Author: GC

Pimlico Racecourse was officially opened in 1870, and is now run by the Maryland Jockey Club. Through the years, Pimlico Racecourse has developed into one of the most coveted racecourses in the U.S. The racecourse has established itself as one of the venues in Baltimore, Maryland with some of the best hospitality facilities and enlivening horse races. The first race meeting to be held on the racetrack was the Dinner Party Stakes which was won by Preakness. Three years on, the colt would have a race named in its honour; the Preakness Stakes. Since its inception in 1873, the Preakness Stakes has since become one of the most famous races to be held on
this racecourse.

Pimlico Racecourse includes a one-mile dirt oval and a turf oval of seven-furlong. The racetrack also includes stables for 1,000 horses with a capacity of 120,000 people and over if you count the infield.

The track got its name from the early English settlers living in Maryland at the time who named it in honour of Olde Ben Pimlico’s Tavern in London. The racecourse is also known as “Old Hilltop” , a nickname it was given due to the small rise in the infield where a lot of thoroughbred trainers as well as race enthusiasts used to gather.

Pimlico racecourse has survived some tough times in the many years it has been running, from several infamous Baltimore riots to the great depression, which hit in the 1930s and the Great Fire of Baltimore. Even so, the racetrack has overcome all the hurdles and attracts large crowds nowadays whenever there is a race meeting. The Preakness is particularly known to attract large attendances. The official attendance in 2007 was 121,263 which set history as the largest crowd to attend a sporting occasion in Maryland. The record-breaking attendance also saw a total of $87.2 million dollars-worth of bets placed.

As for non-racing events, the venue hosted the Virgin Festival for 2 years from 2006 before it changed venues to Merriweather Post Pavilion in 2009. The racecourse has also hosted the Moonrise festival since 2014.

Piazza del Campo is not only one of the finest racetracks in the world but also the home of the Palio race which draws crowds from all across the globe to witness its drama. The Medieval Square is located in Sienna, Italy. The Piazza del Campo is made up of two straight lines of buildings joining the two sharp curves where all the action takes place during the Palio race. The two curves are named the Curva del Casato and the Curva di San Martino. They were named so in reference to one of the eleven streets that lead into the Campo.

The Palio is a race where the horses make three rounds around the  racecourse, having to navigate the two sharp corners as many times in under a minute. It is held twice a year; on 2 July and 16 August. The race is fast and exhilarating and the preparation starts months before. It is preceded by a large ceremony as the jockeys enter in their ceremonial dress. After the long procession of events, which starts four days before the material day, it is finally time to get on with the race, which is run bareback. The race is dangerous for both the horse and the rider but it is also a beloved tradition that brings the whole of Tuscany to life.

The Palio is contested by ten contrade at a time even though there are seventeen. The number of contrade competing had to be reduced due to the number of accidents that happened due to horses knocking against one another. Some horses have had serious accidents and have had to be put down due to their injuries. Despite the dangers of the race, Andrea Degortes, fondly known by his fans as Aceto (Vinegar), has the highest number of wins for a Palio. The jockey has had 14 wins in his time in the Piaza del Campo. He collected his wins in his racing days from 1964 to 1996.

The Palio is a race like no other that every race-goer should see at least once. The pulsating atmosphere and the merriment around the event is worth the trouble.

The Longchamp is a horse-racing facility located in Paris, . It has been one of the biggest racing facilities in France for decades now and lies on Seine River’s banks. The racecourse is well known for its interlaced tracks. It is specifically designed for flat racing, although it has a hill that poses a huge challenge to horses in competitions. Its racetracks are about 1000 to 3000 metres. It also has 46 starting posts. The Longchamp belongs to France Galop, and was opened way back in 1857.

This course is known to have hosted a large number of group one competitions in France. It holds up to 50,000 people on any day.

Most popular races held in The Long Champ Racecourse.

The Prixx de l’Arc de Triomphe is usually the most awaited event of the calendar year. It happens on the premier weekend of every October. The best horses all over the globe come here to compete against each other.

Another important date in the calendar of Long Champ Racecourse is the 27th of April, 1857. This is the day when the first race was run there, in the presence of Emperor Napoleon the Third and his wife. The couple is said to have sailed through the Seine River on their yacht in anticipation of the race. In the early 90s, the Parisians sailed on steamboats to the Longchamp just to watch the horses race.

The couple joined Prince Jerome Bonaparte, alongside Prince Napoleon and Prince Nassau in a royal viewing area while watching the races. Non-aristocratic members were not allowed to enter the Royal Enclosure, and had to watch from their the lawn. Several artists have made paintings of the horses racing at the Longchamp. Racing is said to have continued even during the occupation of France by the Germans in the World War 2.