable contributions to Grayson over the last 40 years, including time spent as a valued member of...

Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort, one of the largest employers in Garland County, Arkansas, is offering all active and future fully vaccinated team members a vaccine incentive. Beginning Oct. 10, wages for all current and future fully-vaccinated non-tipped, hourly team members will be raised to a minimum of $16 per hour. Tipped hourly team members will be raised to a minimum of $8.50 per hour and salaried team members will receive a 3% increase. Oaklawn's new starting annual salary for fully-vaccinated salaried team members will be $40,000 per year. Current team...

The administration of Clenbuterol or any other beta2-agonist will be banned within 120 days of a race at the 2021-22 Oaklawn Park meet, Oaklawn announced Thursday. The rule, agreed to in partnership with the Arkansas HBPA and Arkansas Racing Commission, extends the ban from 60 days, which was the standard for last season's meet. Conducted by Industrial Labs, the presence of Clenbuterol and other beta2-agonist will be determined through blood, urine and hair follicle testing. "Banning the use of Clenbuterol and other beta2-agonists further proves our commitment to the safety...

For the first time in its 117-year history, Oaklawn Park will add December dates to its racing calendar and will host 66 days of live racing beginning Friday, Dec. 3, 2021 through Sunday, May 8, 2022. The season will be conducted on a largely Friday-through-Sunday schedule with some exceptions. The track will be dark over the Christmas holiday Dec. 24-26 and there will be no racing on Easter Sunday, Apr. 17. As is their custom, Oaklawn will host a holiday program on Presidents' Day, Monday, Feb. 21. "For many years,...