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Chicago, IL – An official with Hawthorne Race Course told the Illinois Racing Board at its Jan. 28 meeting that the Carey family, which owns the track, has a new local partner for development of a casino that was approved by the Illinois General Assembly in June 2019. Hawthorne president and general manager Tim Carey had […]
Last fall the Chicago-area venue had its simulcast signals get pulled from a number of tracks because of unsettled financial transactions, which prevented Hawthorne from offering wagering on this year’s Kentucky Derby Some Standardbred horsemen in Illinois saw their payments from Hawthorne Race Course for purse distribution, as well as trainer and driving earnings, returned […]
STICKNEY, IL – Unlike the 2024 harness racing event where rained poured down upon Night of Champions at Hawthorne, the 2025 edition was welcomed by a gorgeous weather evening with unseasonably warm temperatures. A fast track led to top performances during the $1.1 million, 12-race Night of Champions card at Hawthorne. The evening also marked […]
STICKNEY, IL – Throughout the course of the summer, Illinois-bred trotters and pacers have been earning points toward Saturday’s Night of Champions at Hawthorne. Twelve finals are set to be contested with over $1.1 million in purses. Eleven of the twelve harness racing finals drew full fields, with many of the races being completely wide […]
STICKNEY, IL – Saturday night at Hawthorne was Night of Champions as twelve harness racing stake finals were contested for a total of nearly $1.6 million in purses. Despite some brief afternoon showers, the skies cleared and the track was fast for the Saturday evening card. Race 1 – Scorecard Dandy Strong in Tony Maurello […]
STICKNEY, IL – The harness racing fields for the 12 Night of Champions Stakes finals have been assembled as the best in the state of Illinois will be in the spotlight Saturday night at Hawthorne. With over $1.5 million in purses on the line, divisional titles will be decided on the Saturday card. First post […]
The Real Deal has reported that a plan to develop a casino at a south suburban harness racing track has turned into a litigious nightmare for the property’s owners, heirs of the Carey family. Contractors have filed at least four liens totaling $6.7 million against the owners of Hawthorne Race Course, alleging unpaid construction work, […]
The rain certainly didn’t dampen the spirits of any of the Illinois Conceived and Foaled harness racing pacers and trotters who vied in 12 events totaling $1,175,000 on Saturday night, Oct. 14, known as “The Night of Champions.” Starter Adam Brownly got each race off to a near perfect start over a track surface listed as […]
Harness racing Secretary Robin Schadt has put together one of the best programs Hawthorne Racecourse has seen in recent years. The reason, says the seasoned race tracker, who divides her duties and time between Hawthorne and Cal-Expo, is simple. “Due to the legislative casino approval, this is the first time in a very long time […]
Hinsdale, IL — The march to Hawthorne’s Night of Champions continues Friday night (Sept. 22) for ICF male pacing 2- and 3-year-olds with one major change in the sophomore harness racing division. Returning to the races for only his second start of the year and his first in almost three months is last season’s ICF […]
Springfield, IL – When the balloting gets under way later in the season for the 2022 Illinois Harness Horse of the Year, one of the prime contenders should be the gifted 4-year-old harness racing trotter Lousdobb (Lou’s Legacy) from the barn of trainer Steve Searle. The gelding wrapped up divisional honors for a second year […]
STICKNEY, IL – With just one week to the Night of Champions at Hawthorne Race Course, the harness racing has been fast and furious between the Illinois State Fairs along with preps and eliminations for next weekend’s finals. As the summer season comes to a close, there have been some excellent performances around the Hawthorne […]
STICKNEY, IL – With harness racing at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield beginning next week, the top Illinois-bred horses are ready to put on a show in front of the huge state fair crowds. As the abbreviated summer harness season at Hawthorne nears the halfway point, a split of the Night of Champions races […]
After topping the standings for the recently concluded harness racing winter meet at Chicago’s Hawthorne Race Course, driver Kyle Wilfong is ready to enjoy some time back home in Indiana. A new home, in fact, only minutes from Harrah’s Hoosier Park. Wilfong and his fiancée, trainer Nicole Agosti, purchased the house around the start of […]
STICKNEY, IL – With split racing schedules between harness racing and thoroughbred meets at Hawthorne in 2022, Standardbred horsemen are reminded that stakes nominations for the two-year-old Night of Champions races must be postmarked by March 15, 2022. This year Hawthorne will conduct a split series of races as well. In July, eliminations will be […]
Juan Franco enjoys the thrill of winning, but what pleases him more is sharing that feeling with others. Franco, a 44-year-old native of Guatemala who has lived in the U.S. for more than two decades, drives regularly at Hawthorne Race Course in Illinois. So far this harness racing season, he has won 13 races – […]
STICKNEY, IL – The best in the state of Illinois will be taking to the harness racing track on Saturday night at Hawthorne Race Course for the Night of Champions. Horses have been compiling points throughout the season, leading to the meet finale as 11 stakes races will be taking place with more than $1 […]
HINSDALE IL-– Arlington Park will host its final Thoroughbred races this weekend but Chicago horse racing will carry on at Hawthorne Racecourse, and Illinois horsemen are optimistic that a second new racetrack will be built in the near southwest suburbs in the next few years. “Illinois horse racing is poised to make a comeback,” said […]
Trenton, NJ — When harness racing driver Casey Leonard graduated from Western Illinois University 21 years ago and entered a career in warehousing and supply chain management, he never dreamed he would be discussing his “racing reflections” two decades later. But the Illinois native, who turns 44 next month, has plenty to reflect on in […]
STICKNEY, IL – With a growing carryover that is approaching $200,000, the Jackpot tag will be removed from the Hi-5 wager at Hawthorne Race Course on Saturday night as a mandatory payout will be put in place. The Jackpot Hi-5 wager at Hawthorne has not been won by a single winner in over a month […]
STICKNEY, IL – On a beautiful Saturday night at Hawthorne Race Course, driver Casey Leonard earned his 3,000th driving victory of his harness racing career. The 43-year-old, District 5 USTA Director, Leonard won race two with Cracklin Rosie for owners Terry Leonard, Peter Kouchis and George Dremonas and trainer Terry Leonard. Leonard’s driving career began […]
STICKNEY, IL – Super Bowl Champion linebacker Devin White of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was onsite at Hawthorne Race Course on Sunday evening to watch the debuts of a pair of harness racing trotters he owns in partnership. Both were competing in leg one stakes action at Hawthorne over a fast track. In race two […]
STICKNEY, IL – In honor of the Juneteenth holiday, Hawthorne Race Course recognized the many black harness racing drivers competing in Illinois by hosting the first pari-mutuel race in the state with a field of horses driven by all black drivers. The Juneteenth Celebration race went as race nine on the Saturday Hawthorne card as […]
