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2018 Update

2020 Update

Not much has changed in Arkansas since the original writing, except that casino gaming has been legalized and is in use at both Oaklawn and Southland.

Racing began in Arkansas in 1905 when  six races a  day were carded.  Arkansas has had only one  horse  racing  facility in history.  In 1934 Oaklawn Park opened  the  new  era  in racing in the state. Since that time Oaklawn has become one of the premier winter tracks in  the United States  it's signature  race the Arkansas Derby  has  been  used  often  as a stepping stone to the Kentucky Derby.

Arkansas  is also  home  to  Southland  Greyhound  Track in  West  Memphis  across the Mississippi River from Memphis Tennessee.

In 2011 Oaklawn Park ran it's normal winter schedule. M. C. Berry won the riding title. The  Arkansas Derby was won by Archarcharch with Jon Court aboard.

In 2012  horse  racing is alive and  well in Arkansas,  as another  successful  season has concluded at Oaklawn Park.  M.C. Berry repeated as leading rider and Bodemeister with Mike Smith  up won  the Arkansas Derby.  Bodemeister went  on to  finish second in the Kentucky Derby.

Visiting all the tracks in Arkansas seems pretty simple, there's only one. The problem is that it sits in the middle of Arkansas, so if your not starting from Little Rock you got yourself a ride. From Little Rock it's forty miles down I-30 and another twenty or so on the back road. If your looking for racing, come in the winter, between mid January and mid April, the dates here are pretty consistent. The racing is high caliber with an excellent stakes program. If your just looking to see the place, no worry it's a casino site open almost twenty four seven, year round.


2018 Update

Not much you can say about a state with only one horse track, other than it's still there and is probably one of the top tracks in the nation. On the other end of the state the dog track in West Memphis is still alive and kicking.  

2020 Update

In the year of COVID-19 Arkansas was one of a handful of states that allowed racing to continue after the country was essentially shut down. In the eastern part of the state the casino and dog track in West Memphis were shuttered, but Oaklawn Park was able to run it's traditional winter meet, albeit without any fans.