America’s Most Prestigious Racetracks

Horse racing has quickly risen to become one of the pinnacle attractions across the entire sporting industry as fans from around the world are quick to flock out to one of the many prestigious venues that are scattered across the globe in an effort to wager on some of the best-bred racers in the scene today for several high stakes and respected competitions.

It can be challenging to pinpoint which nation has taken up the most noticeable interest in horse racing ahead of every major event as there is certainly a widespread amount of competitions that continue to attract in an unprecedented number of spectators every single year.

The UK market is arguably the most prosperous when it comes to horse racing and their continuous longevity as well as fan investment, however the US has also brought in its own unique array of historical tournaments and esteemed events that spectators frequently turn up in the hundreds of thousands ahead of race day.

For any sports fans who are aiming to put together a bucket-list of must attend venues located in the US, these are some of the top racecourses that the nation has to offer fans that are well worth the price at admission.

Churchill Downs – Louisville, Kentucky:

If there is any horse racing venue that garners the most attention and pristine outlook from fans and bookmakers alike, then it is most assuredly Churchill Downs which is of course the hosting venue for the US’ most prestigious outing, the Kentucky Derby.

This event is capable of pulling in crowds that can reach around the monumental figure of 180,000 spectators every year following its establishment in 1875, with the venue itself holding its own iconic look and atmosphere that sets it apart from its predecessors.

The Kentucky Derby is always hosted at Churchill Downs located in Louisville on the first Saturday of May with millions of fans worldwide always tuning in to watch their favourite stallions and racers in action.

The racecourse as a whole has witnessed several incredible individual moments of brilliance and historical showdowns with fans always expressing a desire to head out to the illustrious venue to catch any one of the top events whilst checking out all the latest horse racing odds.

Belmont Park – Elmont, New York:

Located in the suburbs of New York City stands the 100,000-capacity venue Belmont Park which has remained an integral part of the US racing scene for over a century following its initial opening back in May of 1905.

While this venue may not be able to match the magnitude of Churchill Downs’ imposing capacity for the Kentucky Derby, it does still draw in a mass number of fans from around the world ahead of the always entertaining Belmont Stakes with this competition being a yearly part of the racing calendar since its inception back in 1867.

Belmont Park does house other respected events throughout the season; however they pale in comparison to Belmont Stakes when it comes to the yearly competition which is most notable for being the final outing of the Triple Crown.

The track itself is incredibly challenging for competitors due to its length clocking in at 1.5 miles long which can make for several nail-biting final showdowns as fans are always prepared to wager with high stakes in mind for any potential outcome.

Pimlico Race Course – Baltimore, Maryland:

Another one of the nation’s most coveted race tracks stems from the Pimlico Race Course which is located in Maryland and has since remained the hosting track for the Preakness Stakes event which is one of the three major triple crown events.

Opened back in October 1870, the venue has seen many renovations and changes to its main attraction purposes which now dons a capacity of 120,000 people who are always ready to turn in numbers ahead of any vastly celebrated event.

While some fans will be quick to voice about of the ‘outdated’ facilities that are currently found on-site, the venue has since signed a deal with a brand-new ownership group in March of 2024 which will now reportingly open up the possibilities of a multi-million-dollar renovation of the race track as well as the construction of a new training centre at a completely separate location.

While the current dates are unknown as to when renovations are expected to commence and then reopen, it is believed that plans will go ahead before the end of 2024 with the venue looking set to reopen again following the conclusion of the 2026 Preakness Stakes with Laurel Park hosting the event for the time being.

Given that the venue will soon be getting a much-needed makeover, Pimlico Race Course is already a much beloved venue that houses numerous events each year but could soon become one of the most pristine stadiums that the nation has to offer for all types of leisure’s.