America’s Racinos

1 • Classic stakes & resort comforts

Oaklawn

Hot Springs, Arkansas

Oaklawn is where the racino idea becomes a proper racing holiday. American Pharoah won the Rebel Stakes and Arkansas Derby here in 2015 before sweeping the Triple Crown, and that pedigree gives an afternoon at the rail real weight. A hotel, spa, restaurants and casino make it easy to stretch a race card into a weekend. The resort expansion completed in 2021 added a new level of comfort around one of the country’s important Thoroughbred stages. Put Oaklawn high on the list if your ideal itinerary includes both a serious stakes race and a very comfortable room.

Signature draw: The Arkansas Derby and a full resort experience.

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Photo: Oaklawn

2 • South Florida’s social race day

Gulfstream Park

Hallandale Beach, Florida

Gulfstream brings a distinctly South Florida rhythm to the racing-and-gaming combination: a visit to the paddock, a table overlooking the track, and casino time when the mood strikes. The Florida Derby and Pegasus World Cup give the property its national sporting profile, while its dining and entertainment help turn the day into a social occasion. For PLAYHORSE readers, the attraction is the ability to enjoy serious Thoroughbred racing without giving up the pleasures of a good lunch and a well-dressed crowd. The casino offers slots and electronic games; Ten Palms supplies the dining-room view of the action.

Signature draw: Pegasus World Cup atmosphere and race-view dining.

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Photo: Gulfstream Park

3 • Philadelphia’s Thoroughbred heavyweight

Parx Casino & Racing

Bensalem, Pennsylvania

Parx has the scale of a major casino and the sporting credentials to match. This was Philadelphia Park when Smarty Jones emerged from John Servis’s barn and went on to win the 2004 Kentucky Derby and Preakness. That local-hero story remains part of the track’s identity. Today, the Pennsylvania Derby and Cotillion anchor its best-known racing occasion, while a broad casino offering gives a visiting group plenty to do between races and afterward. Come for the stakes, stay for dinner, and spend a little time appreciating a racing community that helped send an unlikely Pennsylvania star onto the national stage.

Signature draw: Pennsylvania Derby day and the Smarty Jones connection.

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Photo: Pennsylvania Horse Racing Association

4 • The Spa City’s harness tradition

Saratoga Casino Hotel

Saratoga Springs, New York

Saratoga Casino Hotel adds another chapter to a town that already lives and breathes horses. Its harness track entered its 85th season in 2026, with a schedule stretching from February into December. The hotel, restaurants and video gaming create an easy base for a Saratoga getaway, while the trotters and pacers give the race card a character of its own. Keep the two Saratogas straight when making plans: this is the harness venue, and Saratoga Race Course is the separate Thoroughbred track. During the summer, a carefully chosen itinerary can give a visitor a taste of both racing worlds.

Signature draw: A long harness season in one of America’s great horse towns.

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Photo: Saratoga Casino Hotel

5 • Big-city gaming, old-school harness history

Empire City Casino

Yonkers, New York

Yonkers Raceway gives Empire City a sporting identity that stretches back to 1899. The half-mile harness oval puts a premium on position and race tactics, and a lively finish can unfold almost before a newcomer has settled on a favorite. The Yonkers Trot, Messenger Stakes and International Trot are among the names associated with this historic circuit. Add an extensive electronic gaming floor and proximity to New York City, and the result is one of the country’s most recognizable racino outings. The appeal is the combination of metropolitan scale and a racetrack with more than a century of stories.

Signature draw: Historic Yonkers Raceway and major harness stakes.

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Photo: MGM Resorts / Empire City Casino

6 • Night racing with a casino finish

Charles Town Races

Charles Town, West Virginia

Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races makes a convincing case for the evening doubleheader. Thoroughbreds provide the live action, and slots, table games and poker keep the property busy beyond the race card. The $1 million Charles Town Classic gives this West Virginia track a place on the national stakes calendar, while the West Virginia Breeders Classics celebrate the home-state racing community. With the Inn at Charles Town on the grounds, it is easy to turn the trip into an overnight escape. This is a particularly appealing choice for visitors who want the racetrack to remain a central part of the evening.

Signature draw: The Charles Town Classic and racing after dark.

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Photo: PENN Entertainment

7 • Two breeds, one lively destination

Horseshoe Indianapolis

Shelbyville, Indiana

Horseshoe Indianapolis lets visitors experience two very different expressions of speed. Thoroughbreds build their races around pace, position and stamina; Quarter Horses can turn a short sprint into a blink-and-you-miss-it finish. Both belong to the racing program at this Shelbyville property, where the Indiana Derby is a signature event. The casino adds slots, table games and poker, making it a practical destination for a group with mixed interests. Spend part of the visit at the paddock and rail: seeing the horses up close helps explain why a racino can offer something a conventional casino trip cannot.

Signature draw: The Indiana Derby, Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses.

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Photo: Caesars Entertainment

8 • A showcase for Oklahoma speed

Remington Park

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Remington Park is an inviting introduction to the breadth of American racing. Its spring program features Quarter Horses, Paints and Appaloosas, while the autumn season puts Thoroughbreds in the spotlight. The Heritage Place Futurity and Oklahoma Derby give fans major occasions to circle, and the electronic casino provides another reason to linger at the property. For someone whose racing knowledge begins and ends with the Kentucky Derby, the contrast between a short Quarter Horse dash and a longer Thoroughbred contest can be the most memorable part of the trip. There is plenty of personality here before a single casino game begins.

Signature draw: Quarter Horse intensity and the Oklahoma Derby.

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Photo: Remington Park

9 • A racino with a community story

Prairie Meadows

Altoona, Iowa

Prairie Meadows has one of the most interesting business stories in the field. The track opened in 1989, entered bankruptcy protection in 1991, and found a new course after slot gaming arrived in 1995. Today, its nonprofit operating model supports community programs, while visitors find Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing, a hotel, dining and a full casino. That history gives the property more substance than a simple list of games and amenities. It is a place where the racino concept helped change the fortunes of a racecourse, and where the connection to central Iowa remains part of the attraction.

Signature draw: Two racing breeds and a distinctive nonprofit mission.

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Photo: Prairie Meadows

10 • Harness racing’s October spotlight

Scioto Downs

Columbus, Ohio

Eldorado Gaming Scioto Downs has a particularly strong claim on a racing fan’s attention this fall. The Breeders Crown finals are scheduled here for October 23–24, 2026, bringing championship trotters and pacers to Columbus. The new grandstand that opened in 2023 gives spectators an updated setting for a sport best appreciated close to the track. Its gaming floor features video lottery terminals, the format used at Ohio’s racinos. For a visitor planning around a major racing occasion, this is one of the clearest opportunities on the calendar to combine elite harness competition with the convenience of a casino destination.

Signature draw: The 2026 Breeders Crown finals, October 23–24.

Visit the official website  •  Racing & background
Photo: Caesars Entertainment