We’re taking you on a tour of some of the most popular and historic racetracks in the United States — the places where champions are crowned, legends are made, and racing culture comes alive.
We’ll touch on each track's history, major races, racing surfaces, and fun historical notes that make them special.
ARKANSAS
Oaklawn Park (Hot Springs, AR) | 1 mile
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Live Racing: Dec–May
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Surfaces: Dirt
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Known For: Long winter meet and producing top Derby prep horses.
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Major Races: Arkansas Derby (G1), Rebel Stakes (G2)
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Fun Fact: Oaklawn was one of the only major tracks to run uninterrupted during the 2020 pandemic.
CALIFORNIA
Del Mar (Del Mar, CA) | 1 mile
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Live Racing: Jul–Sep & Nov
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Surfaces: Dirt & Turf
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Known For: Breezy oceanside racing and “Where the Turf Meets the Surf.”
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Major Races: Pacific Classic (G1), Bing Crosby (G1)
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Notable CW Performances: Country Grammer (Pacific Classic S. G1, 2nd, 2022; San Diego Handicap G2, 2nd, 2022)
Santa Anita Park (Arcadia, CA) | 1 mile
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Live Racing: Jan–Jun & Sep–Oct & Dec
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Surfaces: Dirt & Turf
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Known For: Majestic San Gabriel Mountains backdrop; frequent Breeders’ Cup host.
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Major Races: Santa Anita Derby (G1), Santa Anita Handicap (G1)
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Fun Fact: Opening day in 1934 drew 30,000 fans — during the Great Depression.
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Notable CW Performances: Country Grammer (Hollywood Gold Cup S. G1, 1st, 2021; San Antonio S. G1, 1st, 2022; Awesome Again S. G1, 2nd, 2022), Parenting (Affirmed S., 1st, 2024)
FLORIDA
Gulfstream Park (Hallandale Beach, FL) | 1 ⅛ miles
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Live Racing: Year-round
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Surfaces: Dirt, Tapeta, & Turf
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Known For: Winter racing capital of the U.S. and home to huge purses.
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Major Races: Florida Derby (G1), Pegasus World Cup (G1)
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Fun Fact: Gulfstream hosts more race days per year than any other major U.S. track.
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Notable CW Performances: Mage (Broke Maiden, 2023; Florida Derby G1, 2nd, 2023)
INDIANA
Horseshoe Indianapolis (Shelbyville, IN) | 1 mile
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Live Racing: May–Nov
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Surfaces: Dirt & Turf
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Known For: All-weather friendly schedule and a growing stakes program.
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Major Races: Indiana Derby (G3)
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Fun Fact: Formerly known as Indiana Grand before a major rebranding.
KENTUCKY
Churchill Downs (Louisville, KY) | 1 mile
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Live Racing: Apr–Jun & Sep–Nov
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Surfaces: Dirt & Turf
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Known For: The Kentucky Derby, the Twin Spires, and some of the loudest crowds in racing.
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Major Races: Kentucky Derby (G1), Kentucky Oaks (G1), Stephen Foster (G1)
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Fun Fact: Churchill Downs opened in 1875—same year as the first Derby.
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Notable CW Performances: Mage (Kentucky Derby G1, 1st, 2023)
Ellis Park (Henderson, KY) | 1 ⅛ miles
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Live Racing: Jul–Aug
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Surfaces: Dirt & Turf
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Known For: Summer racing known as “The Pea Patch.”
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Major Races: Ellis Park Derby
Fun Fact: Its location in Kentucky is actually across the Ohio River—south of Indiana!
Keeneland (Lexington, KY) | 1 1/16 miles
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Live Racing: Apr & Oct
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Surfaces: Dirt & Turf
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Known For: Tradition-first racing, global sales pavilion, and pristine grounds.
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Major Races: Blue Grass Stakes (G1), Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1)
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Fun Fact: Keeneland is a National Historic Landmark and the filming location for Seabiscuit and Secretariat.
Kentucky Downs (Franklin, KY)
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Live Racing: Aug–Sep
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Surfaces: Turf-only
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Known For: European-style course with sweeping turns and massive purses.
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Major Races: Kentucky Turf Cup (G2)
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Fun Fact: The track is shaped more like a kidney bean than an oval.
Turfway Park (Florence, KY) | 1 mile
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Live Racing: Jan-Feb & Dec.
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Surfaces: Synthetic Tapeta
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Known For: Winter racing and the Kentucky Derby prep Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3).
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Fun Fact: Turfway was one of the first U.S. tracks to fully adopt synthetic surfaces.
LOUISIANA
Fair Grounds Race Course (New Orleans, LA) | 1 mile
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Live Racing: Nov–Mar
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Surfaces: Dirt & Turf
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Known For: Oldest racetrack in Louisiana and home to major Derby preps.
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Major Races: Louisiana Derby (G2), Fair Grounds Oaks (G2)
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Fun Fact: Racetrack opened in 1838, making it one of the oldest in the country.
MARYLAND
Laurel Park (Laurel, MD) | 1 mile & 600 feet
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Live Racing: Jan–Apr, Jun, Sep–Dec
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Surfaces: Dirt & Turf
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Known For: Modernized facility and year-round Mid-Atlantic racing.
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Major Races: Barbara Fritchie (G3), Laurel Futurity
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Fun Fact: Laurel was once considered for L’International, a world championship race that later became the Breeders’ Cup.
Pimlico Race Course (Baltimore, MD) | 1 mile
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Live Racing: Apr–May
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Surfaces: Dirt & Turf
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Known For: Home of the Preakness Stakes.
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Major Races: Preakness (G1), Black-Eyed Susan (G2)
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Fun Fact: Opened in 1870 — only Saratoga is older among major tracks still operating.
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Notable CW Performances: Mage (Preakness S. G1, 3rd, 2023)
NEW JERSEY
Monmouth Park (Oceanport, NJ) | 1 mile
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Live Racing: May–Sep
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Surfaces: Dirt & Turf
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Known For: Summer Jersey Shore racing and a family-friendly atmosphere.
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Major Races: Haskell Invitational (G1)
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Fun Fact: The Haskell often produces major Breeders’ Cup contenders.
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Notable CW Performances: Mage (Haskell S., G1, 2nd, 2023)
NEW YORK
Aqueduct Racetrack & Belmont at the Big A (Ozone Park, NY) | 1 ¼ miles
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Live Racing: Jan–Apr & Nov–Dec; also hosts the Belmont Spring and Fall meets during Belmont Park renovations.
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Surfaces: Dirt & Turf
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Known For: Winter racing in New York, durable “winter warriors,” and a loyal local fanbase.
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Major Races: Wood Memorial (G2), Cigar Mile (G2)
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Fun Fact: Aqueduct was once nicknamed “The Big A” — a nickname temporarily passed to Belmont during renovation years.
Belmont Park (Elmont, NY) | 1 ½ miles
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Live Racing: Suspended during major multi-year renovation (TBD).
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Surfaces: Dirt & two turf courses
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Known For: One of the “big three” Triple Crown venues and home to the largest dirt oval (1½ miles).
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Major Races: Belmont Stakes (G1), Met Mile (G1), Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1)
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Fun Fact: Secretariat’s 31-length Belmont win remains one of the most famous performances in sports history.
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Notable CW Performances: We the People (Peter Pan S. G3, 1st, 2022)
Saratoga Race Course (Saratoga Springs, NY) | 1 ⅛ miles
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Live Racing: June–Sep (summer meet)
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Surfaces: Dirt & two turf courses
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Known For: “The Spa,” home to summer racing, boutique meet vibes, and historic upsets.
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Major Races: Travers Stakes (G1), Whitney Stakes (G1), Alabama (G1)
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Fun Fact: Opened in 1863, making it the oldest sporting venue in the U.S. that’s still in use.
PENNSYLVANIA
Penn National (Grantville, PA) | mile
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Live Racing: Year-round, primarily evenings
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Surfaces: Dirt & Turf
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Known For: High-volume racing and consistent weeknight cards.
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Major Races: Penn Mile (G2)
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Fun Fact: Penn National often runs more than 150 racing days per year.
TEXAS
Sam Houston Race Park (Houston, TX) | 1 mile
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Live Racing: Jan–Mar
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Surfaces: Dirt & Turf
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Known For: Fan-friendly nighttime racing and approachable racing scene.
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Major Races: Houston Ladies Classic (G3)
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Fun Fact: One of the first U.S. tracks to adopt LED lighting for night racing.
What This Means — General Observations
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Most U.S. dirt racetracks are around 1 mile — a standard size that makes many races easy to compare.
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Some historic or notable tracks are larger or smaller:
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Belmont Park stands out with a 1½-mile oval — the largest of any major American dirt track.
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Tracks like Keeneland or Aqueduct use non-mile ovals (e.g. 1 1/16 miles, 1 1/8 miles), which influences race design (one-turn vs two-turn races) and race strategy.
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For turf-only courses (like at Kentucky Downs or other specialized tracks), distances can be more variable — turf courses often have different shapes or configurations, and the “oval distance” may not directly match a dirt oval.
Important Disclosures
This article is provided for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as a recommendation, offer, or solicitation to buy or sell any security or interest in a horse. References to racetracks, race outcomes, or purse programs are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent or predict future results. Past performance of any track, meet, or racing event is not indicative of future outcomes.
