About Meadowlands Race Track

Widely known as “The Big M,” the Meadowlands Race Track is located at the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey. It opened in the mid 1970s, debuting the first-ever Meadowlands harness racing event on September 1, 1976. With its sweeping curves and wide stretches, the “The Big M” has been known for exceptional times. The horse racing track also plays host to Thoroughbred races.

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Meadowlands Race Track History

Opened in the 1970s, the first harness race was held on September 1, 1976, while thoroughbred racing began on September 6, 1977. Since its opening, autumn has been dedicated to thoroughbreds, while the rest of the year focuses on standardbreds or harness horses. Since 1981, the Meadowlands Race Track has been the location of Hambletonian, the second leg of the Trotting Triple Crown.

Meadowlands Race Track Details

Like many comparable tracks in the United States, the main track has a one-mile circumference and surrounds a smaller turf course – intended for Thoroughbreds only, which is 7 furlongs in length. With a span of exactly 3/16ths of a mile from the top of the stretch to the finish line and a distance of exactly 1/16th of a mile from the finish line to the beginning of the first turn, the dimensions of the track are considered typical for an American-based course. The Meadowlands harness racing track is 90 feet wide, while the width of the turf course is 80 feet.

The main structures and surrounding the grounds were designed by the Philadelphia-based architectural firm of Ewing Cole, which has designed a number of horse racing tracks around the world, as well as Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. Perhaps the most notable design feature is the pond in the middle of the track, meant to resemble the state of New Jersey.

Address

50 Route 20 East Rutherford, New Jersey 55379