After two failing years, ODRA began to speculate about switching to thoroughbred racing, but that did not happen. It is owned and operated by Churchill Downs Inc.Ĭonstruction started in 1947 as a harness racetrack, and it opened in 1949 with Ocean Downs Racing Association (ODRA) as owner. Ocean Downs is a casino and harness racing track in Berlin, Maryland, near Ocean City.