Arkansas Derby
 

Anyone here planning on going to Oaklawn for the Ark Derby? I've never been down there, so I decided this year I'm making the drive from StL with a friend that's green to horse racing. He suggested we take a road trip to one of the better tracks so I offered this suggestion.

Can anyone that's familiar with that area make suggestions for where to stay, eat, get tickets, etc.? I read somewhere that the attendance is about 80,000 on derby day there now. So, I want to make reservations early because Hot Springs is not that big of a place!!! Maybe now is not considered early??? Uh-oh!

I went to the AR Derby the year Afleet Alex won and the people were really great and friendly. Track was definitely packed that day (the earlier days in the Racing Festival weren't too bad) but some locals actually gave and saved me a spot right on the rail (on top of offering me beers lol) so I didn't have a problem with seeing anything. I'd probably order tickets though if I was in a group, but really for that day only. Get to the track real early for parking. There are several lots around the track but they fill fast.

I wish I could remember the names of the bars and places we went too, I only recall the "Dixie Dinner" because my host and I were joking about Dixie, the old poster here, being in the kitchen doing dishes. If I saw names I'd remember the other places we went to...I know one was on the water and the others were down the street from there. Typical hangouts for the trainers & their staff etc.

Hot Springs is a very nice, quaint town. I went a couple of years ago and stayed at the Clarion on the Lake, although from what I hear the place to be is the Arlington Hotel. It was getting renovated at the time and was not available when I went.

I can imagine Oaklawn will be absolutely stuffed on Ark Derby day. You may still be able to get reserved seats somewhere. I will be honest with you though, i didn't really care for the seating at Oaklawn. The sight-lines were terrible from almost everywhere inside the place. On the second floor I felt like I was trying to watch the race from inside a jail cell because all of these black bars separate the panels of glass, making it very hard to see.

The weather should be nice then and I don't know what strikes your fancy, so maybe hanging out on the rail might be your best option.

Hope this helps a little.

NT

That place is really nice

I'm game for hanging out on the rail. I like to rub elbows, so it won't be an issue to be among the people! I'm looking forward to seeing their new big screen, is that in yet? I heard they were getting one...maybe it's not supposed to be installed until next year...??? I really like that at Churchill...you can watch the backstretch on the screen and pick up the race at the top of the stretch with binoculars or what have you.

Big screen is there. Track will have at least 65 and probably more like 70+ thousand there. People will be in every nook and cranny and stairwell and in the aisles. Good advice to go early. I personally will be getting reserve seats (reserve seating 1-800-Oaklawn). Not sure where the best seats are, but I usually get seats in section TD or TE of the Terrace which is on the third floor at the south end of the clubhouse on the 3rd floor overlooking the finish line. These seats are up high and no one can stand in front of you and block your view. If you get seats get them toward the bottom of these sections. If you get seats at the top, it's a long hike to the bathroom and to place your bets. Don't know the best eating places either, but passable ones like Outback and Red Lobster, etc. are further down Central Avenue than Oaklawn. Better eating places are Coy's Steakhouse and the Brickhouse Grill which are downtown and harder to find although you might spot Coy's on the way in on Grand Avenue (Little Rock highway). Hope all this proves to be helpful. Good luck.

PM me or Smartyalex we're from that area. I tried to get a room at many places and was shut out for that weekend. I tried the Baymont out on hwy 7 and the Clarion both sold out for both Friday and Sat. They won't race on Sunday as Sat. is the last day of racing. Hot Springs turns into a Madhouse the Friday before the big race.If I were looking to go I'd get online right now and book a room because they go fast at the reasonable to nice places. McClards BBQ is a nice place to eat out on Hwy 270 West. If your driving in from St Louis I'd think about staying at Benton about an hour away and get up early and drive the rest of the way in the mourning. Parking is a bitch unless you pay to park in someone's yard $20-$30 a block away or a half mile walk for around $5-$10. Click on the private message board with anymore questions I'd love to help out.

Nice call on the McClard's Paperbacker!!!

Smarty
 

Your name makes me think I might know who you are. You wouldn't have a cousin by the name of George who worked as a
teacher in Mountain Pine would you?

Not that I'm aware of.

our own Danzig is a Arkansanian (???)...check with her, she may be able to help.

Sorry, wrong Alex I guess.

room booked
 

Just booked a room at the Travelodge for Friday night. Will be driving in early on Friday and leaving after the races on Saturday. Travelodge was the only place left that had free wireless internet access (as far as I could tell).

i'm going up wknd of march 24...we're staying at the lodge at lake degray state park. a bit of a drive to the track, but it's beautiful there, and well worth it.

Parking
 

Sounds a lot like Churchill. Used to live a block away as a child and we made many a fortunes parking cars in our yard (front and back!!). Of course, the closer you were the more you could charge and we were pretty dang close so it wasn't unusual to charge $20 per car on Oaks and Derby days. RV's were a killing. Those guys would pay $200 to park in the alley behind our house. Guess there was really nowhere else to go...everytime I go back to Churchill now I always park across Central Ave in a lady's yard. I wouldn't have it any other way :)

In case anyone is interested, Oaklawn has no reserved seating left for Derby Day. Supposedly, 300-400 tickets will be available that morning (wonder what those will cost?!?!?). Of course, the infield will be open and the lady on the phone said admission to the infield would be $2. I don't need a damn seat...I guess that's what I get for procrastinating (well, more forgetting than anything). :p

you could try stuhub for seats

I went for the 2005 Rebel Stakes that Greater Good won.

I have family in Arkansas, and have lived all over the south. But Oaklawn Park was full of more redneck trash than anywhere I have ever been.

It was a miserable experience and I felt filthy when I left. Trash, trash, trash.