The Road: Oaklawn Park Serves Up Lucrative Derby Preps

When it comes to the Road to the Kentucky Derby, Oaklawn Park most assuredly puts up the money to try to draw the best possible fields of 3-year-olds. 

With added-gaming and successful races meets generating strong purses in recent years, Oaklawn has chosen to fully commit to its series of 3-year-old stakes races. That commitment again will be on display when an expected field of 13 sophomores line up for the $1.25 million Rebel Stakes (G2) Feb. 24. 

Just how much money is $1.25 million relative to other 3-year-old races? A look at the main Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifying points schedule provides some perspective.

The Rebel Stakes is one of six United States races that awards 50 qualifying points to its winner. Of those half-dozen races, its purse is more than three times the purse of any of the other races. The Risen Star (G2), Fountain of Youth (G2), and San Felipe (G2) stakes, as well as the Tampa Bay Derby (G3) each offer purses of $400,000. The Gotham Stakes (G3) features a $300,000 purse.

In fact, the Rebel Stakes offers more purse money than six of the seven U.S. Road to the Kentucky Derby races that offer 100 qualifying points to the winner. The Louisiana Derby (G2), Florida Derby (G1), and Blue Grass Stakes (G1) each offer purses of $1 million while the Santa Anita Derby (G1) and Wood Memorial Stakes (G2) check in at $750,000 and the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) pays out $700,000.

The UAE Derby (G2), contested on Dubai World Cup day at Meydan Racecourse, also offers 100 qualifying points on the main Road to the Kentucky Derby to its winner. Its purse also weighs in at $1 million. 

The one 100-point race in the U.S. with a larger purse? You guessed it, the Arkansas Derby (G1) at $1.5 million.

In July Oaklawn announced an overall $600,000 increase to its four Derby prep races that also include the $300,000 Smarty Jones Stakes and $800,000 Southwest Stakes (G3). At that time Oaklawn president Louis Cella noted the commitment is all about bringing in the best possible Thoroughbreds to race at the Hot Springs, Ark., track.

Just five years ago the Southwest offered a purse of $500,000, the Rebel a $750,000 purse, and the Arkansas Derby a $1 million purse. That already enviable purse structure that totaled $2.25 million is now up to $3.55 million.

"It's absolutely remarkable how our stakes program has grown in recent years," said Cella said in a release. "We've doubled the number of stakes (overall) we offer and have added millions to the purses. We want our fans to have the opportunity to see some of the top Thoroughbreds in the country, and increasing the purses to this level will bring those horses. This is what our stakes program is all about."

Upcoming Road to the Kentucky Derby races

Date    Race    Track    Points schedule

Main road

Feb. 24    Rebel S.    Oaklawn Park    50-25-15-10-5

European road

March 1    Patton S. Dundalk    20-10-6-4-2