The Illinois Racing Board Dec. 10 released its 2009 stakes schedule.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Team Valor International's Fairbanks moved into striking position around the far turn, burst to the front in upper stretch, and cruised to the wire a 2 3/4-length winner under Richard Migliore Sept. 27 in the $500,000 Hawthorne Gold Cup (gr. II) in Illinois.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Fairbanks, who enters off a resounding stakes victory at Saratoga last month, heads a field of seven older horses in the $500,000 Hawthorne Gold Cup Handicap (gr. II) Sept. 27, all of them hoping to establish themselves as a Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) contender.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Student Council, a grade I winner on dirt and synthetic surfaces, will be retired at the conclusion of this year's racing season and will stand at Millennium Farms in 2009 as property of a syndicate that will include breeder Will Farish's Lane's End Farm.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Michael Langford's 6-year-old Jonesboro, winner of the 2007 edition of the Essex Handicap, will defend his title when a field of 11 hits the Oaklawn Park oval in this year's running of the $100,000 event Feb. 9.
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Millennium Farms' Ro Parra has decided to run his star pupil Student Council in the $2.3 million Japan Cup Dirt (Jap-I), rather than the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic - Powered by Dodge (gr. I). The 1 1/4-mile Japan Cup Dirt will be contested Nov. 24 at Tokyo Racecourse.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
A release from Millennium Farm owner Ro Parra said a decision will be made as to whether Hawthorne Gold Cup (gr. II) and Pacific Classic (gr. I) winner Student Council, by Kingmambo, will run next in the $2.4 million Japan Cup Dirt (Jpn-I) Nov. 24 or the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic Powered by Dodge (gr. I) Oct. 27.
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
Apparently, Student Council's victory over Lava Man last month was not a fluke after all. A decisive win in the $500,000 Hawthorne Gold Cup Handicap (gr. II) Sept. 29 proved that without a shadow of a doubt.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
The Sept. 29 Hawthorne Gold Cup (gr. II) will be a true test of the consistency of Student Council, who scored a stunning upset victory over champion Lava Man in the Aug. 19 Pacific Classic (gr. I) at Del Mar.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Trainer Rebecca Maker had a tough choice but she made the right call Saturday when It's No Joke captured the $500,000 Hawthorne Gold Cup (gr. II) by one length over the 13-10 choice A.P. Arrow.
Saturday, September 30, 2006
The first two finishers of last month's Longacres Mile (gr. III) head a wide open field of seven older handicap horses entered in the $500,000 Hawthorne Gold Cup (gr. II) to be contested over ten furlongs at Hawthorne Race on Saturday.
Thursday, September 28, 2006
The fields for Saturday's Gold Cup Day program at Hawthorne are taking shape. The trio of stakes will be packaged in a $50,000 guaranteed "Golden Pick Three" wager. Saturday's entries will be drawn on Thursday.
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Chicago-area Thoroughbred racing action shifts Sept 15 to Hawthorne Race Course, where officials are encouraged by the number of stall applications--2,400 for 2,050 spots. Last fall, Hawthorne averaged more than nine horses per race.
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Millennium Farms' Super Frolic, making his second start for Southern California trainer Vladimir Cerin, wore down Lord of the Game in the final furlong to win the $750,000 Hawthone Gold Cup (gr. II) on a slick course in Chicago Saturday.
Saturday, September 24, 2005
Hawthorne isn't wasting any time presenting its premier event. Just two days into the meeting, the Chicago track will host the $750,000 Hawthorne Gold Cup Handicap (gr. II), and those ready to battle it out in Saturday's 1 1/4-mile race include the past two winners.
Thursday, September 22, 2005
The $750,000 Hawthorne Gold Cup (gr. II) figured to be the remedy for Perfect Drift and trainer Murray Johnson, both winless in 2004. Perfect Drift looked the best on paper and was sent off at odds of 1-2. But after being part of the pace duel early, Perfect Drift didn't offer much response when Freefourinternet, at 27-1, came from far out of it to swoop by the field for a 1 3/4-length victory.
Saturday, October 02, 2004
Perfect Drift, winner of last year's Hawthorne Gold Cup Handicap (gr. II), appears ready to return to the winner's circle for this year's edition of the 1 1/4-mile race.
Thursday, September 30, 2004
Entries were drawn Thursday for the opening day of Hawthorne's fall Thoroughbred meet, scheduled to get underway Friday, Sept. 24. The 10-race card begins a three-day weekend of racing before the track falls into its normal, five-day Wednesday through Sunday schedule.
Thursday, September 23, 2004
Evening Attire, Peace Rules, and Funny Cide were among the horses working at Belmont Park on Thursday.
Thursday, September 23, 2004
Fueled by full fields and strong simulcast support, the Hawthorne fall meet, which ended Dec. 31, closed with positive numbers as the first full year of racing under the joint venture of Hawthorne National LLC was completed. The spring National Jockey Club at Hawthorne meet posted strong numbers and the Suburban Downs Harness Meet was solid as well.
Thursday, January 08, 2004
Fueled by full fields and strong simulcast support, the Hawthorne fall meet, which ended Dec. 31, closed with positive numbers as the first full year of racing under the joint venture of Hawthorne National LLC was completed. The Spring National Jockey Club at Hawthorne posted strong numbers and the Suburban Downs Harness Meet was good as well. It was all a springboard for good things to come this fall at Hawthorne.
Thursday, January 08, 2004
Perfect Drift edged away from Tenpins in the stretch to win Sunday's $750,000 Hawthorne Gold Cup (gr. II) on opening day at the Illinois track, but his trainer remained doubtful about a run in the Breeders's Cup Classic – Powered by Dodge (gr. I) Oct. 25 at Santa Anita.
Sunday, September 28, 2003
Multiple graded stakes winner Perfect Drift is a clear standout in a six-horse field for Sunday's 67th running of the $750,000 Hawthorne Gold Cup (gr. II) at Hawthorne Race Course.
Friday, September 26, 2003
The richest dirt race in Illinois, the Hawthorne Gold Cup (gr. II) headlines the fall Thoroughbred season at Hawthorne Race Course. Hawthorne opens its 71-day meeting on Sept. 28.
Tuesday, September 23, 2003
Hail The Chief takes Gold Cup to complete huge week for trainer Niall O'Callaghan.
Saturday, May 18, 2002
Heading into Saturday's Hawthorne Gold Cup (gr. II), much of the interest will be around a pair of horses that have knocked heads in the past -- Guided Tour and Chicago Six. But a handful of challengers could prove strong.
Thursday, May 17, 2001
The National Jockey Club Handicap (gr. III) was a puzzle just waiting to be assembled by Guided Tour at Sportsman's Park on April 22. The out-of-town star was supposed to ship in, overcome the challenge of invading speedster Duckhorn, add another $120,000 to his earnings, and leave everybody else in the field of five to cash their checks. Puzzle solved. All the pieces were in place -- until a stout-hearted Illinois-bred named Chicago Six scattered the preordained solution all over the drying-out racetrack.
Sunday, April 22, 2001
The Hawthorne Gold Cup (gr. II), displaced from its fall date by a scheduling change, will be run this year on Preakness Day, May 19, for a purse of $500,000. The Hawthorne Derby (gr. IIIT) will be run on the Hawthorne turf on May 12. The changes are part of an overall stakes schedule of 15 events during Hawthorne's split meet. Six will be run during the spring, the remainder during the fall/winter season.
Tuesday, January 16, 2001
Dust On the Bottle, last after the opening quarter mile and sixth after a mile, rallied through the stretch to win the $500,000 Hawthorne Gold Cup (gr. III) by a length Saturday at Hawthorne Race Course. Sent off at nearly 39-1, the Glenn Hild-trained 5-year-old paid $79.40 for the win.
Saturday, October 07, 2000
Stronach Stables Golden Missile has been installed as the 6-5 morning-line favorite for the Hawthorne Gold Cup (gr. III) Saturday at Hawthorne.
Thursday, October 05, 2000
Stronach Stable's Golden Missile heads the list of horses likely to enter Saturday's $500,000 Hawthorne Gold Cup (gr. III). Others pointing for the Gold Cup include Mula Gula, Blazing Sword, and Puerto Madero.
Sunday, October 01, 2000
Hawthorne Gold Cup Handicap (gr. III) nominees Golden Missile and Catienus put in morning works at separate New York tracks Wednesday.
Wednesday, September 27, 2000
