Live Racing and More Gaming at Oaklawn

UPDATE: Please note that opening day at Oaklawn has been postponed to January 15 due to weather conditions.

January marks the start of the live race season at Oaklawn Racing and Gaming in Hot Springs. Oaklawn, located at 2705 Central Avenue, is Arkansas’s only Thoroughbred racing venue and is one of the top tracks in the country. Around 1,500 horses are stabled on the grounds in preparation for the 57-day season.

The season opens on January 9 (the earliest opening date in the track’s 111-year history) and closes on April 11 with the running of the $1 million Arkansas Derby. A record $23 million in purses will be available for the 2015 season and fans will also get to check out a recently revamped gaming area.

The $20 million dollar expansion of Oaklawn’s gaming facility took place in two phases and includes additions such as hundreds of new games, a high limits area, and two new spots to eat and drink at: the Silks Bar & Grill and Bistro 2705. Below is a news video that aired after the first phase expansion of the project was completed. Also of note: in celebration of the completion of this expansion project, there will be no admission charge to Oaklawn for the 2015 season.