Traditional Italian-Style Horse Race Coming to Atlantic City

Gov. Chris Christie approved legislation that would permit Atlantic City to host its own version of the annual Palio di Siena, a special horse race held in Italy for 700 years, Assemblymen John Amodeo and Chris Brown announced on Friday.

“The American Palio in Atlantic City” will be held on the city’s beaches, according to Brown and Amodeo, who sponsored  Bill A-4149.

The bill was passed by the Senate and the Assembly by votes of 75-0 and 37-0, respectively, last week.

The bill allows the New Jersey Racing Commission to grant one permit for a special race per calendar year, according to northjersey.com. No more than two days will be allowed for each race.

Christie approved the bill in part because it allows for betting on the annual Far Hills steeplechase event, according to northjersey.com.

 “A horse racing event on the beach is a unique way to create excitement for the horse racing and tourism industries in New Jersey and will attract many fans to Atlantic City,” Amodeo said in a prepared statement. “I am sure devoted racing fans will attend the races, but so will those who want to be part of something special. People don’t have to travel across the Atlantic Ocean to see history in the making. Now they’ll be able to spend a weekend in Atlantic City and see it up close.”

According to northjersey.com, the event will be held Oct. 11-13. The horses will run three-quarters of a mile. Horses in the Palio di Siena run a half mile around the town square.

“It won’t be just another day at the beach, in Atlantic City,” Brown said. “Thoroughbreds, jockeys, racing fans and tourists will be part of something quite unique. New Jersey is already home to popular racing events, such as the Hambletonian Stakes and the Haskell Invitation, and now the American Palio at Atlantic City. Watching a horse race against the backdrop of the ocean will be more than a novelty – it will be an annual event.”