2/16: Oaklawn adds to weather cancellations
 

OP KO'd for Monday.. Southwest rescheduling TBD.

Mary Rampellini feed at DRF Live when news comes: http://live.drf.com/events/drf-live?...&commit=Filter

That creates some issues for trainers who have mapped out race/break progressions going towards the Derby. Earliest OP card is Friday, but most likely run it back Saturday.

At this point the horses are at the track, so no place else to go.

Wouldn't it behoove Oaklawn to start its meet around March 1st. They have canceled Presidents day racing three of the last six years not to mention the entire opening day weekend. Every year the cancel numerous days due to racing in the winter. They have basically nine months of the year where weather would not be a challenge. They run in two of the worst months of the year January and February.

I know the Derby is the main factor and they want to end the meet with the Arkansas Derby one month prior to the Derby It just seams there must be a better time to start the meet so that the fans could really enjoy the great spring weather they will have Maybe start the meet on Presidents Day?

Thoughts?

maybe the poster is referring to the fact that PARX is open - yet AQ is closed today due to weather


yet its only 100 miles

Yes, The weather can be somewhat suffient just like Aqueduct in the winter. The reason I suggest Persident's day is that that is a big day for them and I believe that canceling three of the last six years is more of an aboration. They have there reasons why they start in mid January. Most of it to do with there 3 year old races and the Derby. It just seems odd that a premier track and meet that only runs a three month meet runs half of it in the middle of winter where weather will always be a challenge so to speak.


I am not saying its broke. It seams like they are more than willing to deal with the cancelations and weather so they can end the meet in early April 3 or 4 weeks before the derby.

I wish someone would tell the NYRA press office that the "out of abundance of caution" language in every one of their press releases could be setting NYRA for difficulty down the road. We all understand the on-track difficulties endured in December and early January. However, putting this language in every cancellation-related press release not only reinforces those difficulties but makes me wonder what the response will be the temperatures invariably reach the nineties at Saratoga during the summer (if "an abundance of caution" is the new standard as to whether to run or not).

they have their meet nestled in between several others. to move would mean a lot more competition for horses
weather is just one of the many things one runs up against in this sport. cancellations can occur any time of year due to various events out of everyone's control.
the weekend was beautiful. that's life in Arkansas.
Arkansas really needs to keep doing what it's doing, with purse increases coming fairly often. it's doing very, very well altogether.

I agree with Danzig as it's an issue of competition and field size. In March, especially later, the trainers and horses start to move. Oaklawn has become popular in the last 10 years because of giving horsemen an alternative, especially for 3YO's. Smarty and John Servis was one of the first to make it popular and Larry Jones also. Those dates fit in a niche and the could shift dates but not get the 3YO's and other fuller fields the get now. Most likely many out of town operations would just bypass OP and go to FL or NO.

The key to 3YO races now is points. They have the Southwest and the Ak Derby which provide a strong path to the starting gate of the Derby.

Also a big factor is Keenland and when the open which would take many of their horses and horsemen away.

Did Parx have the strong winds that Aqueduct had today?

NYRA was more than justified in canceling today regardless of the recent circumstances there.

The only temperature that really matters at Oaklawn is the temperature in the Instant Racing casino area.

:tro:

I particularly enjoyed this column: https://www.thoroughbredracing.com/a...ormula-working

Leaving the writer's personal biases aside, it extols the virtues of Oaklawn, as if they have come up with some secret recipe for long-term success. Yes, item #1 on the checklist is "Start a highly successful alternative gaming operation."

Oaklawn is a neat track and a fun place to visit, but they are hardly a "shining star" when they are often the 4th or 5th highest handling track on a Saturday this time of year. They also have no regard for post time management, a woeful graphics package and don't use Trakus. A racetrack with purses that size should be able to put in Trakus, especially given the length of their meet.

i was telling hubby that saturday, that they needed trackus.

It was terrible at Parx on Sunday. Chill factors at -20. Winds 25 gusting to 60. Monday was a bit better but it only got to 16. Lighter winds. Today is 23 with sun and not much wind. They race 52 weeks a year. Not a big deal cancelling.

However Tuesday is their biggest handle day of the week. Not sure what they handle because the don't usually report it. It's a mere fraction of what they do in the casino. They never cancel.

If you planned on taking you horse through Arkansas to the Derby, you will have to go in the Southwest and then run back in 3 weeks (20 days) in the Rebel and then get 4 weeks off before the Arkansas Derby. Then you have 3 weeks to the Derby, two weeks to Preakness and 3 weeks to Derby. even if you

That's 6 Graded races in 15 weeks. 4 of them are Grade 1's.

Will be a tough road. Southwest isn't enough points, so even if you win, would most likely need a good finish in other two.

it's pretty bad when that type schedule is considered too taxing.