Horsemen excited despite later start
Optimism won the 12th annual Oaklawn Park Kick-off Banquet hands down at the Wyndham Riverfront Hotel in North Little Rock on Wednesday night.
Everyone seemed excited, including feature speaker Oaklawn President Louis Cella, who said he felt free from pressure.
“The good news is, it’s a friendly crowd,” Cella said. “Everyone’s excited about the season coming up. This really does set the tone for the upcoming meet, and it’s a great deal for Oaklawn and for the community to get the people started thinking about the season.”
Oaklawn’s first live race day is scheduled for Jan. 25, two weeks later than in recent seasons.
The 2019 meet is scheduled to end May 4, three weeks later than the racetrack’s longtime tradition of mid-April finishes, three weeks before the Kentucky Derby at Churchill
Downs in Louisville, Ky. Consequently, the season will no longer conclude one race after the Arkansas Derby, which will stay in place as Oaklawn’s most significant Kentucky Derby prep and Road to the Derby points distributor.
Cella said he has received little, but positive, feedback.
“The horsemen love it,” Cella said. “If they don’t have a horse that has a chance to compete in the Kentucky Derby, they will have a great opportunity at terrific, competitive racing leading up to the kickoff of the summer.”
Veteran Oaklawn trainer Ron Moquett’s lone stated bother with the change was based on a quality common among horsemen and the bulk of humanity — impatience. Moquett said his horses, owners, and crew are ready to race.
“We’re just trying to stay alive until we start running,” he said. “Horse people are in the game because we like action. It’s hard, but we can see the sunshine now.”
Oaklawn General Manager Wayne Smith, who is starting his second season in the position, said he understands horsemen’s eagerness.
“This time of year, everyone’s ready to go,” Smith said. “So it’s a short-term-pain for a long-term-gain opportunity. They know they’ll get to offset this two-week period with what they’ll get in April, but to the point, they’ve been training and training and training, and the horses are ready, and we can’t wait to get it going, either.”
For the first time since a points system was established for Kentucky Derby qualification, Oaklawn’s opening-day card will include a Road to the Derby points race. The Smarty Jones Stakes will feature a field of 3-year-old Kentucky Derby hopefuls that should include a gate full of local trainees and a handful of potential superstars from around the U.S.
Among the locals expected to start is Dwight Pruett’s Gray Attempt, winner of the $75,000 Sugar Bowl Stakes last month at Fair Grounds in New Orleans, trained by Oaklawn regular Jinx Fires. Pruett lives in Texarkana and Fires in Hot Springs.
“There’s a lot of excitement being involved in this,” Pruett said. “Hope’s a good thing.”
“He’s doing great,” Fires said. “We’re very pleased with the way he’s doing so far.”
As always and likely forever more this time of year, optimism reigns.
“I’m very optimistic,” Smith said. “I think we’re in for one heck of a season.”