The upcoming weekend in horse racing is highlighted by opening day at Oaklawn Park, one of the most popular racetracks in terms of attendance and betting handle every winter and early spring. The Hot Springs, Ark., track kicks off its 2023-24 meet on Friday, Dec. 8 and will run until Kentucky Derby Day on May 4.
Tag: Lifestyle
BloodHorse On the Rise: Matt Dinerman
It was a late-November morning in Northern California, and track announcer Matt Dinerman was preparing to head to Golden Gate Fields to call the races, which he has done for the past six years. But that day hit differently, as it was his last in the announcer booth of the San Francisco Bay Area track before heading to Arkansas to assume his new role of race-calling duties at Oaklawn Park, which opens Dec.
What’s New in Hot Springs Ahead of 2023-’24 Racing Season at Oaklawn Park
Hot Springs, Ark., the home of Oaklawn Park, has a history of lavishly entertaining tourists since the 1800s. People originally visited to experience the thermal waters that were thought to have healing properties, but later they came for other reasons, like baseball spring training, the gambling that was a precursor to Las Vegas, and world-class Thoroughbred racing. Babe Ruth enjoyed Spa City so much that the New York Yankees eventually added to his contract that he could not return.
A Baker’s Dozen Great Books for the Horse Lover Around the Holidays
The winter holidays are defined by the joys and challenges of finding gifts for family and friends on your list. For many, a book is a treasure they look forward to unwrapping, one they can snuggle up with on cold winter days. Each year brings a new slate of books to add to your library, stories that immerse readers in names and places both old and new. For the horsey sort, 2023 brought a long list of new books on the sport as we celebrate one epic anniversary and look forward to another in the new year.
