Horse Tracks In United States

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Biggest Horse Races In United States
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Best Horse Tracks In The United States
Horse Racing In United States
Horse Tracks In United States

Racecourses from United States: race track details and address, horse racing results. What Horse Racing Tracks are there in the United States? Well for your information we have compiled a list of the horse racing tracks right here. Plus we have provided you with links to discover more about many of these tracks. Thoroughbred Horse Racing Tracks: Aqueduct Racetrack, New York City Arlington Park, Arlington Heights, Illinois. Horse Racing Tracks OffTrackBetting.com offers legal online account wagering to United States residents, from hundreds of racetracks worldwide. Watch & wager thoroughbred racing, harness racing & greyhound racing at race tracks from anywhere there is an internet connection.

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I have been going to horse racing tracks for a long time. But, recently, I was stumped by an old man who asked me, “why do the horses run counter-clockwise?” I had no idea, so I decided to research this question.

Horses race counter-clockwise because American racehorse owners didn’t want to conform to Engish standards and its horse racing establishment. Counter-clockwise running is also more natural for racehorses and is how the Greeks and Romans’ran their horses at the advent of formal horse racing.

The directions horses run in a race isn’t something that’s frequently thought about. But for those of us who enjoy horse racing history, counter-clockwise racing has an interesting backstory.

The reasons horse races run counter-clockwise.

Ancient Greeks and Romans raced counter-clockwise, but in most of Europe, horses raced clockwise. Did the United States turn back the clock to follow the forebearers of racing? Or were there other reasons that determined counter-clockwise racing?

There are three primary theories why horses run counter-clockwise during a race. American patriots didn’t want to continue following English traditions, horses run more naturally, traveling counter-clockwise, and ancient horse racing tradition.

Counter-clockwise horse racing began as a protest of English tradition.

Counter-clockwise horseracing in the U.S. started in 1788. During the American Revolution, patriot emotion was high, and colonists sought to separate themselves from all English traditions.

So changing the running direction in the “sport of kings” made sense. But there are other theories why horses race counterclockwise in the United States.

Counter-clockwise horse racing in the United States can be traced to one person, William Whitley. Whitley was born in 1749 to Irish immigrants living in Virginia. He married and eventually moved to Kentucky with his wife.

In 1773 the English entered a pact with the local Indians, promising the land west of the mountains would be reserved solely for their use. The land Whitley lived on in Kentucky was included in the English and Native American agreement.

Whitely and his family had to move around the countryside and seek shelter and protection at area forts. Sometime during the 1780s, Whitley had returned to his home in Kentucky.

In 1787 he built a large brick home and added a horse racing track on the property the following year. Whitely’s track was the first one built in the United States after the revolution.

During the period Whitely created the track, Thoroughbred horse racing was very popular in England. Whitelys’ disdain for the British was so strong that he wanted to incorporate some features to distinguish United States horse racing from the English tracks.

Clay track surface: Whitley’s track surface was clay. Up until this time, all English horse racing tracks were grass.
Horses ran counterclockwise: This is the first horse track to run counterclockwise.

The house still stands and is open to the public in Stanford, Kentucky. You can click this link for more information or schedule a visit to the William Whitley House State Historic Site.

The race track built by Mr. Whitley provided a much-needed distraction for the locals. Life was trying on the frontier, and having an outlet such as horse racing was excellent for the local population’s morale.

Horse racing continued on the Whitely property until the Civil War. Whitley established a tradition of counter-clockwise racing on oval tracks that influenced other sports such as car racing and track and field events.

Interesting fact: Belmont Park was established in 1905. The horses raced running clockwise until 1921. Man o’ War’s won the 1920 Belmont Stakes in 1920 running the course clockwise.

Counter-clockwise racing is natural for horses.

Some people believe the direction horses’ race evolved naturally, like other aspects of life.

The Coriolis effect

The Coriolis effect determines the direction a storm spins. North of the equator, the spinning motion is counterclockwise.

The Coriolis effect is how rotation affects a moving object by causing it to veer right in the Northern hemisphere and left in the Southern hemisphere.

The theory is the Coriolis effect would result in faster times for horses running counterclockwise in the Northern hemisphere. This theory doesn’t hold up too well.

International cycle competitions race counterclockwise, and some of the world records were set in the Southern hemisphere. The Coriolis effect doesn’t help speed.

Physiology

How the heart reacts to running in one direction compared to running in a different direction. The supporters of this reasoning suggest that a horse’s heart will pump more blood by moving in one direction and therefore run faster.

From a scientific, perspective blood is brought through veins from left to right across the body. Counter-clockwise movement assists in moving blood faster because of the centrifugal force generated while running.

Running clockwise would have the opposite effect creating a more difficult transport of blood. Centrifugal force created by a horse running around a mile-long track?

I think the speed needed to generate any energy that could affect blood flow is way beyond any horse’s capabilities.

Reading

Most western languages are read from the left to write, so spectators are more comfortable and enjoy watching horses running from the left towards the finish line.

This theory discounts the languages read from top to bottom, like Chinese.

The ancient Greeks raced counter-clockwise.

The hippodrome was a Greek colosseum where horses and chariots were raced. Many were constructed around 200 BC. The average distance of the races was 2.5 miles, which took seven laps around the course to complete.

And the races were run counter-clockwise. It is thought that by racing counter-clockwise, charioteers would want to keep their dominant sword hand to the outside in case the weapon was needed.

Since the Greeks raced their horses counter-clockwise, some people believe this established the direction for horse racing today. But if the direction of racing horses was set in ancient Greece, why did all of Europe run horses clockwise for so many years?

Even today, most of Europe only race their horses in a clockwise direction. England has some races that run counterclockwise and some that run clockwise.

From the hippodrome races until Whitely built his track in Kentucky, horse racing was run clockwise.

Interesting fact: The word hippodrome is a Greek word that translates to a horse course. Hippos meaning “horse” and dromos meaning “course.” The French still use the word hippodrome to refer to horse racing tracks.

Do racehorses in Europe run counter-clockwise?

The British drive cars on the wrong side of the road, so it made me wonder if they run their racehorses in the wrong direction as well. So, I researched not only England but also other countries in Europe to find out.

At some racetracks in Europe, the horses run counter-clockwise. In England, horses primarily race counter-clockwise, but in Germany and France, racetracks go both directions, and there is no national standard.

In Germany and some other European countries, they call a clockwise track a right-handed track because all turns go to the right. A left-handed track is one with turns to the left.

Of course, a left-handed track would be a standard direction track in the United States. Germany seems to have an even number of tracks in each direction.

The French don’t seem to know which direction to race. In the video below, horses start in one direction, turn around, and run the opposite way; eventually, horses are running in every direction.

I’m not sure if having a similar number of tracks running in each direction was intentional or the way things played out. In England, they also have tracks designed to run in either direction.

Tracks in which horses run in a counter-clockwise direction are called anti-clockwise tracks in England. Many English courses, especially older ones, were designed around the landscape.

Some have slopes and turns in various directions. England has some race tracks that are intended for horseracing in either direction.

Do racehorses in Australia run counter-clockwise?

Australia is a country steeped in horseracing tradition that drives on the wrong side of the roads, but do they race horses counter-clockwise. I needed to find out.

In Australia, horseracing tracks go either direction. Like driving on the wrong side of the road, Australia again follows the lead of its Mother country England.

However, there is a slight variance; it seems they divide the directions the horses run by the state; in Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, and Western Australia, horses race counterclockwise direction. In Queensland and New South Wales, horses run clockwise.

Do racehorses in Canada run counter-clockwise?

Canada falls under the English empire’s umbrella, so I assume they also follow British horseracing customs, but it said you shouldn’t assume anything. So, I decided to do some research to find the answer.

Canada, like the United States and the rest of North America, almost exclusively race counter-clockwise. Canada’s premier racetrack, Woodbine in Toronto, does have a 40 race meet running clockwise.

It’s used as a promotional stunt to try something new and giving racing fans in North America a chance to see racing ran backward. Although this is a fun experience, it also can be a dangerous event for horses and riders.

Most of the competitors have never raced in a clockwise race. It seems simple enough to just run a different direction for a person, but horses change leads based on their position in the turns.

Not having trained sufficiently could end up with a miss-step by a horse causing a crash with other horses.

After reviewing the literature and study racing history, William Whitley’s hatred for the British is the most likely answer to the question, “why are horse races run counter-clockwise?”

Biggest Horse Races In United States

To learn why racehorses are scratched from a race, click here.

In 1665, with the establishment of the Newmarket course in Long Island, NY, horse racing began it’s long and storied history in American culture.

Beginning in the 1800s, unlike many cultural events at the time, horse racing was enjoyed by social elites and working-class alike.

This still holds true today. As the wealthy and famous regularly appear in the grandstands at the Kentucky Derby or the Belmont Stakes, so do blue-collar workers show up to their local tracks and off-track parlors for betting on horse races and to watch the ponies streak down the straightaway.

As far as spectator sports are concerned, horse racing is the 26th most popular sport to watch in the country. But in terms of sports betting, it is the third most popular.v

In 1908, when pari-mutuel betting was introduced into American horse racing, is when the sport really took off.

Pari-Mutuel Betting

Pari-mutuel betting is a type of specialty bet in which the total amount of all bets are pooled together on a single race and are distributed among the bettors who make a winning selection.

The French term “pari mutuel” originated at several horse tracks in France during the late 1800s. Translated as “mutual or shared betting,” the practice quickly spread to England and America because it was considered a much more equitable system for bettors.

In this type of pool system, bettors don’t receive secure odds. Payouts and odds are recalculated right up until the beginning of the race or when bets are no longer accepted.

As more people place bets, the odds fluctuate, making it difficult for bettors to know what kind of payout they might receive.

The downside of pari-mutuel betting is when a large number of bettors place a wager on the same winning horse which makes each winning bet a smaller payout than would have been if a lesser amount of people had bet on the winning horse.

Here are some of the most significant horse racing venues in American history:

1- Saratoga Race Track

Located in Saratoga Springs, NY, and opened in 1863, many consider this to be one of the oldest sporting venues in America. The track has seen horse racing almost every year since its inception.

In 1892, the infamous gambler and brothel-owner, Gottfried “Dutch Fred” Waldbaum, purchased the track. Under his ownership, horse owners experimented on horses using narcotics and electric batteries in order to better their chances of winning.

During this period is also when Saratoga’s iconic grandstand was erected. With its pinnacled roofline, it still stands today as the oldest continuously used seating area of any professional sport in the country.

“Dutch Fred” was notorious for delaying races sometimes 3 or 4 hours because he himself preferred late-night gambling.

Famed journalist of the 19th century, Nellie Bly, in her article about Saratoga Race Track, “Our Wickedest Summer Resort,” went on a tirade against Waldbaum and the nefarious way he ran the racetrack.

It didn’t take long for most of the reputable horse owners to abandon the track, and just about all of its most prominent races disappeared from the venue.

Quarter Horse Race Tracks In The United States

In 1901, its reputation was restored when former Secretary of the Navy, William Collins Whitney, purchased the track and made major improvements.

How Many Horse Race Tracks In The United States

The course surface itself, like the Kentucky Derby, is dirt and it has a 1 ⅛ mile circumference.

It’s home to the oldest major thoroughbred race in the country, the Travers Stakes, which has a purse of $1,250,000.

And currently, it also hosts some of the most important races in the country including the Alabama Stakes, the Whitney Handicap, and the Hopeful Stakes.

The Saratoga meet (which is the length of each track’s season), lasts every year from July through early September.

2- Churchill Downs

Home of the Kentucky Derby, Churchill Downs was founded by the grandson of William Clark (of the Lewis & Clark Expedition), Colonel Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr.

After visiting England and France in the 1870s where he experienced some of the most famous horse racing in Europe, Clark returned to Kentucky and founded the Louisville Jockey Club whose purpose was to fund and build the eventual sight of the Kentucky Derby, Churchill Downs.

The first race took place in 1875 at a length of 1.5 miles but was lessened to a mile and a quarter in 1896 where it stands today.

In 1925, the Kentucky Derby was first broadcast by radio and then first aired on TV in 1952.

Mint juleps became the un-official drink of the Derby when Helena Modjeska, a famous Polish Actress, ordered the drink at a breakfast before the race.

The Derby has been nicknamed the “The Race for the Roses” as a blanket of 564 roses is always draped across the winning horse. This is done in remembrance of Colonel Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr who would decorate his post-Derby party with roses.

3- Pimlico Race Course

Pimlico Race Course is the historical setting for the Preakness Stakes located in Baltimore, Maryland. This dirt race track is named after the 17th century London Pub, Olde Ben Pimlico’s Tavern.

In 1938, it was the setting of one of the most famous horse races to ever take place, between Seabiscuit and War Admiral. Deemed the “Match of the Century,” War Admiral who had won the Triple-Crown, was a 4-1 favorite against the much smaller Seabiscuit.

After Seabiscuit had achieved the impossible, by beating War Admiral by 4 lengths, the horse became an inspiration to millions of struggling Americans during the Great Depression.

Pimlico opened in 1870 when the first running of the Dinner Party Stakes took place and the colt, Preakness, crossed the finish line first. 3 years later, The Preakness Stakes was established named after that same winning colt.

In 1877, the track also hosted a race that garnered so much attention that the United States Congress actually shut down for a day so senators could attend. Dubbed “The Great Race,” it was a competition between 3 horses owned by some of the wealthiest tobacco tycoons.

Held every 3rd Saturday in the month of May, The Preakness always draws huge crowds from across the Mid-Atlantic. In 2007, 121,263 horse racing fans attended the race and over $87.2 million bets were placed on the race.

Pimlico also hosts the Pimlico Special, both it and The Preakness are run at a distance of 1 and 3/16 miles. The track record was set in 1991 by the horse, Farma Way.

In recent years, the track has been in desperate need of renovation, and business owners and community leaders have decided to put forth hundreds of millions of dollars aside in order to save the historic site.

Best Horse Tracks In The United States

4- Belmont Park

Located just outside of New York City, in Elmont, sits the ivy-covered grandstand of Belmont Park.

Having opened in 1905, it is now owned and operated by the non-profit group the New York Racing Association(NYRA), which also owns the Saratoga Race Course. The NYRA was formed in 1955, to save these and several other historic horse race tracks throughout the state.

This race track is home to the third leg of the Triple Crown, The Belmont Stakes.

Horse Racing In United States

It is the longest distance of the three races at 1 ½ miles and has a deep, dirt surface that requires great endurance from horses. Because of these conditions, the track has been nicknamed, “the Big Sandy.”

August Belmont Jr, who financed the building of the New York subway, and Williams Collins Whitney, who bought Saratoga in 1901, built the original Belmont track.

At the time of its construction, Belmont Park was massive in its size in comparison to other horse racing facilities. In addition, it also used to have a train line that tunneled under the Hempstead Turnpike and stopped right at the horse track.

5 years after its construction, the Wright Brothers staged one of the first air shows there that attracted a crowd of 150,000 people.

Due to architectural defects, the original grandstand had to be demolished in 1963 and a new grandstand opened in 1968 that was able to accommodate up to 100,000 spectators.

The Belmont Stakes has actually been taking place since 1867 but wasn’t held at Belmont Park until it opened in 1905.

Perhaps the most famous racehorse in history, Secretariat, set a world record for 1 ½ miles at Belmont Park in 1973 when he won the Belmont Stakes and completed the Triple Crown. At the time of this writing, it is still the fastest time on a dirt track at that distance.