Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack and Resort has been hosting horse races since 1951. The racetrack is reserved for thoroughbred horse racing, and it is located in Chester, West Virginia. The track is currently under the ownership of VICI Properties, and Century Casinos operate the facility.
One of its claims to fame is being the first track in the country to have slot machines and transforming into a racino. There are a number of notable races that take place each year, such as the West Virginia Derby.
Ticket Prices at Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack and Resort
The ticket prices for race meetings tend to vary depending on the meeting. Usually, the general admission tickets will only cost a few dollars. For the bigger race days, there may often be an increase in the prices charged.
Course Details
The main track is dirt and is a mile in length, oval-shaped. There is also a turf track at the facility that is seven furlongs in length and it is located inside of the dirt track.
Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack and Resort has one of the busiest racing tracks in the country for thoroughbred racing. There are often 200+ race days in a given year with live racing often taking place four or five evenings every week.
The season generally begins in May and will continue right until December. As a result of the decent purses, a lot of quality horses come to Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack and Resort to battle it out. The casino at the track now has more than 3,200 slot machines and dozens of table games.
Tactics to Consider
There is an unusual curve on the track on the front stretch that can throw off a lot of horses and jockeys if they have not raced here before. Therefore, course form is often imperative to doing well around this track.
Track History
Initially, the Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack and Resort was to be known as the Waterford Downs track after getting incorporated in 1937. Expectations were that the track would be ready to open in 1940. However, construction was delayed numerous times due to the Second World War. Finally, construction began once more in 1948 and the opening day took place in 1951.
The ownership of the track changed hands a few times in the intervening decades. It was in 1987 that Bill Blair bought the facility and renamed it as Mountaineer Park. In 1992, he sold the track to Excalibur Holdings in a deal worth a total of $6.7 million.
It was in 1994 that slot machines were installed at the Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack and Resort, making it the first racino in the entire country. Casino table games were brought to the facility in December 2007, a total of fifty tables.
It was in 2019 that the Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack and Resort was sold by Eldorado Resorts to VICI Properties and Century Casinos. The operating business of Mountaineer was bought by Century for $30 million. VICI Properties bought the real estate in a deal worth $97 million and leased them out to Century Casinos.
Biggest Races
Generally, the prize purses on offer at Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack and Resort are a lot better than other tracks in the region. This means that decent fields come to battle it out on the rack. One of the most notable races is the West Virginia Derby. This is now a Grade III race and has grown in popularity in recent years.
It usually takes place at the start of August. It is the only race meeting that takes place in the afternoon at the Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack and Resort. Generally, races kick off at 7 PM at Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack and Resort.
The other graded event that takes place at the facility is the West Virginia Governor’s Stakes. Some of the other notable races include the Mountain State Stakes, Independence Day Stakes and the Autumn Leaves Stakes.
Place your bets with Roger.com
If you want to place bets on one or more of the many races taking place at the Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack and Resort, you have a few different online betting sites to use. These have all been properly reviewed by Roger.com, allowing you to quickly see which is the best fit for your given needs.
Place your bets for the countless exciting races that take place at Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack and Resort.
