Prairie Meadows Casino, Racetrack, & Hotel announced March 17 the release of the first condition book, stall application, and stakes schedules for both Thoroughbred and Quarter Horses for the upcoming 2026 live racing season in Iowa.
Prairie Meadows’ 2026 live racing season will begin May 2 and will conclude Sept. 26. A total of 76 racing days are scheduled, with Thoroughbred racing the entire season, with Quarter Horses joining beginning June 8, for a total of 56 racing days when both breeds will be featured. The season begins with 18 days of Thoroughbred-only racing from May 2–June 7, along with 2 additional Thoroughbred-only race days, July 10–11, when the Iowa Festival of Racing is scheduled. The remaining 56 race days will feature Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing from June 8–Sep. 26.
The majority of the season will showcase live racing on a Friday–Monday schedule. Standard post times for Friday and Saturday programs will be 6:00 p.m. CT, while post times for Sunday and Monday programs will begin at 4:00 p.m. The full-season racing calendar, which will denote special race days/events/post times throughout the season, can be found here.
The 2026 Thoroughbred stakes schedule is once again highlighted by the Iowa Festival of Racing July 10-111 with the $300,000 Cornhusker Handicap (G3) for ages 3 and up going 1 1/8 miles along with the $250,000 Iowa Derby at 1 1/16 miles, and the $225,000 Iowa Oaks for 3-year-old fillies, also going 1 1/6 miles anchoring the Iowa Festival of Racing. The top Iowa-bred runners will take center stage during the Iowa Classic closing day card Sept. 26, featuring all Iowa-bred races for both breeds with estimated total purses for all stakes offered of over $1.25 million.
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
