2025.07.22 Oaklawn Racing Updates; 2025-2026 Stakes Schedule

Racing Updates
Compiled by Robert Yates

Tuesday, July 22, 2025

Oaklawn stakes winners Banishing and Asternia are now Ellis Park stakes winners.

Banishing snapped a four-race losing streak in Sunday’s $150,000 Jeff Hall Memorial for 3-year-olds and up at 6 ½ furlongs, while Asternia captured Monday’s six-furlong $150,000 Twin Bridges for fillies and mares.

Banishing, the odds-on favorite under Tyler Gaffalione, rallied on the outside through the stretch to nip front-running Booth by a nose for his third career stakes victory. Banishing ($3.74) ran 6 ½ furlongs over a fast track in 1:14.97. The versatile Banishing was among the best horses to compete at the 2024-2025 Oaklawn meeting, compiling a 3-2-0 record from five starts for co-owner/trainer David Jacobson.

Banishing beat millionaire multiple Oaklawn stakes winner Tejano Twist in a December allowance race and won the inaugural $145,000 Byerley Turk – the gelding’s stakes debut – by 7 ½ lengths in January. Both races were six furlongs.

Banishing then finished second, beaten a head, in the 8 ½-furlong $500,000 G3-Razorback Handicap Feb. 23. The Razorback, which Banishing nearly won in wire-to-wire fashion, was run in a meet-best 1:41.88. Banishing outdueled millionaire Grade 1 winner Saudi Crown to win the $500,000 G3-Oaklawn Mile for older horses March 29 before finishing second in the $1.25 million G2-Oaklawn Handicap at 1 1/8 miles April 19.

Banishing’s last four races have been in Kentucky. He dead-heated for second, beaten a neck, in the seven-furlong $1 million G1-Churchill Downs Stakes May 3 and ran second, beaten a neck, in the one-mile $300,000 Hanshin Stakes June 29 at Churchill Downs.

A 5-year-old son of 2004 Horse of the Year Ghostzapper, Banishing has an 8-5-2 record from 22 lifetime starts and earnings of $1,308,709.

Banishing has flourished since co-owner Lawerence P. Roman purchased the gelding for $80,000 at Fasig-Tipton’s 2024 July Horses of Racing Age Sale. Banishing subsequently won two races last fall in Kentucky before shipping to Oaklawn.

Booth was a three-time stakes winner at the 2024-2025 Oaklawn meeting.

The Twin Bridges marked the second career stakes victory for Asternia, a 4-year-old daughter of Astern co-owned and trained by Oaklawn regular Randy Morse. Gaffalione guided Asternia ($7.24) to a one-length victory over Oaklawn-raced Mink’s Palace in the Twin Bridges, which was contested over a sloppy, sealed surface. The winning time for six furlongs was 1:10.26.

Asternia was a 5 ¼-length winner of the six-furlong $200,000 Purple Martin Stakes for 3-year-old fillies in March 2024 at Oaklawn. She was also an allowance winner at six furlongs Feb. 24 at Oaklawn.

Asternia has a 4-5-1 record from 17 lifetime starts and earnings of $593,427.

Finish Lines

Oaklawn-raced Mullikin finished second in the $400,000 G2-Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap Saturday at Saratoga. … Oaklawn stakes winner Majestic Oops finished second in the $500,000 G3-Molly Pitcher Stakes Saturday at Monmouth Park. … Millionaire Oaklawn maiden special weight graduate Sacred Wish finished second in the Monmouth Park’s $300,000 G3-Matchmaker Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on the turf Saturday. … Oaklawn stakes winner Zeitlos finished second in the $175,000 G3-Caress Stakes for fillies and mares, 3 and up, at 5 ½ furlongs on the turf Saturday at Saratoga.

2025-2026 Stakes Schedule

Contact: Chris Ho Vice President of Marketing

cho@oaklawn.com, 501-623-4411 ext. 420
View 2025-2026 Stakes Schedule

Tuesday, July 22, 2025

Oaklawn’s stakes program continues to increase for the 2025-2026 season

HOT SPRINGS, AR – Oaklawn will offer the highest stakes purses for both fillies and colts on the road to Kentucky for the upcoming 2025-2026 racing season.

The purse for Oaklawn’s Fantasy Stakes (G2), which launched the campaign of 2024 Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna, will increase to $1 million, and the Honeybee Stakes (G3) increases for the second consecutive season, from $500,000 to $750,000. Oaklawn’s first qualifying race for the Kentucky Oaks, the Martha Washington Stakes, offers a $300,000 purse, bringing the total stakes purses available for 3-year-old fillies with Kentucky Oaks aspirations to more than $2 million.

“The increase to our Fantasy Stakes by itself makes a very strong statement,” Oaklawn’s President, Louis A. Cella, said. “This will be the first time in the history of North American racing that 3-year-old fillies will have an opportunity to run for a seven-figure purse prior to the Kentucky Oaks. When you factor in the Honeybee at $750,000 and Martha Washington at $300,000, it’s clear Oaklawn continues to be the nation’s best track to condition 3-year-olds.”

Oaklawn’s road to the Kentucky Derby remains the nation’s richest path, with the $250,000 Smarty Jones kicking off the series Jan. 3, followed by the $1 million Southwest Stakes (G3) on Jan. 31, the $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) on March 1 and the $1.5 million Arkansas Derby (G1) on March 28.

In all, Oaklawn will offer a record 62 stakes races during the 64-day racing season. Stakes purses alone will exceed $18.3 million, more than double the total from the 2019 season. Total purses for the 2025-2026 season are projected to remain at last year’s level, nearly $1 million per day.

In an Oaklawn first, the 2025-2026 season introduces a three-week gap in its schedule. A “Holiday Meet” runs Dec. 12 – Jan. 4, with at least one stakes race per day. A four-day schedule will resume Jan. 30 – May 2.

In another Oaklawn first, the Rebel Stakes card – which also features the Honeybee (G3) – is scheduled for Sunday, March 1, which will mark the first time the premier race is intentionally set for that day of the week.

Six new overnight stakes have been added throughout the season, including “The Coach” Overnight Stakes, honoring Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas.

The first condition book for the 2025-2026 racing season is now available at www.oaklawn.com.

Founded in 1904 and located in Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas, Oaklawn is one of the premiere Thoroughbred racetracks in the country. The casino features slots, live table games and sports betting year-round.

www.oaklawn.com 1-800-OAKLAWN.