Horse Racing in Pennsylvania: A Tradition That Still Runs Strong

Horse racing in Pennsylvania isn’t just a relic of the past — it’s one of the few places in the country where the sport is still thriving. While tracks across the U.S. have struggled to hold on, the Keystone State has doubled down, preserving a tradition that stretches back to the 19th century and still fills the calendar today.

A Brief History

The roots of Pennsylvania racing go back to the colonial era, when horses weren’t just transportation or farm tools, but entertainment.

By the mid-20th century, the sport had settled into something close to its modern form. The Meadows Racetrack opened in 1963, making history as one of the first parimutuel harness racing venues in the country. Penn National Race Course followed in 1972, offering year-round thoroughbred racing, and Philadelphia Park (now Parx Racing) opened in 1974, quickly becoming one of the state’s premier tracks.

The Big Venues

Parx Racing remains the flagship, home to the Pennsylvania Derby, a Grade 1 race with a $1 million purse. It also hosts the Cotillion Stakes, a premier showcase for female thoroughbreds. Penn National, located in Grantville, stands out for its 150 live events every year — a rarity in a sport where most tracks stick to seasonal schedules. Its crown jewel is the Pennsylvania Governor’s Cup.

Presque Isle Downs, which opened in 2007, added another thoroughbred venue to the mix, while The Meadows in Washington continues to be a standardbred stronghold. Mohegan Pennsylvania at Pocono Downs brings even more harness racing into the fold.

Harness Racing Country

If you notice a pattern, it’s this: Pennsylvania is built for harness racing. Unlike the classic image of jockeys atop galloping thoroughbreds, harness racing has drivers guiding horses from sulkies — two-wheeled carts — while maintaining a trotting or pacing gait. It’s a different skill set, and Pennsylvania has become one of the country’s centers for it.

That focus has grown into a full-blown industry. Breeders, trainers, veterinarians, and thousands of support staff work year-round in the harness racing world, with Pennsylvania standing out as one of the top producers of standardbred horses.

The Rise of Racinos

The industry got an even bigger boost in 2004 when the Racehorse Development and Gaming Act legalized racinos — racetrack casinos. Slot revenue funneled into the racing industry has allowed purses to grow, talent to flood in from across the country, and the sport itself to stay vibrant in a way that’s escaped other states.

A self-supporting industry

Many horse racing fans think only of flagship events—the sort of races that attract eyes from all over the planet. After the Kentucky Derby, there is the upcoming Breeders’ Cup, which you can learn more about here.

These large races are certainly exciting, but they aren’t the only way to experience the sport. Actually, they aren’t even the primary wing. There are probably fewer than ten horse races that the average person will have any awareness of. There are many thousands more held all throughout the year.

Pennsylvania has developed its racing legacy not through Kentucky Derby-level fame, but through continuously supporting and developing smaller races that, with enough time, produce big results.

Big-name races like the Kentucky Derby or Breeders’ Cup dominate the spotlight, but the reality is those marquee events are just the tip of the iceberg. Pennsylvania’s strength has always been in the day-to-day, with hundreds of live races every year across multiple tracks. This steady base has created a self-sustaining ecosystem, one where small races feed into big ones, and the sport doesn’t just survive — it thrives.

Pennsylvania’s not just keeping horse racing alive. It’s showing how the sport can adapt, evolve, and keep galloping strong in the 21st century.

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