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Illinois horse racing is mired in a "downward spiral that will require action by state government to save it," Hawthorne Race Course President Tim Carey said as his track prepared to open the 2007 Illinois Thoroughbred season Friday.
Tuesday, February 20, 2007Jockeys Terry Houghton and Derek Bell have been given approval to ride at the spring Hawthorne meet that begins Feb. 23. The riders were among seven jockeys banned from the grounds of Tampa Bay Downs Dec. 19, 2006.
Wednesday, February 14, 2007Arlington Park announced Feb. 6 it will install Polytrack for its meet that begins May 4.
Tuesday, February 06, 2007An Illinois legislator said he would propose an expansion of gambling that would include racetrack slot machines.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007A federal appeals court ruled Jan. 19 that horse slaughter is illegal in the state of Texas based on a law from 1949. If the law is enforced, it would shut down two of the three slaughter plants in the United States.
Monday, January 22, 2007Frank Kirby has been elected president of the Illinois Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association.
Monday, January 15, 2007The board of directors for the Illinois Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Foundation announced that they have added two restricted stakes races to their Illinois program at $50,000 guaranteed each, thus qualifying as black-type in North American sales catalogues.
Tuesday, November 14, 2006HorseRacing, a subsidiary of Magna Entertainment Corp. announced Tuesday, Oct. 31, that it has entered into an agreement with Insight Communications for carriage of HRTV on Insight systems beginning in time for the Breeders' Cup World Championships this Saturday.
Tuesday, October 31, 2006Unreal Zeal, a former leading Illinois sire, was euthanized in September because of the infirmities of old age.
Friday, October 06, 2006Hawthorne Race Course, which opens for live racing Sept. 15, and TVG have ended their exclusive contract, which led the Illinois track to strike deals with Youbet.com and XpressBet to offer wagering on its signal.
Friday, September 15, 2006Chicago-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, 2006Churchill Downs Inc. exercised its contractual rights in regard to an account wagering dispute in Illinois by revoking permission for TVG sub-licensees to take bets on the Arlington Park signal, a company official said a day after the Arlington meet ended. Meanwhile, it remains unclear whether the Hawthorne Race Course signal would be available through TVG or other account wagering outlets.
Wednesday, September 13, 2006A simmering dispute over licensing fees tied to account wagering has flared up in Illinois, where horsemen have pulled the Arlington Park signal from TVG in an attempt to get the signal from the upcoming meet at Hawthorne Race Course available through Youbet.com.
Thursday, September 07, 2006Duchossois Industries of Illinois has called in a more than $20-million note owed by the National Jockey Club, a move that threatens NJC plans for a 2007 spring meet at Hawthorne Race Course.
Wednesday, September 06, 2006Tests performed Aug. 8-9 on the main track at Arlington Park have determined the Illinois track is consistent and safe for racing.
Thursday, August 10, 2006Arlington Park has requested its customary racing dates for 2007, but would like to run only four days a week for almost three months.
Tuesday, August 01, 2006A two-day examination of the dirt surface at Arlington Park revealed nothing that would lead officials to believe the track is unsafe.
Monday, July 17, 2006The Illinois General Assembly has approved and sent to Gov. Rod Blagojevich legislation that would provide as much as $35 million a year in subsidies for Illinois racing--but only for two years.
Friday, May 05, 2006Revised legislation that would provide the Illinois horse racing industry with casino revenue passed the state House of Representatives 70-32 April 26 and heads to the Senate for consideration.
Thursday, April 27, 2006Sure, Brother Derek should win the Santa Anita Derby (gr. I). Yes, you can pick out of a hat in the suddenly depleted Wood Memorial (gr. I), And, of course, Cause to Believe and Sweetnorthernsaint look to be the standouts in the Illinois Derby (gr. II). But it's what comes out of these races that will prove to be more important.
Thursday, April 06, 2006Legislation that would grant Fairmount Park a tax break worth almost $1.4 million a year has passed both houses of the Illinois legislature and awaits the signature of Gov. Rod Blagojevich. If approved, the track could increase purses and racing dates, according to reports.
Tuesday, March 28, 2006With time running out in the spring session, legislation that would divert more than $50 million a year from Illinois riverboat casinos to the horse racing industry has stalled in the state House of Representatives.
Friday, March 24, 2006Legislation that would funnel more than $50 million a year to the Illinois racing industry cleared a House committee March 1, but it failed to win enough support after a third reading March 3.
Friday, March 03, 2006Original Spin, winner of the Arlington Washington Lassie (gr. III) and third-place finisher in the Alberto VO5 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) as a 2-year-old, edged Fort Prado for Illinois-bred Horse of the Year honors in 2005.
Saturday, February 25, 2006Hawthorne Race Course Tuesday announced a shakeup in management, with one member of the Carey family replacing another at the helm.
Tuesday, February 07, 2006The International Festival of Racing, featuring the Arlington Million (gr. IT), tops a 2006 schedule that includes 26 stakes races worth $5,425,000 during 95 days of racing at Arlington Park, beginning May 5 and running through Sept. 12.
Tuesday, January 10, 2006The Jan. 2 closing-day Thoroughbred program at Hawthorne Race Course may be the last live racing action of any kind in the Chicago area for a while. A dispute over purses has resulted in cancellation of harness racing at Balmoral Park and Maywood Park on the first two days of the New Year.
Friday, December 30, 2005Just days after the Illinois Gaming Board revoked the license of Emerald Casino, one-time rival communities once again are preparing to join a prolonged battle for the lucrative riverboat license.
Thursday, December 22, 2005The Winners Federation, formed in 1994 with a focus on drug and alcohol programs, has adopted a strategic plan that will involve the organization in health and welfare issues for all racetrack workers.
Wednesday, December 21, 2005Arlington Park announced today that Kevin Greely has been named vice president of racing and racing secretary. Greely joins Arlington Park following more than a decade with the Emirates Racing Association and Dubai Racing Club, where he served as secretary to the association and racing secretary.
Thursday, December 15, 2005The Illinois Racing Board disqualified Indy Groove from her victory in the Sept. 3 Arlington Matron (gr. III) because the mare tested positive for naproxen, an anti-inflammatory (Class IV) that is prohibited on race day in the state. Tom Proctor, who trains the mare for Glen Hill Farm, was fined $1,000.
Tuesday, December 13, 2005Churchill Downs Inc. announced Dec. 12 that Clifford C. Goodrich would leave his position as president of Arlington Park, the company's racetrack in Arlington Heights, Ill., in order to pursue other professional and personal interests.
Monday, December 12, 2005A proposal by Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan to ban riverboat gambling in Illinois has been dry-docked in the state Senate.
Friday, November 04, 2005Longtime Chicago trainer Mike Weissman passed away Oct. 20 following a massive heart attack he sustained Oct. 19.
Friday, October 21, 2005The equine industry's work on behalf of unwanted horses continued to gain momentum Sept. 21 when representatives from 20 organizations met to advance efforts that began at the nation's first Unwanted Horse Summit in Washington, D.C. in April.
Friday, September 23, 2005Arlington Park will run from May 5 to Sept. 14 next year, a total of 95 racing dates under the schedule announced by the Illinois Racing Board.
Wednesday, September 21, 2005Cartwright, who appears poised for another sire title in Illinois, was euthanized Aug. 10 after breaking his right femur in an accident in an Illinois veterinary clinic.
Tuesday, August 23, 2005Frank Gabriel Jr. is leaving his position as executive vice president of racing and racing secretary at Arlington Park to work for the Dubai Racing Club.
Friday, August 19, 2005Hawthorne Race Course in Chicago announced an across-the-board purse increase for its meeting that will run Sept. 23 through Dec. 31.
Monday, August 15, 2005One year ago trainer Dale Romans saddled 3-year-old Kitten's Joy to an impressive 3 1/4-length win in the Secretariat Stakes (gr. IT) at Arlington Park. This year the Kentucky-based trainer hopes to return to the winner's circle when the son of El Prado takes the gate for the Aug. 13 Arlington Million (gr. IT).
Tuesday, August 09, 2005A second Unwanted Horse Summit has been scheduled for Sept. 21, and in the interim, a steering committee will consider ways to formally structure the endeavor.
Tuesday, July 26, 2005Edward Joseph Sukley's homebred Purim, unbeaten in three starts, will face seven 3-year-olds in Saturday's American Derby (gr. IIT) at Arlington Park. The American Derby goes as the fifth race and is the first of three graded stakes on the program with an approximate post of 2:56 p.m. CDT.
Thursday, July 21, 2005Woodbine Entertainment Group announced July 2 that Canadian wagers on Balmoral Park, a Chicago-based harness track, will for the first time be combined with the U.S. host track's pools, giving customers in both countries the same winning payout prices.
Saturday, July 02, 2005Morton Grove, Illinois, a Chicago suburb once considered as the site of an off-track betting parlor, has modified its zoning laws to preclude any future incursions by wagering interests.
Thursday, June 30, 2005Jockey Jesse Campbell, who won the first race of his career at Arlington Park in 1995, scored his 1,000th victory when he guided High Expectations to a six-length tally in the $88,900 Springfield Stakes Saturday during Arlington's Prairie State Festival.
Saturday, June 25, 2005Four Illinois divisional champions from 2004 are prominent among 65 horses entered for the six $75,000-added stakes races that comprise the sixth annual Prairie State Festival to be held Saturday at Arlington Park.
Thursday, June 23, 2005Arlington Park, fresh off a successful Memorial Day program, said attendance thus far is up 16.5% from the corresponding period in 2004.
Thursday, June 02, 2005The 7-year-old Crafty Shaw, who surpassed the $1-million mark in career earnings late last year, makes his seasonal debut as 119-pound highweight Saturday in the Hanshin Cup Handicap (gr. III) at Arlington Park.
Thursday, May 26, 2005Arlington Park plans to showcase its turf racing during the 2005 season by offering the Turf Trifecta, a $100,000 guaranteed gross trifecta pool offered on every race that is actually run on the turf at on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
Wednesday, April 27, 2005Sumaya Us Stables' Isola Piu Bella has been installed as the morning line favorite for Saturday's $250,000 Sixty Sails Handicap (gr. III) at Hawthorne.
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