Delaware Park Horse Racing and Slots is a live racing and slot venue in Wilmington, Del. Horse racing in Delaware began during the Colonial period, with the first formal racing facility being built in the town of Newark in 1760. Since 1937, Delaware Park has carried on the state s racing tradition. William DuPont, Jr., the designer of 23 racing courses, designed Delaware Park, which opened with a 30-day meet. The original Delaware Park facilities consisted of an open-air, 7,500-seat grandstand with an innovative, tiered clubhouse on the upper level. The track itself was a one-mile dirt oval with a pair of steeplechase turf courses. Delaware Park is a haven for summer racing fans throughout the Middle Atlantic region. The track added slot machines to its racetrack in December 1995.