İzmir Racecourse

İzmir Racecourse — operated by the Turkish Jockey Club — is the second most important thoroughbred venue in Turkey, serving the country's Aegean coast and the substantial horse racing community in and around İzmir. The track runs a spring and autumn programme that complements the Istanbul-focused racing calendar, providing Turkish trainers and owners based in the western part of the country with a competitive home racing option. İzmir's climate — warmer and drier than Istanbul — produces consistent surface conditions throughout its racing season, and the track has hosted several significant stakes races that act as trials for the Veliefendi Classics. The İzmir racing community benefits from proximity to the Aegean region's substantial agricultural and livestock sector, which provides a natural base of horse ownership and breeding interest.