Oaklawn in December doesn't feel much different than Oaklawn in January, or February, or any other time.
The only difference, now that the Hot Springs racetrack has expanded its live thoroughbred season to 66 days (beginning Dec. 3 instead of mid-January and continuing Fridays-Sundays through May 8) is that there are goofy horse-themed holiday decorations scattered around its cavernous spaces.
Visitors still get in for free; mobile or will-call tickets are required for upper-floor grandstand seats, but I'd rather wander around with the hoi polloi on the main level and sit outside on the steps with the rail birds near the finish line.
Parking is $5 (cash only, and free if you arrive after 2 p.m.) unless you want to drive through the pleasant residential neighborhood along Trivista Drive and park on the far side of the track, then walk across its parking lot.
Don't try to bring in backpacks, outside food or beverages, or firearms. Face masks are encouraged, but almost nobody was wearing one when I visited on a recent Friday.
Here's what's new since the last time I visited: The track's signature corned beef sandwiches are now $9 (tax included). Bloody Marys are $10. A bottled Michelob Ultra is $6.
With that in mind, I abandoned my Oaklawn tradition of day-drinking a Bloody Mary upon arrival and got an aluminum bottle of Ultra (it stays cold longer than a draft, and although it's a decent beer, it doesn't go down very well once it warms up), spurned the corned beef, and tried the street tacos ($6).
They were terrific--slow-cooked pork (or chicken or beef) in adobo sauce on a trio of soft four-inch flour tortillas, topped with shredded cheese and fresh jalapenos and served with sour cream and salsa. I'm afraid my multi-year love affair with the corned beef sandwich may be coming to an end.
There's not a single thing I understand about the intricacies of betting other than to put $2 on a long shot and hope for the best. My method pays off more than you think, especially when the day's races are mostly a brief six furlongs in length--where anything can happen--and entries on this particular day averaged five or six 3-year-olds per post time.
We texted our friend who owns several thoroughbreds to see if any of his horses were running on the day of our visit; they weren't, so we were on our own.
After a visit to the paddock to view each race's entries (there were lots of white and dappled horses on this particular day, which is unusual), I decided that, although I enjoy interacting with the pleasant employees taking bets, I woould try out the digital betting machines, which take cash, credit, and vouchers.
It took a few minutes to get the hang of them, but they are pretty intuitive, and I was able to load my dollar bills in them without much trauma. My admittedly unscientific strategy paid off--I put down $3 to show on a long-shot 3-year-old in the fourth race, which rewarded me with a payoff of $6.20. It covered the cost of one of the Michelob Ultras.
That was enough chance-taking for me, although I regretted not actually putting money down on two bets I placed virtually, as both those horses won and placed, respectively.
After hanging out trackside, it was fun to wander through the stylish casino--bright and noisy, but not too much, and no smoking is allowed, which makes it breathable--where there were more people than there were at the track. Watching a gathering of eight gamblers at a raucous craps table was pretty entertaining. And there's a free self-serve soda and coffee bar, with a "bold" option on the coffee. Nice touch.
The casino connects to the glamorous new Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort hotel, with a soaring contemporary lobby, a handsome bar, and a nicely designed wall displaying trophies from Oaklawn's storied past.
The afternoon went by quickly, as it usually does. Riding home was fret-filled, as is usually is, thanks to the never-ending construction on I-30 between Hot Springs and Bryant--will this project ever be finished?--and an unexpectedly early arrival of rainfall.
It helped to pay attention to the low prices on gasoline at the stations along the access road (although the very thought of trying to get on and off the interstate with zillions of trucks roaring along side by side discouraged taking advantage of them), to listen to the always-original music presentations on community radio station KABF, and to note that in between the vast number of newly constructed car dealerships, restaurants, and retailers edging the road, there remain a considerable number of eateries, little motels, and mom-and-pop businesses that have been there for years.
When I first visited Oaklawn in the 1980s, I remember that the volume of traffic heading there on Saturdays clogged the roads. Not so anymore.
But like the venerable I-30 businesses, Oaklawn persists.
Karen Martin is senior editor of Perspective.