76-day season runs May 2–September 26 as part of a 3-year agreement; Condition Book #1 with QH preview and Stall Application Now Available; TB & QH Stakes Program Previews.

Jack Coady Photography

By Chad Keller

ALTOONA, IA–MARCH 17, 2026– Prairie Meadows Casino, Racetrack, & Hotel is pleased to announce 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 on Saturday, May 2 and will conclude on Saturday, September 26. A total of 76 racing days are scheduled with Thoroughbred racing the entire season with Quarter Horses joining beginning Monday, 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–September 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. while post times for Sunday and Monday programs will begin at 4:00 p.m. Please refer to our full season racing calendar which will denote special race days/events/post times throughout the season.

Condition Book #1 is now available and features the first 11 days of racing for Thoroughbreds only from May 2 – May 25 along with a preview section starting on page 64 for Quarter Horses with the first 9 days of racing from June 8 – June 22. “With a 3-year agreement for a racing calendar and a continued strong overnight purse structure and stakes program in place, we are feeling confident about the upcoming 2026 season,” says Quarter Horse Racing Secretary, Chad Keller. “Purses for allowance conditions from maiden up to open non-conditioned races for Thoroughbreds will range from $35,000 ($48,580 Iowa-bred) to $40,000 ($55,520 Iowa-bred) while Quarter Horses will range from $14,000 ($18,753 Iowa-bred) to $17,500 ($23,441 Iowa-bred),” Keller noted. 

The 2026 Thoroughbred stakes schedule is once again highlighted by the Iowa Festival of Racing on July 10 and July 11 with the Grade 3 $300,000 Cornhusker Handicap for ages 3 and up going one and one-eighth miles along with the $250,000 Iowa Derby (3-year-olds going one and one-sixteenth miles) and $225,000 Iowa Oaks (3-year-old fillies going one and one-sixteenth miles) anchoring the Iowa Festival of Racing. The top Iowa-bred runners will take center stage during the Iowa Classic closing day card on September 26 featuring all Iowa-bred races for both breeds with estimated total purses for all stakes offered of over $1.25 million!

The 2026 Quarter Horse stakes schedule will feature 23 stakes worth an estimated $2.1 million highlighted by the following Futurities and Derbies estimated to reach or surpass $100,000 in value:

• Hawkeye Futurity (IA) $140,000 est. 
• Prairie Meadows Gold Futurity $225,000 est.
• Prairie Meadows Gold Derby $125,000 est.
• Grade 3 - Valley Junction Futurity $300,000 est.
• Altoona Derby $140,000 est.
• Jim Bader Futurity (IA) $200,000 est.
• Polk County Derby (IA) $140,000 est.

Open and Iowa-bred aged Quarter Horse runners will be featured throughout the season highlighted with the Grade 3 $50,000g Keokuk Stakes, $40,000g Cy-Hawk Stakes (IA), Grade 3 $30,000a PRM Distaff Challenge, Grade 2 $45,000a PRM Championship Challenge, Grade 3 $45,000a Covered Bridges, Grade 3 $50,000g Two Rivers, $70,000g Future of Iowa (IA) and $70,000g Terrace Hill (IA). 

For Quarter Horse owners and trainers, please be advised that any finalist for a stake race that has nomination, sustaining and/or late supplemental payments in order to be eligible to participate must be stabled on grounds from the scheduled date of time trials until the final has run regardless if time trials were held or not. Details on Quarter Horse finalists stabling on grounds can be found in the 2026 Iowa Quarter Horse Hair Testing Protocols, page 27 in condition books and in the General Conditions for all PRM / IQHRA Futurity & Derby nomination forms. This provision will apply to AQHA Racing Challenge races here at Prairie Meadows as well.

Additional information released by Prairie Meadows Racing Department:
- Stall applications for both breeds are due to the Racing Office by Wednesday, March 25, 2026
-Barn area opens for horses on Saturday, April 4, 2026 at 8:00 a.m. Training begins on Monday, April 6, 2026 (weather permitting) Quarter Horse Futurity & Derby nomination forms are available online at Prairie Meadows website https://www.prairiemeadows.com/racing/horsemens-info/quarter-horse-racing and payment schedules begin March 1 for the races in July while payment schedules start on April 1 for the races in August & September.
-Horse health requirements for both breeds and ponies are available online, on the stall application form, or on page 6 in the condition book. 

Visit the Racing section for the latest 2026 information at https://www.prairiemeadows.com/racing as it becomes available. If you can’t make it to the track, please check out and subscribe to our Live Stream on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@PrairieMeadowsLiveRacing and never miss a second of the action here at Prairie Meadows!

To continue receiving information about the 2026 live horse racing season, visit https://www.prairiemeadows.com/racing/racing-info

About Prairie Meadows Prairie Meadows began operations as a nonprofit organization in 1989 with the goal of promoting economic development, jobs, agriculture, and tourism in the state of Iowa. Through charitable donations and taxes, Prairie Meadows has given more than $2.4 billion. Prairie Meadows offers slot machines, table games, live and simulcast racing, sports wagering, hotel accommodations, entertainment, and more.

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