2025.05.13 Oaklawn Thanks Our Horsemen

A Letter from Louis A. Cella —-

Thank you for your continued coverage and support of Oaklawn. Your efforts help share the excitement of our season with fans everywhere.

Each year, Oaklawn President Louis A. Cella sends a personal letter to our horsemen, thanking them for their support and highlighting key moments from the season. We invite you to read and share this year’s recap this weekend.

Tuesday, May 13, 2025

Dear Oaklawn Owners and Trainers,

As we reflect on Oaklawn’s 121st live racing season, I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to each of you for your support and resilience throughout a challenging meet. Severe weather put us all to the test, but we managed through — and we did it together.

After Mother Nature forced many cancellations, and despite having an “OFF” track for over 25% of the remaining races, we are proud of the racing product Oaklawn continues to deliver. In addition to offering incredible purses, Oaklawn and the HBPA once again partnered to award over $1 million in the Trainer’s and Owner’s Incentive Programs. These two lucrative bonus plans are just another way Arkansas rewards participants in our racing program.

Other highlights of the 2024-2025 season include:

Average of 10 races per day with 9.32 starters per race, totaling 621 races and nearly 5,800 starts
Total purse distribution of over $56 million, with a daily average of over $900,000
Average daily handle of $6,737,332
A record 13 trainers earned over $1 million in purses, compared to 11 last season
A total of 16 jockeys surpassed $1 million in earnings
Ten new overnight stakes were added
Eighty jockeys and 186 trainers competed throughout the meet, with many hitting personal highlights:
John Ed Anthony (Shortleaf Stables) became the winningest owner in Oaklawn stakes history
Francisco Arrieta earned his 1,000th career win
Erik Asmussen was recognized as the Eclipse Award Winner for Outstanding Apprentice Jockey
Keith Asmussen achieved 100 career Oaklawn wins
Walter De La Cruz reached 1,400 career wins, including 200 at Oaklawn
Ricardo Santana Jr. joined the 2,000-career-win club
Tyler Bacon celebrated his 100th career win
Jinks Fires reached 1,500 career wins
Cipriano Contreras marked 100 Oaklawn victories
Tom Van Berg earned his 300th career win
Over 650,000 race fans consumed 57,000 sandwiches, 21,000 hot dogs and 20,000 bags of popcorn, washed down with nearly 100,000 soft drinks
Oaklawn became the home of Mystik Dan’s coveted 150th Special Anniversary Kentucky Derby trophy

It is no secret that some of the best human athletes and Thoroughbreds in the country come through Oaklawn each winter and spring. Whether fans are watching from the Grandstand, or viewing worldwide through Oaklawn’s vast broadcasting network, all eyes are on Hot Springs.

We are grateful for your trust and continued partnership, and we look forward to seeing you back next season.