MiamiScreamingEagles
Global Moderator
- Jan 17, 2004
- 71,248
- 48,224
ARKANSAS:
The major newspaper in Arkansas -- The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette which according to research is the oldest continually run newspaper west of the Mississippi River -- has named Lou Cella its Sportsman of the Year. While the competition may have been lessened in other sports, to get recognized for what we all witnessed in the first half of 2020 is monumental for horse racing.
Cella was praised by many insiders for how Oaklawn handled the C-virus and was perhaps the most instrumental of all tracks in keeping the sport of racing active during the early stages.
Oaklawn, even prior to this, has been making a tremendous name for itself as a wonderful venue and certainly is a magnet for jockeys/trainers/owners due to the increase in purse money but also handicappers.
Always one of my favorite tracks that can frustrate even the most astute handicapper with its bombers completing tickets seemingly more so than at other tracks (and certainly in the first few weeks as seems the norm), Oaklawn is the embodiment on how to show a product. The 2021 edition opens in late January.
An extensive article on the newspaper's web site is worthy of a read:
Keeping racing running
The major newspaper in Arkansas -- The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette which according to research is the oldest continually run newspaper west of the Mississippi River -- has named Lou Cella its Sportsman of the Year. While the competition may have been lessened in other sports, to get recognized for what we all witnessed in the first half of 2020 is monumental for horse racing.
Cella was praised by many insiders for how Oaklawn handled the C-virus and was perhaps the most instrumental of all tracks in keeping the sport of racing active during the early stages.
Oaklawn, even prior to this, has been making a tremendous name for itself as a wonderful venue and certainly is a magnet for jockeys/trainers/owners due to the increase in purse money but also handicappers.
Always one of my favorite tracks that can frustrate even the most astute handicapper with its bombers completing tickets seemingly more so than at other tracks (and certainly in the first few weeks as seems the norm), Oaklawn is the embodiment on how to show a product. The 2021 edition opens in late January.
An extensive article on the newspaper's web site is worthy of a read:
Keeping racing running
Oaklawn stayed open when almost all of sports closed down.
For his leadership during a pandemic and efforts to keep horse racing running -- and many jobs in the state still paying -- Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort owner and President Louis Cella is the 2020 Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Sportsman of the Year.
A few thousand fans attended racing at Oaklawn on March 12. Later that evening, as reports of Americans struck by covid-19 began to dominate national news coverage, Cella and other Oaklawn administrators met to decide how the track would proceed.
Amateur and professional sports across the country and around the world chose to suspend competition. Less than a 10-minute drive from Oaklawn's racetrack, the Arkansas Activities Association decided to shut down high school sports after the England boys defeated Earle for the Class 2A basketball state championship March 12. Four classes had to declare co-champions for both boys and girls.
Nearly every nonessential business and organized activity were shut down.
Oaklawn chose to continue its live racing season with attendance limited to horsemen, officials, essential track personnel and media representatives. When racing resumed on Friday, March 13, fans were excluded for the first time since the track opened in 1904.
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"Though we're glad it's behind us, we are elated this day shined," Cella said. "You saw the national telecasts, on four networks, saying, how in the world did Arkansas, not Oaklawn, how did Arkansas pull this off. Our horsemen, our management, we all worked together because if we don't, we weren't going to have a season. It's as simple as that. In that regard, we're quite proud to have been able to pull this off."
For his leadership during a pandemic and efforts to keep horse racing running -- and many jobs in the state still paying -- Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort owner and President Louis Cella is the 2020 Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Sportsman of the Year.
A few thousand fans attended racing at Oaklawn on March 12. Later that evening, as reports of Americans struck by covid-19 began to dominate national news coverage, Cella and other Oaklawn administrators met to decide how the track would proceed.
Amateur and professional sports across the country and around the world chose to suspend competition. Less than a 10-minute drive from Oaklawn's racetrack, the Arkansas Activities Association decided to shut down high school sports after the England boys defeated Earle for the Class 2A basketball state championship March 12. Four classes had to declare co-champions for both boys and girls.
Nearly every nonessential business and organized activity were shut down.
Oaklawn chose to continue its live racing season with attendance limited to horsemen, officials, essential track personnel and media representatives. When racing resumed on Friday, March 13, fans were excluded for the first time since the track opened in 1904.
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"Though we're glad it's behind us, we are elated this day shined," Cella said. "You saw the national telecasts, on four networks, saying, how in the world did Arkansas, not Oaklawn, how did Arkansas pull this off. Our horsemen, our management, we all worked together because if we don't, we weren't going to have a season. It's as simple as that. In that regard, we're quite proud to have been able to pull this off."
