The racetrack is getting a long overdue makeover

The historic racetracks that host the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing are each in the midst of an evolution, with major upgrades, renovations, and in one case, a complete rebuild—and they’re all happening at once. It’s part of an industry-level reckoning with the changing demands of horseracing spectators, and the changing fortunes of horseracing itself. The three racetracks—Churchill Downs in Louisville, Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, and Belmont Park in Elmont, New York—are all in various stages of renovation, each with a design led by the sports-centric architecture firm Populous. They’re getting new grandstand configurations and infield access improvements, fancier suites, a broader range of luxury experiences, and, importantly for growing the sport, a closer connection between spectators and horses. The overarching theme of this work is hospitality, and it’s reconfiguring these historic racetracks at a time when horseracing is facing deep consolidation and persistent concerns about the humane treatment of the horses themselves. Some of this work is a response to the changing nature of horseracing, which was transformed in the 1990s by the widespread adoption of racetrack simulcast betting, turning the experience of going to the racetrack into one in which a spectator may be watching horseraces on a screen rather than outside on the track. “What happened starting about 30 years ago, the operators became very focused on the wagering side of the business and, in a way, forgot that they were providing hospitality,” says Todd Gralla, senior principal and director of equestrian services at Populous. For the historic racetracks of the Triple Crown, arguably the three most popular and important races in the sport, the redesigns and renovations underway now are an effort to reorient the industry. Within a few years, these three racetracks will complete projects that could set a new standard for how horseracing can continue on a