Hot Springs, AR (SportsNetwork.com) – Oaklawn Park has canceled Monday’s
President’s Day program due to a winter storm and rescheduled the $300,000
Southwest Stakes for Saturday.
This is the third time since 2006 a winter storm has forced Oaklawn to cancel
its President’s Day card and postpone the 1 1/16-mile Southwest Stakes for 3-
year-olds.
Oaklawn will race the Southwest on Saturday if the weather clears enough to
allow training Tuesday morning. However, if the track doesn’t open until
Wednesday or Thursday for training, the Southwest will be run Sunday, Feb. 22.
In such situations the field for the stakes is usually redrawn.
A dozen 3-year-olds were originally entered for the Southwest which offers
points to the first four finishers as part of the “Road to the Kentucky Derby”
entry system.
After the draw last Friday, trainer Tom Amoss said that War Story will be
scratched and leave Saturday morning to return to Fair Grounds in New Orleans
for next week’s Risen Star Stakes. .
“It’s been well-documented that post (11) is tough to win from,” Amoss said.
“And the weather forecast combined with that – it’s just too much.”
