Arkansas's only Thoroughbred track, drawing serious horsemen and weekend crowds from across the South. The live racing season runs from December into May, building toward the Arkansas Derby in April — by far the busiest weekend of the Hot Springs calendar.
Outside racing season the casino, hotel, and restaurants stay open year round. The track's old brick grandstand has been wrapped in a much bigger modern resort, but the paddock area and finish line still feel pleasantly historic. Even non-gamblers find it worth a couple of hours during a live race meet — the atmosphere is one of the city's distinct moods.