Cranbury, NJ – The 102nd edition of the $1 million Hambletonian, the most prestigious event in harness racing, will be raced on Saturday, Aug. 21 in 2027 at the new venue of Harrah’s Hoosier Park in Anderson, IN.
It was the intent of Harrah’s Hoosier Park management and the Hambletonian Society to preserve the race’s traditional August date on the Grand Circuit stakes calendar while also properly spacing and maximizing racing opportunities for human and equine competitors. Elimination races, if necessary, will be raced the week prior, on Saturday, Aug. 14.
The Grade 1 Hambletonian and $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks will be the primary events on a stakes-laden card that will include many of Hoosier’s established races such as the Caesars Trotting Classic, Hoosier Pacing Derby, Jennas Beach Boy, Nadia Lobell, Vincennes Trot, and the Peter Haughton and Jim Doherty Memorials. Hambletonian Day will be the culmination of a week-long Hambletonian Festival of events for fans, bettors and race participants.
“The Hambletonian at Harrah’s Hoosier Park creates an exciting opportunity for both the Hambletonian and harness racing,” said John Campbell, president and CEO of the Hambletonian Society. “Hoosier Park has a strong commitment to the sport and its fans, and we look forward to expanding the exposure and creating additional involvement for all the supporters and participants throughout the Midwest.”
The move to Indiana’s premier racino for the next three years was the result of a collaborative effort involving Harrah’s Hoosier Park, the Hambletonian Society, the Indiana Horse Racing Commission, and the Indiana Standardbred Association.
The 2027 Hambletonian will mark the beginning of a three-year run at Harrah’s Hoosier Park, providing the Anderson venue with the opportunity to showcase the sport’s signature event while building on Indiana’s growing prominence in harness racing.
About Harrah’s Hoosier Park
Hoosier Park opened its seven-eighths-mile racetrack with a Standardbred race meeting on Sept. 1, 1994. The casino floor with slots and gaming spaces was added in June 2008, and in 2018 was rebranded as Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino. Now part of Caesars Entertainment Inc., the complex is one of the Indianapolis area’s premier entertainment destinations with nearly three million visitors each year. Besides a state of the art casino floor, the property features a sports book, world-renowned harness racing, premier dining and first-class entertainment.
Harrah’s Hoosier Park has year-round simulcasting and 160 days of live harness racing from March through December. The track is currently home to more than $4.3 million in Grand Circuit and other stakes events. Indiana is also home to a thriving $8.3 million state-bred program with more than 83 resident stallions and 1,159 broodmares.
About The Hambletonian Society
The Hambletonian Society is a non-profit organization formed in 1924 to sponsor the race for which it was named, the Hambletonian Stake. The Society’s mission is to encourage and support the breeding of Standardbred race horses through the development, administration and promotion of harness racing stakes, early-closing races and other special events.
The Hambletonian Society manages 164 of harness racing’s most prestigious events, held across 15 North American racetracks under nine state and provincial jurisdictions. This includes the $1 million Hambletonian for 3-year-old trotters, which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2025, and the $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks. The Society also owns the $7 million Breeders Crown, the sport’s premier championship series.
In addition, the Hambletonian Society is responsible for the oversight of more than $25 million annually, in the administration of a wide range of stakes and early-closing races. These events are funded through eligibility payments from breeders and owners, as well as sponsorships from race tracks. The board of directors that governs these events consists of 26 of the sport’s stakeholders and president and CEO John Campbell.