Scioto Downs racing schedule and the 2026 Breeders Crown
The 2026 regular meet at Scioto Downs ran 91 days, from Thursday, May 7 to Saturday, September 19. Racing took place Tuesday to Saturday, with Memorial Day and Labor Day cards replacing the Tuesday of those weeks. Qualifiers started on May 1, and races streamed on RTN for those who could not attend.
The big dates on the 2026 racing schedule were spread across the summer and early autumn, with Ohio-sired stakes building toward the season finale. Most were run on Saturday nights, when the grandstand is busiest. The list below gives the headline cards announced by the track before the meet opened in May:
- July 4: the $150,000 Next Generation events for two-year-old Ohio-sired horses.
- July 18: the Moni Maker and Nadia Lobell for three-year-old fillies.
- July 30 to August 1: Ohio State Fair races for Ohio-sired two- and three-year-olds.
- September 12: Ohio Super Night, the Sires Stakes championships, plus the Jim Ewart and Charlie Hill memorials.
- October 16 and 17: Breeders Crown eliminations.
- October 23 and 24: Breeders Crown finals.
Hosting the full Breeders Crown is a first for Scioto Downs: all twelve championship events for trotters and pacers run in one place in the same year. Bettors also got a 14 percent takeout on the Pick 4 and the Pick 5 in 2026. Lower takeout leaves more of each pool for the winners.
Outside the live meet, the racebook simulcasts thoroughbred and harness racing all year, and the venue calls itself the only spot in Central Ohio where you can watch and wager every day. The horse racing schedule on this site lists the live tracks each week, and the pari-mutuel betting guide covers takeout and exotic bets.
The Scioto Downs casino floor
The casino side covers about 117,000 square feet and runs Ohio Lottery video lottery terminals around the clock, every day of the year. Scioto Downs opened in 2012 with 2,125 terminals, and the state allowed it to grow to as many as 2,500. Three open-air gaming terraces let guests play outdoors, with denominations from penny to high limit.
Ohio’s racino rules keep live table games out, so there is no blackjack, craps or poker room. The floor focuses on video reels, linked progressives and branded titles such as Wheel of Fortune. Caesars Rewards cards earn credit on the terminals, and players can request a win and loss statement through their rewards profile.
Sportsbook and nightlife
Caesars Sportsbook sits between the track, the bars and the gaming floor. It has a high-resolution video wall, staffed betting counters, self-serve kiosks and lounge seating, and it takes bets on football, basketball, baseball, soccer and other sports. Like the gaming floor, the sportsbook is limited to adults aged 21 or older.
The Veil Bar serves handcrafted cocktails and house drafts with an open view of the floor. In May 2013 the track launched an outdoor summer concert series with national country, rock and blues acts, and racing nights often double as event nights. For current lineups and promotions, check the Caesars events page before you go.
Dining at Scioto Downs
Brew Brothers is the anchor restaurant, a brewpub serving beers made in house next to local craft labels, with steaks, burgers and a seasonal patio built around a fire pit. Guy Fieri’s Trattoria, the celebrity chef’s Italian concept, serves dishes such as Primetime Meatballs and a 68-layer lasagna, and has a private dining room for up to 25.
Two lighter options fill the gaps. Dash Cafe covers coffee and quick bites for players who do not want to leave the floor for long, and The Clubhouse puts racing fans near the action during the live meet. Hours vary by day and season, so it is worth checking the restaurant pages ahead of a late-night visit.
The Scioto Downs hotel
The Hampton Inn and Suites Columbus Scioto Downs is the only hotel attached to an Ohio racino. Eldorado Resorts and Vista Host formed a joint venture in 2015 to build the four-storey property, and it opened with 118 rooms and suites. Many rooms look out over the track, which makes a race night with an overnight stay easy to arrange.
The hotel includes a free hot breakfast every morning from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., free Wi-Fi, a business center, a fitness room and an indoor pool. Booking through Caesars can bring member rates. For guests who prefer downtown, downtown Columbus is a short drive north along High Street or Interstate 71.
History of Scioto Downs
Scioto Downs opened as a harness track in 1959 and became part of Columbus when the city annexed the land from Hamilton Township in 2012. From 1985 to 2010 it also hosted the Ohio high school cross country championships, which drew about 10,000 spectators a year before the meet moved away once gaming arrived.
MTR Gaming Group bought the track in 2003 for $19 million and opened the racino in 2012. MTR merged with Eldorado Resorts in 2014, and Eldorado took the Caesars Entertainment name after buying Caesars in 2020. The racino closed during the 2020 COVID shutdown and set revenue records in March 2021 once restrictions lifted.
Other racinos near Columbus
There is no other racino in Central Ohio. The closest harness alternatives are Hollywood Gaming at Dayton Raceway, about an hour west, and Miami Valley Gaming near Lebanon, which races in winter and spring. Northfield Park is the year-round harness track up north, and every venue is compared on the Ohio racinos page.