OAKLAWN OPENING DAY : A Louisiana influence
Posted on Saturday, January 21, 2006
HOT SPRINGS — Oaklawn Park got by with a little help from some old friends.
Robby Albarado, in a bittersweet homecoming, rode three winners Friday afternoon as Oaklawn launched its 56-day live season under mostly cloudy skies and intermittent rain.
Although attendance (21, 913 ) and on-track mutuel handle ($ 1, 653, 246 ) were slightly softer than last year, track officials were elated with the opener, perhaps the most anticipated ever at Oaklawn.
Much of the buzz had to do with the influx of prominent jockeys and trainers who normally compete during the winter at Fair Grounds in New Orleans.
They didn’t disappoint, especially Albarado, who is riding regularly in Hot Springs for the first time since he was the leading jockey in 1996-1997.
“It’s exciting coming back,” Albarado said. “It’s not a bad aspirin for all the pain and suffering in New Orleans, you know. This is pretty good.” Albarado was among the many displaced jockeys and trainers because of Hurricane Katrina, which struck the Gulf Coast in late August.
Damage from the storm forced Fair Grounds, which normally runs from Thanksgiving until late March, to conduct an abbreviated 37-day season that ends Sunday at Louisiana Downs in Bossier City, La.
Albarado teamed with trainer Michael Stidham, another Fair Grounds regular, to win the second race aboard Swift Trieste ($ 8. 20 ), won the seventh race aboard Brilliant ($ 3. 80 ) and the ninth race aboard Connections ($ 12. 60 ). Brilliant is trained by Neil Howard, another Fair Grounds transplant who hasn’t wintered at Oaklawn since 1988.
The Big Easy connection — trainer Larry Robideaux — also struck in the fourth race with Gorgeous Brittanie ($ 11. 80 to win ).
“Because of what happened in New Orleans, it’s going to upgrade the racing here,” said Albarado, 32, who gained national acclaim as the regular pilot of the Howard-trained Mineshaft, the 2003 Horse of the Year. “The caliber of racing is going to shoot up dramatically, I think. There’s a bond between all the guys from New Orleans. “ Usually, they stick together.” Because of the extraordinary events involving Fair Grounds, Oaklawn General Manager Eric Jackson said track officials expected a slight drop in business Friday. Bossier City is 1 only about a 2 / 2-hour drive from Hot Springs, putting a brief three-day strain on business at both tracks. Still, attendance was down only. 02 percent and on-track handle slipped just 4 percent. Off-track handle of $ 2, 597, 982 was about $ 200, 000 better than last year.
“The weather wasn’t ideal, but it wasn’t bad, either,” Jackson said. “From an operation standpoint, it went pretty well.” Jackson said eight or 10 television monitors on the second floor didn’t operate, and some camera shots weren’t in focus. But with on-track business essentially steady, off-track business up and Instant Racing booming — $ 562, 000 had already been handled early Friday evening — Jackson said it was nice start.
“All in all, we’e going to give this a B-plus,” Jackson said. “If we can get some minor electronic things ironed out [Friday night ], maybe we’ll give [today ] an A.” Obviously, the New Orleans Team has already earned high marks.
“It’s going to be a good meet,” Albarado said. “I’m excited about it.”
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