100 things to about Hot Springs
Oaklawn Park has been a cornerstone of the Spa City since 1904, offering world-class thoroughbred horse racing and electronic games of skill.
But Oaklawn is more than a drawing card for tourists — it is an unmatched community partner, offering thousands of dollars in scholarships through the Oaklawn Foundation, which also provides services to the town’s aging population, literally providing a “bridge out of poverty” through Cooperative Christian Ministries and Clinic’s Getting Ahead (Bridges to Hope) program, offering employment to disadvantaged individuals to help them transition out of poverty, and hosting annual community events such as Spa Blast and the Lake Hamilton Invitational Cross Country Meet.
It all began when John Condon and Dan Stuart, who also ran Southern Club and Turf Exchange, a popular downtown Hot Springs night spot, and brothers Louis and Charles Cella of St. Louis formed Oaklawn Jockey Club in 1904, because of their desire to build a track closer to downtown.
Celebrated Chicago architect Zachary Taylor Davis was hired to design Oaklawn’s glass-enclosed, heated grandstand — among the first of its kind in the country. The grandstand reportedly seated 1,500 people and cost $500,000. Davis designed Wrigley Field, the longtime home of the Chicago Cubs, a decade later.
The inaugural meet opened on Feb. 15, 1905, and ran through March 18.
The Arkansas Derby was born in 1936 with a purse of $5,000. The first winner was Holl Image, owned and trained by Jack Carter. He would finish sixth in the Kentucky Derby.
As the industry has evolved over the years, so has Oaklawn. Fast forward toJan. 14, 2000, which saw the advent of Instant Racing, a pari-mutuel electronic system that allowed players to wager on previously run races.
On June 11, 2013, Oaklawn announced plans for an expansion of its gaming area that would increase its capacity by 50 percent. The work began in early August and ceased prior to the 2014 race meet. Oaklawn opened phase one on Nov. 3, 2014, which featured an expanded gaming area with new games, Silks Bar & Grill and Bistro. By year’s end, a High Limits area and Poker area were to open. It was 100 percent complete by opening day Jan. 9, 2015.
On March 14, 2015, reigning champion 2-year-old champion American Pharoah began his historymaking season by winning the Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn. On June 6, 2015, after also winning the Arkansas Derby, American Pharoah became the first horse in 37 years to sweep the Triple Crown.
Oaklawn is truly a world-class racing facility, and a class act.