Penn National Race Course has officially incorporated six additional racing days into its December 2026 calendar, a strategic move to compensate for earlier cancellations within the year. This adjustment, sanctioned by the Pennsylvania State Horse Racing Commission, aims to ensure a complete racing season for enthusiasts and participants alike.
The newly approved dates for December are the 3rd, 4th, 10th, 11th, 17th, and 18th. These additions strategically fall on Thursdays and Fridays, altering the typical three-day racing week structure that has been in place for the majority of the year at the Grantville, Pennsylvania, venue. This modification means that Penn National will conclude its racing season with three consecutive weeks featuring two days of races.
Prior to these new additions, the track's schedule included Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday races extending through September 4th. A brief hiatus of four weeks was then planned, after which the three-day racing format was set to resume on October 7th and continue until November 20th. Following this, a single race card was scheduled for Wednesday, November 25th, coinciding with Thanksgiving week, leading into an eight-day break before the commencement of the new December dates.
The 2026 racing season at Penn National originally commenced on February 19th, marked by an encouraging 5% increase in purses and a reduction in takeout rates for trifecta and superfecta wagers, initiatives designed to enhance the appeal for bettors and horse owners. With these recent calendar changes, December 18th is now firmly established as the definitive closing date for Penn National's racing activities in 2026.
These schedule adjustments reflect Penn National's commitment to delivering a full season of horse racing, ensuring that lost opportunities are recovered and that the racing community can plan accordingly for the end-of-year events. The modified schedule provides a clear outline for the concluding weeks of the season, maintaining the excitement and engagement of horse racing fans.