Oaklawn Park

Sandman (Tapit) and La Cara (Street Sense), Grade I winners for dual Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse, each had five-furlong workouts over a fast track Saturday morning at Oaklawn Park in Arkansas. GI Arkansas Derby winner Sandman, under Cristian Torres, went in :59.60 (1/16). He covered his opening eighth of a mile in :12, a quarter-mile in :24 and three furlongs in :35.80 before galloping out six furlongs in 1:12.40. Unraced since late August, Sandman has had five published workouts in advance of his yet-to-be determined 4-year-old debut. "He's...

'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard Ewing (Knicks Go), perfect in two starts but unraced since taking out the GII Saratoga Special Stakes Aug. 2, arrived on the Oaklawn Park backstretch Monday, Dec. 22 after being based in Central Florida with trainer Mark Casse. According to Caden Arthur, who oversees Casse's Oaklawn string, the $37,000 Keeneland September buyback turned $585,000 OBS April breezer is scheduled to work in Hot Springs Dec. 28 in advance of his return to action, which could come in a sprint allowance in January, Arthur said....

6th-GP, $70K, Msw, 2yo, 1m, 2:48 p.m. ET. A $525,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select yearling, EASTERLY (Uncle Mo) goes out for WinStar, CHC and First Go Racing. The Brad Cox trainee's extended female family includes Canadian champion 2-year-old filly Delightful Mary (Limehouse), MGSW Delightful Kiss (Kissin Kris) and Japanese multiple Group 1 stakes placed Wilson Tesoro (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}). Bred by WinStar and campaigned by Easterly's ownership group, Class President was sent to Todd Pletcher--who of course trained the colt's sire. TJCIS PPS 1st-FG, $55K, Msw, 2yo, 5 1/2fT, 1:45...

Arkansas lumberman John Ed Anthony reached 300 career wins at Oaklawn Park when favored Brunia (Tekton) broke her maiden in the 10th and final race on Friday's 2025-2026 opening day card, a press release from the track said on Saturday. Brunia, an Arkansas homebred for Anthony's Shortleaf Stable, is trained by Lindsay Schultz. Anthony, 86, reached 299 career Oaklawn victories last March when 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Quietside (Malibu Moon) captured the GII Fantasy Stakes. The Fantasy was also Anthony's record 40th career Oaklawn stakes victory. The late...

Grade I winner Sandman (Tapit) posted his first work at Oaklawn Park Friday morning a week after arriving on grounds in advance of his 4-year-old debut in February. The GI Arkansas Derby hero went an easy half-mile in :49 flat, the 19th fastest of 73 at the distance, under exercise rider Autumn Lavertu over a fast track following the first surface renovation break. Clockers had his splits as an opening quarter in :25 and :36.80 for three furlongs. He galloped out five furlongs in 1:02. "Just have an easy half...

The lone first-starter in a field of seven, Authentic Cat (Authentic) loaded as the 63-10 fourth choice in the wagering in the season opener at Oaklawn Park and was off to an uneventful beginning before settling in clear air in fifth as the top four were reasonably well-grouped up ahead. Patiently handled through the middle furlongs by Manny Esquivel, the gray filly made inside progress on the turn and into the stretch, came out to challenge in the two path in upper stretch and finished powerfully to graduate by 5...

7th-OP, $100K, Msw, 2yo, f, 6f, 4:22 p.m. ET. Set for her unveiling is SANGARETTE (Charlatan), a 2-year-old who was purchased for $500,000 by Tom Durant during the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May sale last year and sent to trainer Ray Ashford. The filly's dam, GISP Sweet Shirley Mae (Broken Vow), produced SW Mae Never No (Ire) (No Nay Never). Sangarette's extended female family includes GSW Chaos Theory (Curlin). Also making the starting gate on opening day of the Oaklawn meet is Don Alberto homebred Eagle Dance (Audible). Trained by Brad Cox,...

Oaklawn Park will host a pair of major live horseplayer contests to be held during Southwest Stakes Weekend in 2026, the track announced Friday. The new events, the Southwest Showdown on Saturday, Jan. 31, and the Oaklawn Horseplayer Championship on Sunday, Feb. 1, will bring together top horseplayers from across the country to Oaklawn for a high-stakes competition offering Last Chance/First Chance seats to the 2026 or 2027 National Horseplayers Championship (NHC), 2026 Breeders' Cup Betting Challenge (BCBC), and cash prizes. "We are excited to introduce a marquee horseplayer contest...

Gary Stevens, the retired Hall of Fame jockey turned jockey agent, said he has purchased a home near Oaklawn previously owned by the late Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas and his wife, Laurie, the track said via a press release on Wednesday. "Laurie wanted me to have it," Stevens said. "She said she had some other offers and she said: 'You need to be in that house.' She made it happen." Stevens said the house is more than 80 years old, adding it's "very homey, very warm." Lukas...

Edited Press Release Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse returned to Oaklawn Park last season, winning nine races--a single-season personal best in Hot Springs--led by GI Arkansas Derby hero Sandman (Tapit). Casse could make an even bigger impact during the coming split meets because several of his most prominent horses will ship for Oaklawn's 64-day season that begins Dec. 12. The trainer, who received 25 stalls, already has horses on the grounds. "They'll come in stages," Casse said from his Florida base on Thursday. "But we're going to bring our...

Everett Dobson, the chair of The Jockey Club of America, will deliver the keynote address at the annual National HBPA Conference hosted by Oaklawn Park Mar. 4, according to a press release from the horsemen's organization on Wednesday. Dobson is a telecommunications entrepreneur from Oklahoma City who is a horse owner/ breeder and partner in the reigning NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder. "I'm very honored to get a chance to address the National HBPA. I'm very much looking forward to it," Dobson said. "It will largely be around a message...

Zack Gillham has been promoted to the position of Vice President of Racing and Wagering at Oaklawn Park, officials at the Hot Springs, Arkansas, racetrack said in a release on Thursday. Jason Milligan will also transition from his current role to assume the position of the Director of Racing. Gillham, who has been with Oaklawn for over eight years, will oversee all aspects of racing and sports wagering operations at the track. He was most recently employed as the Executive Director of Wagering, where he played a key role in...