Cape Breton coast and a lighthouse

Northside Downs

Harness
Find the official site ↗Directions ↗Hotels nearby ↗

Northside Downs is a harness racetrack in North Sydney, Nova Scotia. It opened in 1898, making it 128 years old in 2026. It races on harness oval.

Its signature race is the Atlantic Sires Stakes.

After 18 years without pari-mutuel racing it reopened in 2007, and 2020 O'Brien Horse of the Year Century Farroh trained and qualified there.

Track facts

Location
North Sydney, Nova Scotia
Racing
Harness
Track
Harness oval
Opened
1898
Racing season
May to November
Operator
Cape Breton Exhibition Society
Former names
North Sydney Trotting Park

Signature races at Northside Downs

Race day

When to go. Live racing runs may to November. Check the official site for post times and the current stakes schedule.

The view. Our illustration shows Cape Breton coast and a lighthouse in the background.

Getting there. Directions to Northside Downs and parking nearby.

Plan your trip to Northside Downs

Hotels near Northside DownsBook a stay for race day on ExpediaRace schedule & post timesLive racing dates and stakesParkingLots near the trackDirectionsMap to Northside DownsTours & things to do in North SydneySightseeing, tours and more on ExpediaFood & drinks nearbySpots to eat before or after the races

Tracks near Northside Downs10

  1. 1HarnessInverness Raceway — Inverness Invitational (Inverness, Nova Scotia)50 mi
  2. 2HarnessRed Shores at the Charlottetown Driving Park — Gold Cup and Saucer (Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island)137 mi
  3. 3HarnessTruro Raceway — Donnie and George Turner Memorial (Bible Hill, Nova Scotia)156 mi
  4. 4HarnessRed Shores at Summerside Raceway — Governor's Plate (Summerside, Prince Edward Island)170 mi
  5. 5HarnessConnell Park Raceway — New Brunswick Breeders Stakes (Woodstock, New Brunswick)351 mi
  6. 6HarnessHollywood Casino Hotel & Raceway Bangor — Harness racing (Bangor, Maine)425 mi
  7. 7HarnessFirst Tracks Cumberland — Harness racing (Cumberland, Maine)517 mi
  8. 8HarnessHippodrome 3R — Prix d'Été (Trois-Rivières, Quebec)587 mi
  9. 9HarnessPlainridge Park Casino — Harness racing (Plainville, Massachusetts)619 mi
  10. 10ThoroughbredSaratoga Race Course — Travers Stakes (Saratoga Springs, New York)698 mi

Questions about Northside Downs

Where is Northside Downs?

Northside Downs is in North Sydney, Nova Scotia.

What kind of racing is at Northside Downs?

Northside Downs hosts harness racing. Live racing runs may to November.

When did Northside Downs open?

Northside Downs opened in 1898.

What is the biggest race at Northside Downs?

The signature race at Northside Downs is the Atlantic Sires Stakes.

What other racetracks are near Northside Downs?

The closest is Inverness Raceway in Inverness, Nova Scotia, about 50 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.