Arkansas Derby Diaries: A Celebration of Racing

My first trip to Oaklawn Park has already placed the Hot Springs, Ark., racecourse near the top of my personal list of favorite tracks. From the races to the surrounding town, Oaklawn has it all and I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to visit.
After spending the day at the races on Thursday, I took to Twitter and asked people where I should go to grab a bite to eat for dinner. The overwhelming response was that I should try the Ohio Club, a little spot downtown that has a huge history.
When I got there, I was so impressed – the place was an old hangout of Al Capone’s, an ex-illegal casino, a former speakeasy, plus it has a really good cheeseburger. What’s not to love? I was seated on the top floor of the bar and restaurant, and my table was a repurposed roulette wheel with a view of the lively jazz quartet.

 
After enjoying my dinner and the tunes, I headed back to my hotel for a good night’s sleep to get ready for a big Friday in Hot Springs. I woke up early thanks to the one hour time difference from the East Coast, so I decided to head to the track to watch horses training. Upon arrival, I saw that the track gives fans free tours of the stable area; I knew I had to join!

I boarded a shuttle bus packed with fans; and as it toured the backstretch, tour guide and retired firefighter Jerry Reed shared facts and anecdotes as fans took photos of stable life at a racetrack. 

When we arrived back at the grandstand, Oaklawn Park’s TV analyst Nancy Holthus was interviewing some of the track’s luminaries.  She talked to Chance Moquette, who had grown up coming to Oaklawn Park and has become an ambassador for the track. 

In fact, he loves Oaklawn so much that he’s made an amazing tribute video about it:

Holthus also shared jokes with track announcer Pete Aiello, who had the crowd in stiches:

Moments later, it was time for the contenders in Saturday’s Arkansas Derby to take to the track to stretch their legs for the final time before the $1 million race. The first contender I saw was Unbridled Outlaw, who galloped around the track in a professional manner:

Dazzling Gem was eager but under control, and looked like he’ll be full of run in Saturday’s race.

Whitmore had his head way down and looked like he would happily go faster than the standard prerace gallop if given the opportunity:

But the horse who stood out to me this morning was American Pioneer. He looks so strong and eager; and even though he’s only won one other race in his life, I think he may surprise a lot of people on Saturday.

As the horses returned to their barns after their gallops, I had a little time to kill until the races began. My friend and fellow photographer Tom Ferry knows the town really well, so he offered to show me around a bit. Our first stop was to the old high school just off of Central Avenue, which is where Bill Clinton matriculated as a teen.

Tom and I snuck into the building, and it looks like absolutely nothing has changed since 1964.

After that, we decided to drive into the national park abutting Hot Springs; and even through it was a misty day, the views of the countryside were just breathtaking.

After that, it was time for me to get back to the track and take in the Friday scene as fans gathered at Oaklawn Park to celebrate the Festival of the South.

As I was wandering around Oaklawn, I had the pleasure to talk to Larry Reed. He’s a trainer who’s been in the game for most of his life, and he has a fantastic claim to fame: he trained Time to Bid, who ran in the 1970s and ’80s and retired with 50 wins, 33 second-place finishes and 35 thirds in an astounding 179-race career.

Mr. Reed is still training horses, and he’s taught his granddaughter the craft, too; she now works with him and owns two racehorses of her own. He’s passing down a passion for racing through the generations, and he’s an absolutely fascinating man. I’m so glad I got to meet him!
My afternoon absolutely flew by. Before I knew it, it was time for the crown of the day: the Apple Blossom Stakes.

I planned to Periscope it for the America’s Best Racing Twitter account, so I bought some new gear to try at Oaklawn: a clamp that attaches to the flash shoe of my camera, and I figured I would be able to take still photos of the race as well as livestream it in landscape if I played my cards right.

New toy: I bought a phone clamp that attaches to my camera so I can @periscopeco races in landscape + shoot stills. pic.twitter.com/TlG8JsxpSs
— Penelope P. Miller (@PenelopePMiller) April 15, 2016
It turns out that it works like a charm – definitely my new favorite toy! I was able to livestream the entire walkover and race while taking plenty of photos at the same time. My eyes (and my lenses) were trained on last year’s Apple Blossom winner Untapable. She’s a wonderful racehorse, but she hasn’t seemed to be able to recapture her 2015 form this year.

The horses at Oaklawn Park are saddled in an indoor walking ring in front of fans, then, for big races like the Apple Blossom, they’re paraded in the grassy area on the infield before their prerace warm-up. This gave me the chance to see the Thoroughbreds up close and personal before their biggest race as well as the jockeys who would be guiding them. 

Then it was time for the Apple Blossom contenders to parade for fans on the track and warm up on their way to the starting gate. The track bugler played “The Call to the Post,” and the six fillies and mares moved off.

Finally, it was time for the race to begin; once the starting gate was full, the starter rang the bell and six powerful horses surged onto the track and toward the first turn of the race with Untapable leading the pack through the first part of the race.

But after a lap of Oaklawn’s oval, it was all Forever Unbridled, who captured the Apple Blossom Stakes with ease under the skilled guidance of Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez.

Trainer Dallas Stewart was absolutely ecstatic on the track after his win:

But I must admit, I was more moved by owner Charles Fipke, who held hands with jockey Velazquez in thanks for a job well done after the awards celebration.

It was the perfect end to a wonderful day, and I can’t wait to share my adventures with you from Saturday’s Arkansas Derby day!