Oaklawn Racing & Gaming

Last updated
Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort
Arkansas Derby logo.png
Location2705 Central Avenue
Hot Springs, AR 71901, United States
Coordinates Coordinates: 34°29′06″N93°03′26″W / 34.484999°N 93.057096°W / 34.484999; -93.057096
Owned byOaklawn Jockey Club, Inc.
(Cella family)
Date opened1904
Race typeThoroughbred
Course typeDirt
Notable races Apple Blossom Handicap (G1)
Arkansas Derby (G1)
Oaklawn Handicap (G2)
Fantasy Stakes (G2)
Rebel Stakes (G2)
Azeri Stakes (G2)
Southwest Stakes (G3)
Razorback Handicap (G3)
Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3)
Official website

Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort, [1] formerly Oaklawn Park Race Track, is an American thoroughbred racetrack and casino in Hot Springs, Arkansas. It is the home to The Racing Festival of the South. [2]

United States Federal republic in North America

The United States of America (USA), commonly known as the United States or America, is a country comprising 50 states, a federal district, five major self-governing territories, and various possessions. At 3.8 million square miles, the United States is the world's third or fourth largest country by total area and is slightly smaller than the entire continent of Europe's 3.9 million square miles. With a population of over 327 million people, the U.S. is the third most populous country. The capital is Washington, D.C., and the most populous city is New York City. Forty-eight states and the capital's federal district are contiguous in North America between Canada and Mexico. The State of Alaska is in the northwest corner of North America, bordered by Canada to the east and across the Bering Strait from Russia to the west. The State of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific Ocean. The U.S. territories are scattered about the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, stretching across nine official time zones. The extremely diverse geography, climate, and wildlife of the United States make it one of the world's 17 megadiverse countries.

Casino facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities

A casino is a facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. The industry that deals in casinos is called the gaming industry. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships or other tourist attractions. There is much debate over whether the social and economic consequences of casino gambling outweigh the initial revenue that may be generated. Some casinos are also known for hosting live entertainment events, such as stand-up comedy, concerts, and sporting events.

Hot Springs, Arkansas City in Arkansas, United States

Hot Springs is a city in the state of Arkansas and the county seat of Garland County. The city is located in the Ouachita Mountains among the U.S. Interior Highlands, and is set among several natural hot springs for which the city is named. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a population of 35,193. In 2017 the estimated population was 36,915.

Contents

In 2017, Oaklawn was ranked #5 of all thoroughbred racetracks in North America by the Horseplayers Association of North America. [3]

Thoroughbred Horse breed developed for racing

The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are considered "hot-blooded" horses that are known for their agility, speed, and spirit.

North America Continent entirely within the Northern Hemisphere and almost all within the Western Hemisphere

North America is a continent entirely within the Northern Hemisphere and almost all within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered by some to be a northern subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the west and south by the Pacific Ocean, and to the southeast by South America and the Caribbean Sea.

In 2015, a pair of victories at Oaklawn put American Pharoah on the path to becoming American Horse of the Year and the first Triple Crown winner in 37 years.

American Pharoah American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

American Pharoah is an American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the American Triple Crown and the Breeders' Cup Classic in 2015. He was the 12th Triple Crown winner in history, and in winning all four races, became the first horse to win the Grand Slam of Thoroughbred racing. He won the 2015 Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year and 2015 Champion three-year-old. He was bred and owned throughout his racing career by Ahmed Zayat of Zayat Stables, trained by Bob Baffert, and ridden in most of his races by Victor Espinoza. He now stands at stud at Ashford Stud in Kentucky.

The American Award for Horse of the Year, one of the Eclipse Awards, is the highest honor given in American thoroughbred horse racing. Because Thoroughbred horse racing in the United States has no governing body to sanction the various awards, "Horse of the Year" is not an official national award.

History

Oaklawn Park opened on February 24, 1905. A holiday had been declared in the city to mark the occasion, and more than 3,000 people attended the first day of racing. In its early years, the track only ran six races a day, similar to British cards.

In 1907, political problems in the state forced the closure of Oaklawn. The closed track was sold to Louis Cella, the original business partners having both died. The track reopened in 1916 under the auspices of the Business Men's League of Hot Springs.

In 1918, Louis Cella died and the ownership of the track was transferred to his brother, Charles. For the next few years, the track was opened and closed periodically because of vagaries in the state's political climate.

In the 1929 Arkansas legislative session, a bill to allow horse racing and parimutuel betting came to a tie vote in the state House of Representatives. The only Republican member of the state House at the time, Osro Cobb of Montgomery County, had been out of the chamber when his name was called. Upon his return, Cobb cast the tie-breaking vote to allow racing and betting at the track. [4]

Parimutuel betting betting system in which all bets of a particular type are placed together in a pool

Parimutuel betting is a betting system in which all bets of a particular type are placed together in a pool; taxes and the "house-take" or "vigorish" are deducted, and payoff odds are calculated by sharing the pool among all winning bets. In some countries it is known as the Tote after the totalisator, which calculates and displays bets already made.

Osro Cobb was a Republican lawyer who worked to establish a two-party system in the U.S. state of Arkansas. In 1926, he was elected to the Arkansas House of Representatives from Montgomery County and served as the only Republican member in the chamber for two two-year terms. He was the United States attorney for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas during the Little Rock Crisis of 1957–1958. He served a year on the Arkansas Supreme Court in 1966 as a temporary appointee of Democratic Governor Orval Faubus.

Montgomery County, Arkansas County in the United States

Montgomery County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of the 2010 census, the population was 9,487. The county seat is Mount Ida. Montgomery County is Arkansas's 45th county, formed on December 9, 1842, and named after Richard Montgomery, an American Revolutionary War general.

In the 1930s, the track and "Spa" combined attracted many horse racing fans. In 1935, Oaklawn increased purses to become competitive with the best tracks across the country. The first Arkansas Derby was run in 1936 for a purse of $5,000. By this time, the track ran a thirty-day race meeting. On October 29, 1940, Charles G. Cella died and the presidency of Oaklawn transferred to his son, John G. Cella (1909-1968). In 1941, purses again set Oaklawn records. By 1943, the Arkansas Derby had a purse of $10,000. Oaklawn stayed open in 1944, after World War II had closed most American tracks, but it did cancel the spring season in 1945.

The Arkansas Derby is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held annually in April at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas. It is currently a Grade I race run over a distance of 9 furlongs on dirt.

World War II 1939–1945 global war

World War II, also known as the Second World War, was a global war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. The vast majority of the world's countries—including all the great powers—eventually formed two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis. A state of total war emerged, directly involving more than 100 million people from over 30 countries. The major participants threw their entire economic, industrial, and scientific capabilities behind the war effort, blurring the distinction between civilian and military resources. World War II was the deadliest conflict in human history, marked by 50 to 85 million fatalities, most of whom were civilians in the Soviet Union and China. It included massacres, the genocide of the Holocaust, strategic bombing, premeditated death from starvation and disease, and the only use of nuclear weapons in war.

At the end of WWII, a 30-day late autumn and winter season was held at Oaklawn, touching off an unprecedented period of prosperity. This financed a major clubhouse renovation and a resurfacing of the track.

Victory over Japan Day day on which Japan surrendered, effectively ending World War II

Victory over Japan Day is the day on which Imperial Japan surrendered in World War II, in effect bringing the war to an end. The term has been applied to both of the days on which the initial announcement of Japan's surrender was made – to the afternoon of August 15, 1945, in Japan, and because of time zone differences, to August 14, 1945 – as well as to September 2, 1945, when the signing of the surrender document occurred, officially ending World War II.

Throughout the 1950s the track continued to climb in handle, attendance, and purses. In 1956, J. Sweeney Grant became manager of Oaklawn. In 1961, the track extended the season to 43 days. In 1962, the track notched the fifth-highest profit of North American tracks. By 1965, the Arkansas Derby was a $50,000 stakes that could attract top Kentucky Derby prospects. In 1968, Oaklawn president John G. Cella died suddenly and his son Charles J. Cella took over. In 1971, Grant, under whom Oaklawn had enjoyed 16 years of remarkable growth, died.

Finish line at the 2013 Arkansas Derby Arkansas Derby 2013 002.jpg
Finish line at the 2013 Arkansas Derby

W. T. Bishop replaced him and the track continued to thrive. In 1972, the Arkansas Derby became a $100,000 stakes; the following year saw the first run of the Fantasy Stakes, a prep race to the Kentucky Oaks. The Racing Festival of the South was created in 1974. The weeklong festival has one stakes race each day, leading up to the Arkansas Derby.

In 1975, Oaklawn completed a renovation that added a five-level glass enclosure to the north end of the grandstand, near the top of the stretch. The addition included a general admission area, a 400 box and 2,500 reserved seats, a kitchen, a dining room and a private club.

In 1983, the all-time record handle was established. The track reached a goal of averaging $3 million in wagering every day. For the 56-day season, the handle amounted to $168,740,923, for an average of $3,013,230 a day. Attendance for the season was 1,303,223, representing a 23,272 daily average. That same year, the purse for the Arkansas Derby was increased to $250,000. In 1984, the purse was again lifted to $500,000.

By 1985, three decades of prosperity began to reverse. Betting declined 8.1% and attendance declined by 3.7% compared to 1984. Increased competition from neighboring states, a lack of Sunday racing, and a lack of race days were blamed.

By 1990, the track was opened for races on Sundays, the grandstand had been enlarged, and attendance began to recover.

Two years later, races began timing in hundredths of seconds, rather than fifths, as with other race tracks around the world.

In 2004, to celebrate its 100th anniversary, Oaklawn Park offered a $5 million bonus to any horse that could sweep its three-year-old graded stakes, the Rebel Stakes and the Arkansas Derby, and then take the Kentucky Derby. Smarty Jones collected the bonus. [5]

In 2015, eventual Triple Crown winner American Pharoah began his Eclipse award-winning season with victories at Oaklawn in the Rebel Stakes and Arkansas Derby. [6] [7]

In 2018, Oaklawn installed James Peniston's sculpture of American Pharoah and Victor Espinoza. American-Pharoah-2017-sculpture-Peniston-01.jpg
In 2018, Oaklawn installed James Peniston's sculpture of American Pharoah and Victor Espinoza.

Just before the 2018 season opened, Oaklawn unveiled a life-sized bronze sculpture of American Pharoah and jockey Victor Espinoza at the grandstand's redesigned entrance. [8] The work, by Philadelphia sculptor James Peniston, had been commissioned two years earlier by then-Oaklawn president Charles Cella to memorialize the horse's victories at the Hot Springs track. [9]

Later 2018, Oaklawn announced that it would start its 2019 racing season a few weeks later than usual, running from late January until early May, lasting the customary 57 days and ending on the day of the Kentucky Derby. [10] Among the reasons given for the change were spring weather conditions and January racing cancellations over the previous decade. [10]

Physical attributes

Oaklawn's dirt track is one mile in circumference, with a chute in the backstretch permitting sprint races at 6 furlongs. [11] Oaklawn, like a few other US racetracks, employs two finish lines. Since the distance from the main finish line to the start of the first turn is very short, races at one mile start and end at the 1/16th pole. This reduces the length of the stretch from the usual 1,155 feet [11] to 825 feet.

The original clubhouse was designed by Chicago architect Zachary Taylor Davis in 1904, who would later design Chicago's Old Comiskey Park and Wrigley Field. The track buildings have undergone many renovations and updated barns provide stabling for the horses.

In 2008, Oaklawn began a $3 million addition to accommodate casino-style slot machines, poker tables, and an Instant Racing complex. The casino addition made Oaklawn the largest gambling facility in the state of Arkansas.

Casino

The state of Arkansas does not allow traditional slot machines, so the casino has "electronic games of skill", defined by section 10.17 of the Final Rules of the Arkansas Racing Commission Regulations for Franchise Holders Operating Electronic Games of skill as "game(s) played through any electronic device or machine that affords an opportunity for the exercise of skill or judgment where the outcome is not completely controlled by chance alone." [12]

After Arkansas voters passed a bill to allow live gambling, Oaklawn added live tables.

Racing

Stakes races run at Oaklawn Park during the Racing Festival of the South and the Oaklawn Park meet include:

Grade I

Grade II

Grade III

Non-graded stakes:

The track also runs numerous overnight handicaps and minor stakes during the Winter and Spring Meets.

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "Welcome to Oaklawn". Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort - Oaklawn.com.
  2. ↑ "Oaklawn's Racing Festival of the South". Arkansas Department of Parks & Tourism - Arkansas.com.
  3. ↑ HANA January 2014 Ranking
  4. ↑ Osro Cobb, Osro Cobb of Arkansas: Memoirs of Historical Significance, Carol Griffee, ed. (Little Rock, Arkansas: Rose Publishing Company, 1989), p. 24
  5. ↑ "ESPN.com - Triple Crown 2004 - Oaklawn owner insured bonus two days before Derby". espn.go.com. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
  6. ↑ Novak, Claire (March 14, 2015). "American Pharoah Romps in Rebel". The Blood-Horse. Retrieved May 23, 2015.
  7. ↑ Novak, Claire (April 11, 2015). "American Pharoah Impressive in Arkansas Derby". The Blood-Horse. Retrieved May 23, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Oaklawn Park Unveils American Pharoah Statue". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  9. ↑ "Oaklawn Park unveiling sculpture of 2015 Triple Crown winner". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2018-10-14.
  10. 1 2 Carroll, Scott (11 April 2018). "Oaklawn shifts racing season for 2019". katv.com. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  11. 1 2 "Horsemen's Guide". www.oaklawn.com. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  12. ↑ Final Rules of the Arkansas Racing Commission Regulations for Franchise Holders Operating Electronic Games of skill
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