Charles Town Racecourse

Charles Town Racecourse

There is both a casino and a race track in Charles Town that is a popular venue for racing. The Hollywood Casino is located on the site of the track which is on the limits of the city of Charles Town in West Virginia. It is under the ownership of the Gaming and Leisure Properties company and the casino is under the operation of Penn National Gaming.

The Charles Town racetrack holds some notable races every year, such as the West Virginia Breeders’ Classic. It is one of the busiest venues every season for thoroughbred racing, with oftentimes there being racing taking place five days per week. As well as the track, there is a fully-stocked casino that has more than 3,000 slots machines, sports betting and table games.

There has been racing taking place in Charles Town since 1933 and the facility has been under the operation of Penn National Gaming since 1997. The track has gone through a number of name changes over the years, previously being called:

  • The Jefferson County Races
  • The Charles Town Races & Slots
  • These days, its official name is the Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races

Charles Town Racecourse Ticket Prices

As there are so many races that take place at the track in Charles Town Racecourse every year, there are always some great deals on ticket prices. Some events will have general admission that is free, while others will charge in when there are bigger race meetings taking place. You can get discounts in this case if you are looking to reserve a particular spot at the track by booking in advance of the meeting online.

Course Details

The Charles Town Racecourse is a three-quarter-mile dirt oval. It sees races beginning with lengths of four and a half furlongs. There is only a dirt course at the track, with the main part of the course being six furlongs in circumference. On the far side of the track, there is a chute that is used for races that are four and a half furlongs in length.

There is a clubhouse at the track, as well as a grandstand that has been enclosed by glass. In total, 3,500 people can be seated in the grandstand and another 2,500 can be catered for in the clubhouse. It was the first track to operate winter racing in the region and it runs a full-year schedule, which is also a rarity.

Tactics to Consider

As there are so many races taking place at the Charles Town Racecourse each year, there are plenty of opportunities betting-wise for you to take advantage of. As the track is a short one, it will be more suited for speedier types.

The surface is very good, being the reason that so many races can take place at the track every year. Therefore, an early start is always key, as it can be close to impossible to make up ground as the race goes on when the frontrunners build up a good advantage.

Track History

Racing has been taking place at the track in Charles Town since December 1933 when the facility was first opened by the Shenandoah Valley Jockey Club. It went through numerous ownership changes over the intervening years, with Penn National Gaming being the purchaser in 1997. The casino at the track has been a popular addition providing a further attraction for fans to come to the races, as well as generating valuable revenue for the facility.

It was in 2020 that the renaming of the Charles Town Races & Slots took place, becoming the Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races. This was after a statewide referendum in December 2009 gave the go-ahead for table games to be offered at the venue. Sports betting has been in place at the track since August 2018.

Biggest Races

There are a number of notable races that take place at the track in Charles Town every year. The West Virginia Breeders’ Classics is one of the most notable events, with a $500,000 prize pool. There are a number of other quality races that take place the same day.

The Charles Town Classic is another quality race, being the third richest race of its kind in the country's thoroughbred racing season. It is only behind the Kentucky Derby and the Breeder's Cup World Championship in this regard. Many leading horses have taken part in this event.

Place your bets with Roger.com

As there are so many races taking place at the track in Charles Town every year, you have tons of choices when it comes to betting. There is always value to be found and you can do so through one of the leading operators that offer Charles Town race betting. You can find a list of these leading operators at Roger.com.

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