North American thoroughbred race tracks operate on varied seasonal schedules throughout the year, with some tracks racing year-round while others have specific seasonal meets. Here’s a comprehensive calendar organized by month showing when each track typically operates:
January
Year-Round Tracks:
- Parx Racing (Pennsylvania) – January 1 – December 31
- Charles Town (West Virginia) – January 3 – December 14
- The Thoroughbred Center (Kentucky) – January 1 – December 31
- Laurel Park (Maryland) – January – December
Winter Season Tracks:
- Aqueduct (New York) – January 1-March 30 (Winter Meet)
- Turfway Park (Kentucky) – January 3 – March 30
- Santa Anita Park (California) – December 26 – June 15
- Mahoning Valley Race Course (Ohio) – January 1 – April 13
- Louisiana Downs (Louisiana) – January 9 – March 30
- Tampa Bay Downs (Florida) – Operates through June 30
- Turf Paradise (Arizona) – January 29 – May 4
February
Continuing Winter Meets:
- Aqueduct (New York) – Winter Meet continues
- Santa Anita Park (California) – Winter/Spring Meet continues
- Turfway Park (Kentucky) – Winter Meet continues
- Louisiana Downs (Louisiana) – Winter Meet continues
- Turf Paradise (Arizona) – Winter Meet continues
- Tampa Bay Downs (Florida) – Winter Meet continues
March
Continuing Winter/Spring Meets:
- Aqueduct (New York) – Winter Meet concludes March 30
- Santa Anita Park (California) – Winter/Spring Meet continues
- Turfway Park (Kentucky) – Winter Meet concludes March 30
- Hawthorne Race Course (Illinois) – March 23 – October 13
- Louisiana Downs (Louisiana) – Winter Meet concludes March 30
April
Spring Season Begins:
- Aqueduct (New York) – Spring Meet: April 3-27
- Gulfstream Park (Florida) – April 4 – November 24
- Evangeline Downs (Louisiana) – April 5 – August 24
- Horseshoe Indianapolis (Indiana) – April 8 – November 14
- FanDuel Sportsbook and Horse Racingg (Fairmount Park) (New Jersey) – April 16 – November 16
- Lone Star Park (Texas) – April 17 – July 13
- Mountaineer Casino Resort (West Virginia) – April 21 – December 11
- ThistleDown Racino (Ohio) – April 22 – October 10
- Belterra Park (Ohio) – April 25 – October 5
- Hastings Racecourse (British Columbia) – April 27 – October 20
- Woodbine (Ontario) – April 27 – December 15
- Finger Lakes (New York) – April 29 – November 27
May
Peak Spring Season:
- Belmont at the Big A (New York) – Spring/Summer Meet: May 1 – July 6
- Century Mile Racetrack (Alberta) – May 4 – September 14
- Emerald Downs (Washington) – May 4 – September 15
- Louisiana Downs (Louisiana) – May 4 – September 26
- Hollywood Casino at Penn National (Pennsylvania) – May 2 – August 30
- Prairie Meadows (Iowa) – May 10 – September 28
- Monmouth Park (New Jersey) – May 11 – September 15
- Delaware Park (Delaware) – May 15 – October 12
- Canterbury Park (Minnesota) – May 18 – September 28
- Assiniboia Downs (Manitoba) – May 20 – September 17
- Presque Isle Downs (Pennsylvania) – May 20 – October 24
- Ruidoso Downs (New Mexico) – May 24 – September 2
- Fort Erie (Ontario) – May 28 – October 22
- Laurel Park (Maryland) – May 31 – August 18
June
Late Spring/Early Summer:
- Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga – June 4-8
- Wyoming Downs (Wyoming) – June 8 – August 11
- Arapahoe Park (Colorado) – June 9 – September 2
- Santa Anita Park (California) – Winter/Spring Meet concludes June 15
- Golden Gate Fields (California) – Concludes mid-June
- Retama Park (Texas) – June 27 – August 17
July
Summer Season:
- July 4th Racing Festival at Saratoga – July 3-6
- Ellis Park (Kentucky) – July 4 – August 27
- Saratoga Race Course (New York) – July 10 – September 1
- Colonial Downs (Virginia) – July 11 – September 7
- Great Falls (Montana) – July 13-28
- Sacramento (California) – July 13-28
- Del Mar (California) – July 20 – September 8
August
Peak Summer Season:
- Saratoga Race Course (New York) – Continues through September 1
- Del Mar (California) – Continues through September 8
- Ellis Park (Kentucky) – Concludes August 27
- Remington Park (Oklahoma) – August 8 – December 20
- Kentucky Downs (Kentucky) – August 29 – September 11
- Albuquerque (New Mexico) – August 29 – October 27
September
Fall Season Begins:
- Saratoga Race Course (New York) – Labor Day conclusion
- Del Mar (California) – Concludes September 8
- Belmont at the Big A (New York) – Fall Meet: September 11 – November 2
- Churchill Downs (Kentucky) – September 12-29
- Los Alamitos Race Course (California) – September 13-22
- Meadowlands at Monmouth (New Jersey) – September 20 – October 18
- Santa Anita Park (California) – Fall Meet: September 27 – October 27
October
Fall Championship Season:
- Keeneland (Kentucky) – October 4-26
- Fresno (California) – October 4-14
- Delta Downs (Louisiana) – October 10 – February 21
- Hawthorne Race Course (Illinois) – Concludes October 13
- Hollywood Casino at Penn National (Pennsylvania) – October 23 – December 27
- Churchill Downs (Kentucky) – October 27 – December 1
- Santa Anita Park (California) – Fall Meet concludes October 27
- Del Mar (California) – Fall Meet: October 31 – December 1
November
Late Fall Season:
- Aqueduct (New York) – Fall Meet: November 6 – December 31
- Del Mar (California) – Fall Meet continues
- Zia Park (New Mexico) – November 2 – December 18
December
Year-End/Winter Season:
- Aqueduct (New York) – Fall Meet concludes December 31
- Churchill Downs (Kentucky) – Fall Meet concludes December 1
- Del Mar (California) – Fall Meet concludes December 1
- Turfway Park (Kentucky) – December 4-28
- Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort (Arkansas) – December 12, 2025 – May 2, 2026
- Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley (Ohio) – December 19-31
- Santa Anita Park (California) – Winter Meet begins December 26
Notable Scheduling Patterns
Year-Round Operations: Parx Racing and Charles Town provide nearly continuous racing throughout the year. Seasonal Circuits: New York operates a three-track circuit rotating between Aqueduct (winter/fall), Belmont at the Big A (spring/summer/fall), and Saratoga (summer). California Circuit: Santa Anita, Del Mar, and Golden Gate Fields coordinate their schedules to provide year-round racing in the state. Weather-Dependent Scheduling: Northern tracks like Canterbury Park and Assiniboia Downs operate primarily during warmer months, while southern tracks like Gulfstream Park offer extended seasons.