The Manhattan skyline across the marsh

Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment

HarnessThoroughbredDirtTurf
Official site ↗Directions ↗Hotels nearby ↗

Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment is a harness and thoroughbred racetrack in East Rutherford, New Jersey. It opened in 1976, making it 50 years old in 2026. It races on a 1-mile dirt oval, 7-furlong turf course (thoroughbreds only). It holds about 2,200 fans.

Its signature races are the Hambletonian (harness) and Meadowlands Pace (harness).

Harness racing began at the Meadowlands on September 1, 1976, and thoroughbreds followed on September 6, 1977.

Track facts

Location
East Rutherford, New Jersey
Racing
Harness, Thoroughbred
Surfaces
Dirt, Turf
Track
1-mile dirt oval, 7-furlong turf course (thoroughbreds only)
Opened
1976
Capacity
2,200
Racing season
Harness most of the year; short all-turf 'Monmouth at Meadowlands' thoroughbred meet in Sept–Oct
Operator
New Meadowlands Racetrack LLC (Jeff Gural)
Nickname
The Big M
Former names
Meadowlands Racetrack
Size rank
15th of 17

Signature races at Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment

Race day

When to go. Live racing runs harness most of the year; short all-turf 'Monmouth at Meadowlands' thoroughbred meet in Sept–Oct. Check the official site for post times and the current stakes schedule.

The view. Our illustration shows the Manhattan skyline across the marsh in the background.

Getting there. Directions to Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment and parking nearby.

Plan your trip to Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment

Hotels near Meadowlands Racing & EntertainmentBook a stay for race day on ExpediaRace schedule & post timesLive racing dates and stakesParkingLots near the trackDirectionsMap to Meadowlands Racing & EntertainmentTours & things to do in East RutherfordSightseeing, tours and more on ExpediaFood & drinks nearbySpots to eat before or after the races

Tracks near Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment10

  1. 1HarnessYonkers Raceway — Messenger Stakes (Yonkers, New York)13 mi
  2. 2ThoroughbredBelmont Park — Belmont Stakes (Elmont, New York)20 mi
  3. 3ThoroughbredMonmouth Park — Haskell Stakes (Oceanport, New Jersey)35 mi
  4. 4ThoroughbredParx Casino and Racing — Pennsylvania Derby (Bensalem, Pennsylvania)67 mi
  5. 5HarnessMonticello Raceway — Harness racing (Monticello, New York)68 mi
  6. 6HarnessHarrah's Philadelphia — Harness racing (Chester, Pennsylvania)95 mi
  7. 7HarnessMohegan Pennsylvania (Pocono Downs) — Harness racing (Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania)96 mi
  8. 8ThoroughbredDelaware Park — Delaware Handicap (Stanton, Delaware)114 mi
  9. 9HarnessBally's Dover — Harness racing (Dover, Delaware)136 mi
  10. 10ThoroughbredHollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course — Penn Mile Stakes (Grantville, Pennsylvania)139 mi

Questions about Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment

Where is Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment?

Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment is in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

What kind of racing is at Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment?

Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment hosts harness and thoroughbred racing. Live racing runs harness most of the year; short all-turf 'Monmouth at Meadowlands' thoroughbred meet in Sept–Oct.

When did Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment open?

Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment opened in 1976.

How many people does Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment hold?

Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment holds about 2,200 fans.

What is the biggest race at Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment?

The signature race at Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment is the Hambletonian (harness).

What other racetracks are near Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment?

The closest is Yonkers Raceway in Yonkers, New York, about 13 miles away. See the full list of nearby tracks on this page.

Facts are for the 2026 racing season. Distances are straight-line miles. The illustration is original artwork, not a photo. See something wrong? Let us know. Is this your track? Get the “Listed on HorsetrackAtlas.com” badge for your website.