Oaklawn’s new era
The ballroom at the Wyndham Riverfront Hotel in North Little Rock was packed on that Wednesday night in January. People had come from across the state to attend the 12th annual Oaklawn Kick-Off Banquet. They were there to hear from Louis Cella, the fourth generation of his family to head the Hot Springs thoroughbred track.
Across most of the country, thoroughbred racing has been declining for decades. Arkansas is different. The sport remains a part of our social fabric here. People still get dressed up in Arkansas to go to the races. It’s still considered a social event. A day at the races is as much about the food and the clothes you wear as it is about the betting.
In the crowd that night was Nick Zito, the 70-year-old trainer who was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 2005. His horses won more than $8 million that year. Zito has had horses win the Kentucky Derby twice, the Belmont Stakes twice and the Preakness once. When folks like Zito start spending time in Arkansas, it tells you all you need to know about the role this state now plays.
Cella is ready to capitalize on the decision Arkansas voters made last November to allow full casinos at Oaklawn and three other locations across the state. He told those at the dinner about the three barns that were constructed prior to the 2019 race meet and the five barns that will be built this summer. He talked about the new track cushion that required the removal of six to eight inches of dirt around the one-mile oval. Almost 350 truckloads of new surface materials were brought in. He spoke about the new winner’s circle named in honor of the late Larry Snyder, one of the best jockeys in Oaklawn history. He discussed the air conditioning units that were added to the grandstand and the two additional phases of grandstand improvements that are planned. He mentioned a record purse structure that will average $600,000 a day.
“We’re the only track in the country to have two $1 million prep races for the Triple Crown,” Cella said.
He then explained the two biggest pieces of news since he was named Oaklawn Jockey Club president on Dec. 20, 2017. The first was his decision to continue racing after the Arkansas Derby in April. The races will go for three more weeks when the weather is at its best in Arkansas. The end of the meet on the first Saturday in May will coincide with the Kentucky Derby, which will be shown on numerous screens at the track. If the weather cooperates, the biggest party in Arkansas each Saturday in April and on the first Saturday in May will be on the Oaklawn infield. The second piece of news is Oaklawn’s decision to expand its gaming area along with the addition of a 200-room hotel, a full spa, a swimming pool and additional restaurants and lounges. Cella admitted that the project could cost quite a bit more than the previously announced $100 million. If things go according to plan, the casino will be open a year from now and the hotel will be open in two years.
“This will allow us to introduce new people to our sport and continue to grow our purses,” Cella said. “During the past 10 years, I’ve had a unique opportunity to visit almost every track in the country. It made me realize how special this place is. We don’t take any of this for granted.”
In an era of corporate ownership, Arkansas is fortunate to have a family-owned track. Louis Cella inherited from his father—the late Charles Cella—a love of racing and its traditions. He also inherited a love of Arkansas even though the Cella family calls the St. Louis area home. His wife is an Arkansan, and Cella is a 1990 graduate of the University of Arkansas Law School. He has been heavily involved through the years in raising money for cancer research at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. He’s the third generation of his family to serve on the Thoroughbred Racing Association board (his grandfather John was TRA president in 1959-60 and his father was TRA president in 1975-76). Last August, he was elected to the Jockey Club, which establishes the recommended standards for the industry.
Charles Cella, who died at age 81 on Dec. 6, 2017, due to complications from Parkinson’s disease, was a larger-than-life character. In addition to racing, his family owned some of the most iconic buildings in St. Louis. The family business, Southern Real Estate & Financial Co., was founded in 1903. Until 2015, it owned the landmark Union Trust Building, which was designed in 1893 by architect Louis Sullivan. Until 2003, the family owned the Orpheum Theatre, which was developed in 1917 by Charles Cella’s grandfather.
Charles Cella, who was once a nationally recognized squash player, was part of the ownership group that made the first bid to win back an NFL franchise for St. Louis after the Cardinals moved to Arizona. His family was even an investor in the original production of the musical Oklahoma.
Nine days after the banquet, more than 20,000 people showed up on a Friday for the first day of racing. There were almost 30,000 people in attendance the next day as the track ran out of corned beef by late afternoon. Louis Cella is prepared to lead Oaklawn into the legalized casino era, an era that appears destined to see Oaklawn become a bigger player on the national stage with each passing year.
Having Zito in Arkansas this winter and spring isn’t an anomaly. It won’t be long until Oaklawn is the place for the most famous trainers, jockeys and owners to be each January through April. Senior Editor Rex Nelson’s column appears regularly in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
He’s also the author of the Southern Fried blog at rexnelsonsouthernfried.com.