The thunder of hooves will soon return as Bally’s Dover Casino Resort launches the 56th season of live harness racing at Dover Downs on Monday, Nov. 3, with post time set for 4:30 p.m.
The season will feature 83 race days through Thursday, April 2, 2026, with the action unfolding Monday through Thursday each week.
Long recognized as one of the premier five-eighth-mile tracks in the United States, Dover has been home to champions, headlined marquee races and hosted horsemen for more than five decades. Since first opening its track in 1969, generations of fans have witnessed historic moments at Dover, with record-breaking harness crowds in the 1970s and 1980s.
The 2025-26 season continues that tradition, opening with nightly racing on Nov. 3, before building to a series of high-profile stakes events that will draw the sport’s top competitors. The season’s spotlight races will include the prestigious Matron Series and the Progress Pace. The two-year-old Matron Series for pacers and trotters will take place on Thursday, Nov. 6, with an estimated purse of
$138,000 USD for each division. One Thursday, Nov. 13, the three-year-old Matron Series will offer more than $600,000 USD in total purses. Bally’s Dover’s signature race, the Progress Pace for three-year- old pacers, will return with a preview on Thursday, Nov. 20, before culminating in the $250,000 USD final on Wednesday, Nov. 26.
The Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund will also bring championship racing to the spotlight, with two-year-old finals scheduled for the week of Nov. 24. Three-year-old racing will follow in December, with finals scheduled for the week of Dec. 15.
Race days extend beyond the grandstand with premier dining, gaming and live entertainment throughout the resort. Fans may also follow Standardbred and Thoroughbred action year-round at Bally’s Dover’s Race & Sportsbook, open daily from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. With simulcast racing and full wagering options, the book ensures no one misses a beat, whether watching on-site or keeping up
from afar. The adjacent Sportsbook Bar, open daily from 9 a.m. to 1 a.m., offers a lively spot to sip brews and cocktails while enjoying savoury bar bites.
More information about harness racing at Bally’s Dover, including horsemen and simulcast information, is available at ballysdover.com.
(With files from Bally's Dover; photo of 2024 Progress Pace champion Captain Albano)