Tom Ferry

Once called the world’s most beautiful racetrack, Hialeah Park is unlike any other.  What often comes to mind first is flamingoes.  Hundreds of them who reside in the track’s infield.  There is the walking ring, fashioned after Longchamp in Paris.  And the famous statue of Citation pays tribute to one of the greatest horses to set foot on any track.

Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas has said if one has never been to a racetrack before, they should go to Arlington Park.  After the July 31, 1985 fire that destroyed the clubhouse and grandstands, the racetrack and the local community rose from the ashes three weeks later to host the “Miracle Million.”  That spirit and perseverance lives on today.

Santa Anita Park has been a staple of California racing for more than 80 years.  In the shadow of the San Gabriel Mountains, the "Great Race Place" is considered by many to be the world's most beautiful racetrack.  From Clockers' Corner and the Kingsbury Fountain to the statues of Seabiscuit, John Henry and Zenyatta in the Paddock Gardens, Santa Anita combines a wonderful balance of pride in its history with present-day charm and elegance.

The sun shines bright on this National Historic Landmark.  Shadows cast by the Twin Spires across the annual home to the Kentucky Derby have never lost sight of that history as the names of past champions are posted everywhere throughout the paddock.  And the memory of their exploits are evoked each year on the first Saturday in May.

Spring and Autumn.  April and October.  There are many things that make Keeneland special.  Yet perhaps it is the brevity of the bi-annual racing meet which appeals to most.  This track in Lexington, Kentucky has changed relatively little since racing began there in 1936.  In addition to racing, Keeneland is also famous for hosting four annual horse sales.

There could not be a better home for the Racing Festival of the South than this wonderful track in Hot Springs, Arkansas.  The horsemen, fans, track employees and local townsfolk all exhibit the charm, hospitality and class that makes this place so very special.

It was here where the great Secretariat ran the final race of his career in victorious fashion in 1973. It was here where Northern Dancer returned a national hero after capturing the 1964 Kentucky Derby in the United States.

Woodbine has been the name of a racetrack in Toronto, Ontario, Canada since 1874. The name was transferred to this new, current track in 1956 and today Woodbine is the only horse racing track in North America capable of staging thoroughbred and standardbred racing programs on the same day.

The mile-and-a-half turf course is the longest in North America and is one of horse racing's most respected and revered surfaces. Woodbine is home to the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame. It also hosts the Queen's Plate. Since 1860, the signature race at Woodbine is the longest continuous stakes race in North America and is also the first leg of the Canadian Triple Crown.

It has always been where "The Surf Meets the Turf." Located 20 miles north of San Diego along the Pacific Ocean coastline, Del Mar Racetrack opened in 1937.  Founding member and president Bing Crosby was there on opening day to greet fans as they entered the gate.  Known then as "The Playground of the Stars," Del Mar received regular visits from Hollywood's renowned including Mickey Rooney, Ava Gardner, Charlie Chaplin and Lucille Ball.  The track was built in a Spanish Colonial Revival style inspired by the grandeur of southern Spain. That style is still visible today and Del Mar continues to be one of the most beautiful racetracks in the world.

Someone once said, “Turn left on Union Avenue and go back 100 years.”  There may not be many better ways to describe the racecourse in Saratoga Springs, New York.  Whether it’s the gazebo, the Big Red Spring, the Oklahoma Training Track or the spirit of Man O’War felt on the backstretch, “The Spa” is simply magical.

The home of the Florida Derby is often overshadowed from a historical perspective by that other track just 20 minutes down the road, Hialeah Park.  Yet, Gulfstream Park opened for the first time more than 70 years ago and has assembled a strong history in its own right, having hosted the Breeders’ Cup World Championships three times since 1989.

They have raced horses on these grounds since 1852.  The history of racing at the Fair Grounds is one of survival.  The New Orleans track has endured in spite of devastating fires in 1919 and 1993 and damage caused in 2005 by Hurricane Katrina and the storm's aftermath.  Today, it is the home of the Louisiana Derby and also hosts the annual New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.

Located just outside Dallas in Grand Prairie, Texas, Lone Star Park opened its gates in 1997. Seven years later, this relative newcomer to the racing scene hosted the 2004 Breeders' Cup World Championships.  Today, the track hosts separate Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse meets and has accommodations for nearly 1,600 horses across 32 barns.

Almost every major champion in racing history has competed here, including each of 12 Triple Crown winners.  The largest racetrack in North America is known for its expansive grandstand, various event areas and a spacious, shaded backyard.  The center of the paddock is dominated by a large white pine that predates the track at nearly 200 years of age.

When Hollywood Park closed for good in December of 2013, it brought down the curtain on 75 years of racing at the Track of the Lakes and Flowers.  From Cary Grant and Bing Crosby to Seabiscuit, the Goose Girl and The Shoe, there once were stars and they came in all shapes and sizes.

This Baltimore, Maryland track opened in 1870 and is the annual home to the Preakness Stakes. 

The second oldest thoroughbred racetrack in the nation after Saratoga, Pimlico was the site of the 1938 match race between Seabiscuit and War Admiral and was home to the "Great Race of 1877" between hall of famers Ten Broeck, Parole and Tom Ochiltree.

The track is nicknamed "Old Hilltop" after a small rise in the infield that became a favorite gathering place for thoroughbred trainers and racing fans.

Since 1941, Percy Warner Park in Nashville, Tennessee has hosted the Iroquois Steeplechase, the premier spring race meet in American steeple chasing. Nearly 25,000 come from across the country on the second Saturday in May for a celebration of horses, fashion, tailgating, live music, great food and spring.

The day is comprised of seven races for horses aged 4 and older over a three-mile turf track for more than $500,000 in purses, bonuses and awards. Past winner of the Iroquois have included a "Who's Who" of steeplechase royalty including Eclipse Award winners Flatterer, Lonesome Glory, Corregio, All Gong, Good Night Shirt, Divine Fortune and Rawnaq.

Opened in 1926 as Tampa Downs, this central Florida track has also been called Sunshine Park, Florida Downs and Turf Club, and finally Tampa Bay Downs beginning in 1980.

Each March, the Tampa Derby is a key stop along the road to the Kentucky Derby. And the track's spring meet across the years has launched the championship seasons of horses such as Royal Delta, Zagora, Street Sense and others.

Historic Track in Goshen, New York is the oldest continuously operated horse racing track in North America. This National Historic Landmark is also the oldest active trotting track in the world. Since it opened in 1838, countless numbers of racing fans have watched the greats of harness racing from the track's famous grandstand. 

Today, Historic Track's season occurs every summer on Sundays in June, followed by a series of races between June 30 and July 4. No betting is allowed and the track sits adjacent to the Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame.

Situated along the eastern shore of the San Francisco Bay across the cities of Berkeley and Albany, Golden Gate Fields has provided racing to Northern California since 1941.

Racing greats Silky Sullivan, Lost in the Fog and Shared Belief called Golden Gate home and jockey Russell Baze, holder of the record for most wins in North American racing history, was based here.

The track showcases breathtaking views of the San Francisco Bay area including panoramic perspectives of the Golden Gate Bridge, the San Francisco skyline and Alcatraz Island.

This track located outside of Philadelphia in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, has had three different names across more than 40 years of racing. Originally called Keystone Racetrack when it opened in November of 1974, the name was changed to Philadelphia Park in 1984 and then rechristened as Parx Racing and Casino in the summer of 2010.

Known best for hosting both the Pennsylvania Derby and the Cotillion Stakes each September, the track was also home base in 2004 to Kentucky Derby and Preakness champion Smarty Jones who brought fame to this Pennsylvania venue as he mounted his attempt at the Triple Crown.

In more than 100 years of horses going to the post at this Maryland track, Laurel Park has witnessed a Who's Who of thoroughbred racing history. Secretariat, Seabiscuit, Kelso, Spectacular Bid, Exterminator, Whirlaway, Affirmed and Barbaro.  All are champions who raced and/or trained at this venue located between Baltimore and Washington D.C.

Laurel Park made its mark over the years as the one-time home to the Washington D.C. International, a race that brought together the nation's best at a mile-and-a-half on grass. Today, it is the annual home to the Maryland Million, a day of races for Maryland breds.

Its name was taken by spelling Nebraska backwards. The Omaha, Nebraska track was built in 1919 and a supporting indoor arena came along ten years later. In 1984, Ak-Sar-Ben was rated the sixth most popular horseracing track in the country and the following year, the track was tenth in the nation in racetrack attendance with up to 25,000 betting $2 million per day on weekends.

The 1935 Triple Crown champion Omaha spent the final nine years of his life at a farm 45 miles south of the track and made promotional appearances at Ak-Sar-Ben throughout the 1950's. When he died in 1959, Omaha was buried at Ak-Sar-Ben's Circle of Champions.

The final races were run in August of 1995 and the track was torn down in full by early 2005. Where the race track once stood is now Aksarben Village, Omaha's premier entertainment and shopping community. At the center of it all is Stinson Park. Take a stroll through this vibrant outdoor venue and you will still see a select few reminders of Ak-Sar-Ben and its glorious past.

From 1957-1980, this Southern Illinois track was the home of The Hambletonian, the first event in the Triple Crown of Harness Racing for Trotters. After the Hambletonian left Du Quoin in 1980 and moved to New Jersey, the Fairgrounds became the home of the World Trotting Derby from 1981 until it was discontinued after the 2009 race.

These prestigious races were traditionally run during the Du Quoin State Fair which was founded in 1923 and continues to this day. The racetrack was constructed in 1946 and is a one mile clay surface.

An estimated 300,000 people attend the State Fair each year and the track has also hosted auto racing as well as prominent performers including Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Bob Hope and Johnny Carson.

The only "European-style," all-turf thoroughbred track in North America was once called the "Dueling Grounds" in recognition of its colorful history. The Franklin, Kentucky land was indeed the site of numerous duels in the 1800's.

The 260 acre course opening for racing on April 22, 1990 and has been used in the subsequent years for both steeplechase and thoroughbred racing.

Described as a cross between a Kentucky county fair and Royal Ascot, Kentucky Downs' course is not only unique for being exclusively turf but is also not oval in shape. The track is located on the border between Kentucky and Tennessee and conducts its limited turf boutique meet each September across five racing days.

Since 1941, it has been one of America’s greatest training grounds for Thoroughbred racehorses. Horses, trainers and owners have wintered in this town of 30,000 since the late 1800s. Sometimes described as “shabbily elegant,” Aiken, South Carolina showcases an engaging mixture of southern charm, hospitality, and tradition.

Nearly 40 North American champions have trained on the Aiken Training Track. At its peak, the 90-acre tract on Two Notch Road accommodated close to 325 horses. Nearly half that number call Aiken home today. The track’s iconic centerpiece is a majestic live oak tree which stands alone on the infield. It is known as Blue Peter’s Tree in honor of America’s 2-year-old champion colt of 1948 who is buried at the base of the tree.

A rite of spring is the Aiken Trials. Each March, the Trials draw nearly 8,000 fans to watch six races giving young horses in training the opportunity to experience every aspect of live racing. The Aiken Steeplechase is also held on the track each spring and fall.

What is most unique about the Aiken Training Track is how its track, barns and some buildings are practically a neighborhood, situated in the middle of the city, surrounded by towering trees, and accessed by dirt roads in a relaxed atmosphere.

Inaugurated in 1897, this track in Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada is home to the Prince of Wales Stakes, the second jewel in the Canadian Triple Crown. The track hosts live thoroughbred racing twice a week from the end of May to the end of October. 

Fort Erie features one of the most stunningly scenic infields in all of North America. Highlights include the popular Tiki Bar, the Surfside Dining Room and racing days that often include live entertainment, free concerts and special events.

Formerly known as Indiana Downs, the Indiana Grand Race Course offers live Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing from April through October. Located 25 miles southeast of Indianapolis in Shelbyville, the track is the home of the Indiana Derby. Trainer Bob Baffert is a four-time winner of the Derby, highlighted by classic winner Lookin At Lucky’s triumph in 2010.

A casino was added in 2009 and the entire complex is now known as Indiana Grand Racing and Casino.

It is home to the most prestigious 3-year-old pacing race among standardbreds in North America. The Delaware County Fair in Delaware, Ohio is a week-long festival, however, its feature attraction since 1946 has been the Little Brown Jug. The race is the third and final leg of the Triple Crown of harness racing for pacers.

Each year on Jug Day, between 40,000 and 45,000 spectators turn out for the race. This is remarkable considering the race is run on a weekday. Even more amazing is the racetrack’s grandstand only seats 16,000. Schools close for the day in Delaware and the majority of local businesses close as well.

Spectators encircle the half-mile track, sometimes 15 to 20 people deep from the fence. The Jug is one of the last harness races still run in multiple heats and has a purse that ranges from $600,000 to $700,000.

Founded in 1982 and located on 380 acres in The Plains, Virginia, Great Meadow is a field events center and steeplechase course. It is home to the annual Virginia Gold Cup, held the first Saturday in May, and the International Gold Cup, run in late October.

The oldest continually run family-owned racetrack in North America was purchased by Thomas Carey in 1909 and has been run by the Carey family ever since. 

Located in Stickney/Cicero, Illinois near Chicago, the track is home to the annual Hawthorne Gold Cup Handicap whose champions over the years have included the great Kelso, Dr. Fager, Round Table and Sun Beau.

Racetracks in North America are not all created equal.  Some, like Churchill Downs and Saratoga Race Course are among the greatest sports venues in the world.  Others, struggle simply to survive and sometimes do not.  Each, however, has its own personality and its own local heroes, legends and history.  And hopes and dreams are found along each quarter mile.