Ideal Spots in New Jersey to Watch Horse Racing
Watching live sport is incredibly popular across the United States, and there are few states that have as many passionate fans as New Jersey.
Therefore, it is little surprise that sports fanatics in NJ have a broad sporting interest, with horse racing ranking among the most popular to watch live. Major events are held in the state throughout the calendar year, with thousands of fans using the betting calculator found here to work out their potential returns: twinspires.com/wagertypes/
But, what are the best spots to watch live horse racing in New Jersey throughout the year?
Far Hills Races
One of the fastest growing tourist attractions in the state can be located in Far Hills, as a growing number of Irish and British visitors are opting to attend the races at Far Hills.
This track has been the home to a number of major events on the National Steeplechase Association calendar, with more than $1 million being up for grabs at the track. It is largely regarded as one of the premier social events in the state, with over 75,000 spectators typically attending the major days.
The most lucrative purse of the year is offered in the Grand National Hurdle Stakes, which is run over just under three miles. European raiders have tended to compete in the race in recent years, with Zanahiyr winning the 2025 edition for trainer Gordon Elliott in record time. However, only one horse in the history of the race has won the Far Hills race as well as the more prestigious Grand National held at Aintree, with Battleship completing the double in 1938.
Meadowlands
A popular racing location can be found at Meadowlands, which is located in East Rutherford, New Jersey. This track was opened to the public in 1976, and action on course is staged daily. The track first held harness racing when it was opened, before thoroughbred racing was added to the calendar in 1977.
However, it remains most prominent for the former, with the opening leg of the Triple Crown of Harness Racing for Trotters being staged at the track. The Hambletonian Stakes is the key race in the diary, and it has been staged annually for the last 100 years.
The most recent winner of the $1 million purse was Nordic Catcher S for Ake Svanstedt. In terms of thoroughbred racing, the Morven Stakes is the key race in the calendar. This race offers a purse of $50,000, and horses aged two are able to enter.
Monmouth Park
The most famous venue for horse racing action on the flat in New Jersey is Monmouth Park, which can be found in Oceanpoint. This location is owned by the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, and it stages one of the most important races on the thoroughbred racing calendar.
Annually, some of the nation’s best runners compete in the Haskell Invitational, which covers a distance of 1 1/8 miles. It is also a crucial prep ahead of the Breeders’ Cup Classic, with the winning runner automatically securing their spot in the prestigious race. Due to its prestige, the Haskell Stakes has been won by a number of legendary horses, including Authentic (2020), American Pharoah (2015), and Rachel Alexandra (2009).
Racing is staged at the track between May and September, with further graded races including the United Nations Stakes, Molly Pitcher Stakes, and the Salvator Mile Stakes. Monmouth Park typically hosts the highest quality racing in New Jersey throughout the season.
Atlantic City Race Course
One of the most famous former locations for racing action can be found in the form of the Atlantic City Race Course. This track was located off Black Horse Pike, and was located 23km from Atlantic City. It became an established track in the region after opening its doors in 1946.
It was most famous for being the debut track for Kelso, who made his first start under rules at ACRC in 1959 before later landing prestigious events such as the Jockey Club Gold Cup, the Gulfstream Park Handicap, and the Washington D.C. International Stakes. ACRC would also become a cultural hub in the 1960s, with the track being a filming location for ‘Marnie’. Major races on the calendar included the All American Handicap, the Caesars International Handicap, and the Kelly Olympic Handicap.
However, the success of the course would slow down in the early 2000s, leading to the number of race days on the calendar being reduced. This would ultimately lead to an end of the golden era of the track, and it eventually closed its doors for the final time in January 2015.
However, it remains an important hub in the state, with Amazon revealing in 2025 that they would be transforming the racecourse into one of the largest fulfilment centers in the state.