Oaklawn Sports Overnight Stakes Recap 2026
Compiled by Robert Yates
Contact: Chris Ho, Vice President of Marketing, cho@oaklawn.com, 501-623-4411 ext. 4201
Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026
Photo Credit: Coady Media
NEZAZURRI - Oaklawn Sports Overnight Stakes - 1st Running
$135,000 Oaklawn Sports Overnight Stakes
Oaklawn’s 2025-2026 “Holiday Season” continued to pay dividends for dual Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse Thursday as Michael Eiserman’s Nerazurri ($7.80) went wire-to-wire under jockey Cristian Torres to win the inaugural running of the $135,000 Oaklawn Sports Overnight Stakes by 3 1/2 widening lengths.
The Oaklawn Sports, a 1 1/16-mile race for 4-year-old fillies that had yet to win an open stakes race, anchored a 10-race card on the first day of the final weekend of the Oaklawn Holiday Season which winds down Sunday, Jan. 4 before a 3-week break in the Oaklawn racing schedule.
Nerazurri’s victory gave Casse his third stakes win of the Oaklawn season and his seventh overall out of just 15 starts. The daughter of Protonico broke quickly and was then allowed to set a soft pace while coasting on the lead through an opening half-mile in :48.53 and an opening six furlongs in 1:13.17 enroute to a final time of 1:44.17.
Steve Asmussen trainee Seraphia finished second, followed by 4-5 favorite Lemon Zest, Take Charge Omaha and Allihies. Kerry’s Kiss was scratched.
Winning her second straight start of the season, Nerazurri earned $81,000 from her fourth victory from 13 career starts to improve her career bankroll to $250,338.
Racing resumes Friday at Oaklawn with a 10-race card and first post time of 12:30 p.m. CST.
