Is harness racing thriving?

[Pacer 2]

Washington, PA — Despite cooler winter weather, the betting windows at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows have been heating up, with pari-mutuel handle topping $3 million in a three-card span.

Saturday’s (Jan. 24) card saw more than $950,000 wagered on 13 races, while Wednesday’s (Jan. 28) 13-race card totaled $1,098,011 in handle, one of the highest non-stakes cards in track history. Thursday’s (Jan. 29) 12 races ended with over $987,000 in the pools.

“I can’t thank our bettors enough,” said Michael Carter, director of racing. “They have really been supportive of our races so far in 2026. It’s been a total team effort, and none of it could be done without the support of our horse owners, trainers and drivers. Winter weather has been a little rough this year, but they’ve been filling the entry box and helping us to offer some quality races for the bettors.”

[Ignorance Is Bliss]

Yep, thriving.

[Harness racer]

Could be in part to many other options cancelled for weather.  Their betting product isn’t great.  And no, all signs point to harness racing to be trending down.  You can’t ignore the economic indicators posted on USTA’s own site.

[Ignorance Is Bliss]

Could be in part to many other options cancelled for weather.  Their betting product isn’t great.  And no, all signs point to harness racing to be trending down.  You can’t ignore the economic indicators posted on USTA’s own site.

As you mention, the answer is in the current numbers. Handle per race up, total handle down and race days down compared to last year. They're picking up everyone else's crumbs until the weather losses are past. Some people are too ignorant to understand. It's like the store that gets no business until their competition gets hit by a tornado.

[NOTHING BUT TRUTHS]

not sure what Northfield does now but back in the day if they didn't do a million a night that was a bad night. 5 days a week. I bet it's still a million a night.

[seen2much]

Yonkers was the only US harness track last night. I don't know if there were any T-Breds running. The handle was around 500K. That is piss poor. Why do other harness tracks see a big rise without competition & Yonkers does not?

[SPARKS SPECIAL]

I watch live racing at Yonkers  for the first time in about 7-8 years. REALLY SHORT fields. 2 races was 2 to much.

[Sweet]

Thriving? 

Every week with this USTA anus pacer 2...what sport isn't corrupt, everyone and everything is legit, what positives, they're all successful from hard work and deserving efforts

Fucking horror show, and not very enjoyable...less and less, such conspicuous bs it's an insult.

My $654.70 today went toward all 9 stakes races running at Tampa, Gulfstream Park and Santa Anita between 2:15 pm - 6:30 pm...expecting mild to very warm weather, FAST & FIRM likely too.

Harness racing, here you go - for the robbing, cheating, drugging, looking the other way and no warm weather winter racing

 

[Sweet]

Thriving? 

Every week with this USTA anus pacer 2...what sport isn't corrupt, everyone and everything is legit, what positives, they're all successful from hard work and deserving efforts

Fucking horror show, and not very enjoyable...less and less, such conspicuous bs it's an insult.

My $654.70 today went toward all 9 stakes races running at Tampa, Gulfstream Park and Santa Anita between 2:15 pm - 6:30 pm...expecting mild to very warm weather, FAST & FIRM likely too.

Harness racing, here you go - for the robbing, cheating, drugging, looking the other way and no warm weather winter racing

 

They'll take handle in one fucking race, or almost what your best harness track open today takes in their entire card 

[Mr.Turnpike]

   I agree it’s thriving alright lets all go to Illinois or California soon Tioga meadowlands Saratoga and Vernon
    Freehold was awesome back in the day
    Don’t forget garden state or rockingham park

      Thriving I don’t know if is the right word

[Sweet]

   I agree it’s thriving alright lets all go to Illinois or California soon Tioga meadowlands Saratoga and Vernon
    Freehold was awesome back in the day
    Don’t forget garden state or rockingham park

      Thriving I don’t know if is the right word

I'll meet you at Freehold,

Then we'll fly back on my jet,

and watch the Pompano races.

Let's do a double hitter. 

Thriving! 

[Racetime]

Do the math, over 30 tracks have closed in the past 40+ years and 8 new tracks have been built

[Yonkers1A]

Buggy racing is dead to me until Faraldough allows out of competition testing

[dougie]

I think that "thriving" might not be the correct word for the state of hanrness racing. Maybe "diving" might be a better word. As a lifelong fan, the sad decline of this sport is evident in just the amount of tracks closing over the years. Here in Maine, racing is in bad shape. We were once a "mecca' of small time racing. Now the product is sadly laughable. I visit Monticello about five times a year to see family and friends still living there. So I drive over to watch a few races. If there are 20 fans there, i'm being generous. Only the NY Sire Stakes draw a crowd of about 50. It's been a generational shift in our sport. Very few folks under 40 know the sport. And young kids just joining the "gambling world" bet sports, play poker, or hang out by the slot machines. I still love watching the harness races. Buy "thriving".....I wish it was.

[G]

I think that "thriving" might not be the correct word for the state of hanrness racing. Maybe "diving" might be a better word. As a lifelong fan, the sad decline of this sport is evident in just the amount of tracks closing over the years. Here in Maine, racing is in bad shape. We were once a "mecca' of small time racing. Now the product is sadly laughable. I visit Monticello about five times a year to see family and friends still living there. So I drive over to watch a few races. If there are 20 fans there, i'm being generous. Only the NY Sire Stakes draw a crowd of about 50. It's been a generational shift in our sport. Very few folks under 40 know the sport. And young kids just joining the "gambling world" bet sports, play poker, or hang out by the slot machines. I still love watching the harness races. Buy "thriving".....I wish it was.

I am also from Maine I think the Horsemen did themselves in it started with the closing of Scarborough. It’s a shame it was once the Mecca sadly you’re right!