The winner of the inaugural Oaklawn Invitational for 3-year-olds May 4 will receive a free berth into the Preakness Stakes, the Maryland Jockey Club announced Friday. The Preakness Stakes will be run May 18 at Pimlico. 

The Oaklawn Invitational at a mile and an eighth is a new race created as part of a meet extending into May this year at Oaklawn.

The release from the Maryland Jockey Club lists the purse for the Oaklawn Invitational at $300,000, in a joint purse increase announcement for the race made with Oaklawn. The initial purse for the Oaklawn Invitational was $250,000. 

More to come at www.drf.com