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#1
02-16-2015, 06:48 AM
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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
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All ambitions are lawful except those which climb upward on the miseries or credulities of mankind. ~ Joseph Conrad A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right. ~ Thomas Paine Don't let anyone tell you that your dreams can't come true. They are only afraid that theirs won't and yours will. ~ Robert Evans 
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#2
02-16-2015, 11:26 AM
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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.
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#3
02-16-2015, 12:25 PM
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__________________
Books serve to show a man that those original thoughts of his aren't very new at all. Abraham Lincoln
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#4
02-16-2015, 02:23 PM
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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?
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#5
02-16-2015, 03:08 PM
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Quote:
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.
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Books serve to show a man that those original thoughts of his aren't very new at all. Abraham Lincoln
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#6
02-16-2015, 07:26 PM
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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.
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#7
02-16-2015, 02:49 PM
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Quote:
yet its only 100 miles
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#8
02-16-2015, 03:03 PM
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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).
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#10
02-17-2015, 12:43 AM
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The only temperature that really matters at Oaklawn is the temperature in the Instant Racing casino area.
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Still trying to outsmart me, aren't you, mule-skinner? You want me to think that you don't want me to go down there, but the subtle truth is you really don't want me to go down there!
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#11
02-16-2015, 02:56 PM
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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.
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