When Le Grand Jour won the first race at Penn National Race Course on August 30, 1972, a new era in sports entertainment arrived in Central Pennsylvania. And, for the past 39 years the thrills and excitement of live thoroughbred racing at the track has attracted many of the top equine and human stars in the game.
It consists of a 1 mile (1.6 km) dirt course and a 7 - furlong turf course. It is unusual among United States thoroughbred tracks in offering year round racing 52 weeks a year.