The 2022-2023 Arkansas racing season begins today, Friday, Dec. 9 at Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort. The resort is drawing visitors from across the world for its 68-day season with 45 scheduled stakes.
According to a press release from earlier this year, total purses offered for the stakes program have increased by $1.45 million to an all-time high of $13.75 million. The overall purse distribution for the season is projected to exceed $50 million, yet another record.
This is the second consecutive year that Oaklawn is opening in December. Oaklawn President Louis Cella said the expansion of the stakes program (9 additional races) is made possible by the early start.
For its opening weekend, Oaklawn has a much-loved tradition of selling 50-cent corned beef sandwiches. This year, you get two corned-beef sandwiches and a soft drink all for $1! The tradition began on the 100th anniversary of the formation of the Oaklawn Jockey Club so that visitors can enjoy the sandwiches at the same price as they would have paid in 1904. Just a warning, though… be prepared to stand in line for a while! Everyone loves these sandwiches.
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