A harness track built over a shipyard
The site was the Sun Shipbuilding campus for most of the twentieth century. Its first harness season opened on September 10, 2006, and the casino followed on January 22, 2007, a day ahead of plan. Live table games came in July 2010, and in May 2012 the name changed from Harrah’s Chester to Harrah’s Philadelphia to reach the wider market.
Ownership is split. VICI Properties bought the land and buildings in 2018 for $242 million and leases them back to Caesars, which runs the casino, track and restaurants. The track marked its twentieth anniversary in September 2026, making it one of the younger ovals in a state where most racing grounds date from the 1960s and 1970s.
Harrah’s Philadelphia racing schedule
The 2026 season opened on Friday, April 10 with a 12:25 p.m. first post. The standard week is Thursday and Friday at 12:25 p.m. and Sunday at 12:40 p.m., with Kentucky Derby Saturday on May 2 added in place of the preceding Thursday. The published calendar also carries occasional early, late-afternoon and evening posts on selected dates.
- Opening day: Friday, April 10, 2026
- Regular racing days: Thursday and Friday 12:25 p.m., Sunday 12:40 p.m.
- Super Sunday: May 24 (Maxie Lee Trot, Joseph Auger Memorial Pace, Betsy Ross Pace)
- Season end: the meet typically closes in late December
The oval is five-eighths of a mile on a limestone base. At the halfway point of a one-mile race the field crosses a bridge that hangs out over the Delaware River, so freight ships pass behind the horses. Lights are installed, yet the track has not run a regular night schedule since 2011, so the racing schedule stays in daylight.
Horses are not stabled on the grounds. Space is tight, so every runner ships in on race day and waits in a paddock with room for 131 horses. Wagering is pari-mutuel at windows and self-service machines, and simulcast signals from tracks across North America carry the race book on dark days. The pari-mutuel betting guide covers the main bet types.
The casino floor at Harrah’s Philadelphia
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board counted an average of 1,543 slot machines and 55 table games at Harrah’s Philadelphia in August 2026. The tables are banked games such as blackjack, roulette and craps. These are full casino slots, not the lottery-run terminals found at racinos in states like New York; the VLT guide explains that difference.
Caesars Sportsbook opened here in January 2019, one of the first retail books in the state. The 4,322-square-foot room has an odds board, six teller windows, self-service kiosks and two terminals reserved for horse racing, plus more than 45 screens and lounge seating. Caesars Rewards cards work across the floor, the sportsbook and the restaurants.
Restaurants, The Block and other events
Four restaurants were listed by the property in October 2026, from a steakhouse to a noodle bar. Most open in the afternoon, so a crowd arriving for a 12:25 p.m. first post on the Harrah’s Philadelphia racing schedule should plan to eat at The Market, which opens at 11 a.m. on the casino floor.
- T&T Backroom Steakhouse: classic cuts and a wine list, from 5 p.m. on Fridays
- Philly Tap And Tavern: gastropub with local and craft beer and burgers
- Mien Noodles: Asian fusion, 21+
- The Market: soups, salads and sandwiches on the casino floor, 21+
The Block is the entertainment room. Its autumn 2026 events list includes comedians Matt Friend and Brian Posehn, a Luther Vandross tribute and the Divas of the 80s drag show, alongside DJ nights and parties. Tickets go through the Caesars site, and the room follows the casino age rules. Racing adds its own events, led by Super Sunday each May.
Getting there and nearby tracks
The property sits off Interstate 95 on the Chester waterfront, about 15 miles from Center City Philadelphia and a few miles from Philadelphia International Airport. Wilmington, Delaware is roughly 12 miles south. With no hotel on site, most overnight guests stay near the airport or in Wilmington, and the casino is a common stop on a Philadelphia weekend.
Parx in Bensalem is the nearest other Pennsylvania racino, about 35 miles north, and offers thoroughbreds early in the week. Across the state line, Delaware Park runs thoroughbreds in summer with a casino of its own. The Pennsylvania racinos overview compares all six tracks, and the racino primer explains how the model works.
Online casinos under the Harrah’s Philadelphia license
Pennsylvania ties each online casino to a land-based certificate. The one held by Chester Downs and Marina, the Harrah’s Philadelphia licensee, covers Caesars Palace Online Casino, Horseshoe Online Casino, Tropicana, the Caesars Sportsbook casino and WSOP poker. Players must be 21 and inside the state. The state racino overview covers the other licensees.