How Horse Racing Shaped Hot Springs, Arkansas

Hot Springs and Oaklawn have been at the heart of Arkansas horse racing for over a century, and the racetrack is the host of the annual Arkansas Derby. This article will cover how Oaklawn grew from humble beginnings in the early 20th century to become a major national event.

Horse Racing Comes to Hot Springs

Even before horse racing, Hot Springs was popular with visitors who came to enjoy Hot Springs National Park, the oldest federal reserve in the USA. The first horse racing was done by farm boys in their free time before racing became more formally run in the 1890s. The natural hot springs meant tourists were already interested in visiting and by the late 1890s Sportsman’s Park was providing early thoroughbred racing.

Come 1904 Oaklawn Park began operating with 3,000 attendees on its first day. The early years of the Park saw it running half a dozen races a day, in a manner similar to British racetracks. It was forced to close in 1907 before reopening in 1916.

Oaklawn Grows Into an Arkansas Racing Institution

Oaklawn is a key venue in American racing today but it didn’t get there overnight. Its initial closure was down to politics and a pattern of closure and reopening continued until 1929 when Osro Cobb cast a tie-breaking vote that allowed betting and racing to go ahead.

Putting together a track and spa proved a winning formula, and this helped Oaklawn become the natural venue for the inaugural Arkansas Derby. It was one of the few races to keep going in 1944 before its only absence in 1945, and by the 1960s it was a top 5 North American track by profits.

Major renovations occurred in 1975, adding facilities including 2,500 reserved seats, private club, dining room, and 400-person box. The resort underwent another expansion in 2021, with $100m spent enlarging the casino and adding a hotel and event center.

The Arkansas Derby Becomes the Main Event

The Arkansas Derby has been held annually at Oaklawn since its initial event in 1936, with the exception of 1945. Attendance is consistently high, often topping 60,000 or even 70,000.

The race is over one and an eighth miles with a purse of $1.5m, up from $5,000 back in 1936. Traditionally held on the second Saturday of April, the Arkansas Derby is seen as a key milestone on the way to the Triple Crown events of  the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes.

One of its most notable winners was Nodouble, a thoroughbred who also twice won the Hawthorne Gold Cup, as well as claiming the Santa Anita, Brooklyn and Metropolitan Handicaps. More recently both Smarty Jones and American Pharoah have won both the Arkansas and Kentucky Derbies, with Renegade winning the 2026.

Other Races That Built Oaklawn’s Reputation

While the Arkansas Derby is the jewel in Oaklawn’s racing crown, it has other feathers in its racing cap that are worth knowing about. It hosts another Grade I event, the Apple Blossom Handicap, which boasts a purse rising to $1.5m in 2027. The Apple Blossom Handicap dates back to 1958.

The venue is also home to Grade II races, including the Azeri Stakes, Oaklawn Handicap, and Rebel Stakes. The Rebel Stakes runs over one and an eighth miles, and is set to have a purse of $1.25m in 2027. It’s got an interesting place in the calendar, forming both part of the Road to the Kentucky Derby and being the middle leg of Oaklawn’s own three-year old stakes program (the Arkansas Derby being the third leg).

Oaklawn’s Place in Arkansas Sports and Tourism

Oaklawn Park is one of America’s leading thoroughbred racetracks, attracting spectators and gamblers to its major events. But it also has plenty to offer beyond the track. The resort hotel has the first Forbes four-star spa in the state, the Astral Spa, as well as The Bugler and The OAK room & bar, both Forbes-rated restaurants.

Whether racing’s on or off, the resort’s casino, event center, and live entertainment offer facilities for both work and leisure time. And it’s close to Hot Springs National Park and both Lake Hamilton and Lake Ouachita.

The spa fits with Hot Springs identity, with the city also hosting the Magic Springs theme park and the hot springs being pumped into numerous hotels and spas.

How the Oaklawn Experience Has Changed

Oaklawn has been around for a long time, and it’s changed dramatically during the years. Once just a stand-alone racetrack, these days it’s a resort featuring the well-regarded Astral Spa, restaurants, and an event center. Visitors can bet on horses but a more recent addition is the casino, and betting today is made much easier with the advent of the internet and smartphones.

Digital race information means non-betting spectators can also benefit from advancing technology, and the extra seating and event center added over the years.

From the Racetrack to Digital Entertainment

Horse racing was once something that could only be experienced in person, and while that’s still the way some like to enjoy it there are other options nowadays. Fans can wager at traditional betting outlets, or choose to go online where there are plenty of horse betting markets and more besides.

Many sites provide both sports betting and casino games, ranging from old school table games to the latest slots. Adults can find those distractions and information about casino free spins offers without ever visiting a brick-and-mortar establishment.

More Than a Century of Racing in Hot Springs

All through the years, horse racing has been the beating heart of Oaklawn. From the off-and-on closures and openings amid political turmoil through to decades of rising interest, the Arkansas Derby’s foundation, and expanding facilities, the venue has grown both literally and in North American racing importance. The Astral Spa dovetails perfectly with Hot Springs’ wider identity, and provides a relaxing way to end a day of racing excitement. And the Arkansas Derby is the perfect stepping stone to Kentucky.