There are more than enough options around the United States when it comes to seeing horse racing live. In total, there are over 110 different courses around the country, with all having their own perks that visitors get to enjoy when they visit.
However, some are more popular than others, and these are often the tracks that host the biggest races of the season. But, which four courses should all fans of the sport visit?
Santa Anita Park
There aren’t many better places to catch horse racing action than at Santa Anita Park. It is located in Arcadia in California, and boasts some of the biggest meetings of the season. The standout races of the season are the Santa Anita Handicap and Santa Anita Derby, while other Grade 1s such as the Beholder Mile, American Pharoah Stakes and The Gold Cup at Santa Anita are also hosted here.
Visitors are guaranteed to see stars when they visit the track due to the sheer volume of high-quality races over the spring and fall. The track has also hosted the Breeders’ Cup on ten occasions, with the most recent coming in 2019.
Learn more about Santa Anita Entries for today along with Santa Anita results here.
Churchill Downs
Churchill Downs is one of the most popular racetracks in the USA to visit, and that is for one very big reason- the Kentucky Derby. The track hosts the opening race of the Triple Crown, which brings eyes from around the world onto the course.
There are few more famous races than the Kentucky Derby, which ensures that it is a track that all lovers of the sport want to visit at least once in their life to see the illustrious race.
However, it isn’t just the opening leg of the Triple Crown that Churchill Downs is renowned for. It has also hosted the Breeders’ Cup on nine occasions, and boasts further Grade 1 races, such as the Turf Classic Stakes, La Troienne Stakes and Derby City Distaff Stakes.
Saratoga Race Course
Located in Saratoga Springs, New York, racing fans can visit the fourth oldest race track in the United States. However, despite this, many still see Saratoga as the oldest sporting venue in the country as the tracks above it don’t offer the same high-quality action as this course. Saratoga only actually hosts racing action for 40 days through the calendar year, with the final meeting taking place at the beginning of September.
However, during these 40 days, the track boasts an impressive number of Grade 1s, with 18 in total. The Travers Stakes is undoubtedly one of the biggest races to take place, but the Coaching Club American Oaks, Saratoga Derby and Whitney Stakes also ensure that many fans get to see the biggest stars on both turf and dirt.
Del Mar Race Track
There possibly isn’t a more significant track in the United States in 2021 than Del Mar. The main reason for that is because the course will play host to the Breeders’ Cup for the very first time. Racing action takes place mainly between July and September, but a meeting in November was added in 2014.
The Breeders’ Cup will be staged at the track in November this year, as the biggest stars from around the world descend on California with their eyes firmly fixed on the grandest prizes.
The Breeders’ Cup Classic is the featured race of the meeting, as the best flat horses on the dirt compete. However, Del Mar also hosts a number of Grade 1s aside from the Breeders’ Cup. Among the featured races of the season are the Eddie Read Stakes, Pacific Classic and the Bing Crosby Stakes.
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