Horse racing is one of the most followed sports in the United States, with the attendance figures hitting huge highs around the time of the Triple Crown series.
You can catch up on the latest action ahead of the 2026 Kentucky Derby with this dedicated prep series schedule: twinspires.com/kentuckyderby/road-to-the-derby/
So, what are some of the best locations to watch live horse racing action if you live in Philadelphia?
There are few more popular gambling locations in the state of Pennsylvania than Parx Casino and Racing. This location can be found north east of Philadelphia, and it hosts over 3,000 slot machines and 180 live table games. However, it is most famous for its high quality horse racing action throughout the year.
Parx opened its doors for the first time back in 1974 when it was previously known as Keystone Racetrack. However, it was renamed to the title it is today back in 2010. Some of the most talented horses in recent memory have competed at the track, including Shuvee, Spectacular Bid, and Broad Brush.
Meanwhile, Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner Smarty Jones called the track his home before going close in his Triple Crown bid. Two major Grade Ones headline the racing calendar, with the Cotillion Stakes and Pennsylvania Derby being run every September.
The latter has been won by some very high-quality contenders in preparation for the Breeders’ Cup Classic, with the roll of honor including equines such as Bayern, Hot Rod Charlie, and Seize The Grey.
One of the most historic tracks in the state can be found 17 miles east of Harrisburg in the form of Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course.
This track is owned by Gaming and Leisure Properties, and it is home to Eclipse Special Award winner Rapid Redux. The track opened its doors to the public for the first time in August 1972, and it is unusual in the United States for offering 52 weeks of racing action annually. Its biggest race of the year is the Penn Mile Stakes, which is run on the turf at Penn National over a distance of a mile.
The race was established back in 2013, and it has been a Grade Three contest since being downgraded in 2024. Despite that, it is regularly won by top class horses, including Dream On in 2025 and Major Dude in 2023. Other notable stakes races held at the venue throughout the calendar year include the Penn Oaks, the Swatara Stakes, and the Pennsylvania Governor’s Cup.
Presque Isle Downs & Casino is one of the newest horse racing locations in the state of Pennsylvania, with the track having been open to the public since 2007. It is a gamblers paradise, with an extensive casino also being found at the property, as well as some of the highest-quality racing within state lines.
The most important race on the calendar is the Presque Isle Downs Masters Stakes, which is run by fillies and mares aged three and older on the all-weather surface over just under seven furlongs. This race is a Grade Two contest, with a purse of around $400,000 being up for grabs annually.
It is most notably a prep for races targeting success in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, with Informed Decision and Groupie Doll completing the double since 2009. Competitive fields have continued to line up in the track’s biggest races, with winners in the last three years including Gal In a Rush, Roses For Debra, and Accomplished Girl.
One of the most famous horse racing venues in the United States is within striking distance of Philadelphia, as racing fans can drive to Belmont Park in two hours. The iconic U.S. track is located in New York, and it is one of the most revered tracks in the country, having been welcoming fans through its gates since 1905.
It is most famous for hosting the final leg of the Triple Crown, with one of the most iconic moments in the sport’s history coming when Secretariat won in a record time by a dominant margin. The track is the perfect challenge to a championship horse, and racing is staged from late April until mid-July, and then again from September until October.
Including the Belmont Stakes, a total of 14 Grade Ones are held at the track throughout the season, which also includes high-quality contests such as the Just a Game Stakes, the Manhattan Stakes, and the New York Stakes.
However, it is the final leg of the Triple Crown that is the most prominent attraction on the calendar, with a record 120,139 passing through the gates to see Smarty Jones upset by Birdstone in the 2004 Belmont Stakes.
