San Mateo County Fair Race Track

The San Mateo County Fair is an annual exposition at the San Mateo County Expo Center. It is usually held in August.

Among the major attractions of the San Mateo County Fair are:

  • Horse racing at Bay Meadows Race Course.
  • Carnival with lots of modern exhilarating rides.
  • Marketplace featuring agricultural products, ethnic handicrafts, art, jewelry, clothing from the state and from all over the world.
  • Exhibitions featuring a wide range of tropical products.
  • Wide array of food choices
  • Wellness centers

The average attendance at the San Mateo County Fair is 150,000 and a lot of businessmen from the county and from the state use the occasion to generate leads, introduce new products, conduct drawings or giveaways, advertise, and promote upcoming events.

The San Mateo County Fair presents horse racing during its nearly 2-week run. The Fair conducts its meeting at historic Bay Meadows Racecourse, which opened in November 1934. It is the oldest major racetrack in California.

The San Mateo County Fair meeting serves as a prelude to Bay Meadows' fall season, which is usually held from September to November.

Thoroughbred events make up the majority of the racing programs at the San Mateo County Fair. However, there are also contests for quarter horses, Appaloosas and Arabians.

The races at the San Mateo County Fair are held in high regard and most of Northern California's top jockeys compete at the races.

Thanks to Bay Meadow's turf course, the San Mateo County Fair is the only fair that offers racing on a turf course.

Bay Meadows is a 90-acre track that is the longest continually operating race track in the Golden State.

Track Facts (Bay Meadows)

Main Track   One mile oval with 1-1/4-mile and 6-furlong chutes
Length of stretch, 990 feet
Width in stretch, 85 feet;
Backstretch, 75 feet

Longden Turf Course


Oval measures 7 furlongs, 32 feet (4,625 feet)
Maximum width, 75 feet
Minimum width, 50 feet
Equipped with movable rail

Place a bet on your favorite horse now.

More Race Tracks

Alameda Fair Emerald Downs Louisiana Downs San Mateo County Fair
Arlington Park Evangeline Downs Maywood Park Scioto Downs
Breeders' Cup Fairplex Park Mohawk Sonoma Country Fair
Breeders' Cup Futures Ferndale Northfield Park Suffolk Downs
Bay Meadows Finger Lakes Philadelphia Park Suburban Downs
Beulah Park Golden Gate Fields Plainridge Racecourse Thistledown
Big Fresno Fair Great Lakes Downs Remington Park Timonium Race Course
Cal Expo Harrington Raceway Prairie Meadows Turf Paradise
Charles Town Races Hastings Racecourse Retama Park Turfway Park
Dover Downs Raceway Hazel Park River Downs Yavapai Downs
Downs at Albuquerque Hoosier Park Rockingham Park Yonkers Raceway
Ellis Park Indiana Downs

Place a bet on your favorite horse now.