Lexington, KY — The Kentucky Standardbred racing season in 2026 will begin March 23 at Oak Grove Racing & Gaming and conclude Nov. 12 at Cumberland Run, based on a dates schedule published by the Kentucky Horse Racing & Gaming Corporation.
The dates for the most part reflect those of 2025. For the state’s three harness tracks, 85 racing programs were awarded by the KHRGC along with seven optional racing dates.
Oak Grove will offer at least 34 programs through July 14 with racing primarily on Mondays and Tuesdays. Of the track’s seven optional dates, three are on Saturdays in May and three on Wednesdays in June and July.
The Red Mile regular meet will commence July 26 and run through Sept. 22 with racing three days (Sunday through Tuesday) the first week and four days a week (Sunday through Wednesday) from Aug. 2 until Sept. 9. For the final two weeks, racing is scheduled for Sunday through Tuesday.
There will be six Grand Circuit dates: Oct. 1-3 and Oct. 9-11, for a total of 39 days in Lexington.
Cumberland Run was again awarded 12 days with racing on a Sunday-through-Tuesday schedule from Oct. 18 through Nov. 10.
According to USTA Pathway statistics, Kentucky’s three harness tracks offered 93 programs in 2025 with purses of a record $34.5 million. When the Kentucky Proud fair circuit is added, Standardbred purses totaled $36.3 million.