Prairie Meadows Announces Patrick J. Pope Returning as Thoroughbred Racing Secretary
March 11, 2026 – Altoona, IA. Prairie Meadows Casino, Racetrack, & Hotel is pleased to announce and welcome back Patrick J. Pope as Thoroughbred Racing Secretary for the upcoming 2026 live racing season in Iowa.
Pope has had a long and distinguished career in the horse racing industry in various racing official capacities most notably at Oaklawn Park, Belmont Park, Delaware Park, and Prairie Meadows since 1997. Pope will join the Prairie Meadows Racing Administration lead by Derron Heldt; VP of Racing, and Chad Keller; Quarter Horse Racing Secretary.
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 will be scheduled with Thoroughbred racing the entire season while Quarter Horses will join in starting 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.
The first condition book will be released within the next week while stall application forms are now available online at the Prairie Meadows website, and are due on Wednesday, March 25 to the racing office. The barn area is scheduled to open for horses on Saturday, April 4 with horse training to begin on Monday, April 6 (weather permitting). Additional racing information will be announced and posted within the next week from Prairie Meadows.
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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