Oaklawn stakes schedule: Southwest is bumped to $1 million
The purse for Oaklawn's Grade 3 Southwest Stakes, which was won this year by eventual Kentucky Derby champion Mystik Dan, has been bumped from $800,000 to $1 million.
The second of four Kentucky Derby points races to be contested at Oaklawn, the Southwest Stakes will be run next year on Saturday, Jan. 25, and joins the $1.25 million Rebel Stakes (G2) and $1.5 million Arkansas Derby (G1) as seven-figure preps for the first race of the Triple Crown.
The series kicks off Saturday, Jan. 4, with the $250,000 Smarty Jones Stakes. The Rebel (G2) is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 22, and the Arkansas Derby (G1) will be run Saturday, March 29. The Smarty Jones, Southwest and Rebel are run at 1 1/16 miles, and the Arkansas Derby is 1 1/8 miles.
Purses for Kentucky Oaks points races have also increased, with the Honeybee Stakes (G3) being bumped by $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 Saturday, Jan. 25, Southwest Stakes day card. The Honeybee is scheduled to complement the Feb. 22 Rebel Stakes day program. Both serve as preps for the $750,000 Fantasy Stakes (G2), which served as a launching pad this year for Kentucky Oaks winner and likely 3-year-old filly champion Thorpedo 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 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, bringing the grand total to $17.65 million. Many of the new overnight stakes races will be used to further strengthen the racing cards on premiere race days such as Southwest Stakes day, Rebel Stakes day and Arkansas Derby day.
Over the three-day Arkansas Derby racing week, March 28-30, 10 stakes races will be contested. The 1 1/2-mile $200,000 Temperence Hill for older runners and the $145,000 La Patourel Overnight Stakes for older fillies and mares leads the way Friday, followed Saturday by the Arkansas Derby Day card, which also includes the Fantasy, $500,000 Oaklawn Mile (G3), $250,000 Matron, $145,000 American Pharoah Overnight Stakes and $145,000 Eclipse Overnight Stakes. Sunday’s card includes the $200,000 Hot Springs Stakes for 3-year-olds and the $145,000 Southern Hospitality Overnight Stakes.
Other premiere races on Oaklawn’s 2024-25 stakes schedule include the $1,250,000 Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) for older fillies and mares Saturday, April 12, and the $1,250,000 Oaklawn Handicap (G2) on Saturday, April 19.
Prep races for the Apple Blossom include the $250,000 Bayakoa (G3), which will be run Saturday, Feb. 8, and the $400,000 Azeri (G2) on Saturday, March 8.
Preps for the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) include the $500,000 Razorback (G3) Feb. 22, and $500,000 Essex (G3) March 22. The $250,000 Whitmore (G3) will be run Saturday, March 15, and the $500,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3) is scheduled for April 12. The Oaklawn Mile is one of the three stakes races that will support the Arkansas Derby day card March 29.
Oaklawn’s 2024-25 season opens Friday, Dec. 6, and continues through Saturday, May 3. With a few exceptions, racing will be conducted on a Friday-Sunday basis throughout the stand. Exceptions include racing Monday, Jan. 20, Martin Luther King Day; and Monday, Feb. 17, Presidents’ Day. Also no racing will be conducted Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 9, and Easter Sunday, April 20.