
Hawthorne Makes Commitment to Open Stakes
Just in offering this year's Hawthorne Gold Cup (G3), Hawthorne Race Course pulled off a mild upset.
Just in offering this year's Hawthorne Gold Cup (G3), Hawthorne Race Course pulled off a mild upset.
Jim Miller's Aurelia's Belle earned the second graded stakes win of her career when she was placed first after a disqualification in the $111,900 Regret Stakes (gr. IIIT) for 3-year-old fillies at Churchill Downs June 14.
The West Virginia legislature ended a short special session May 21 and apparently left more than $14 million in gaming revenue to purses and breed development programs for horse and dog racing intact for fiscal year 2015.
It's a long way from 3 1/2-furlong races for $1,500 claimers at Shenandoah Downs to the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) at Churchill Downs. But Jim Miller is on track to make that journey with his 3-year-old filly Aurelia's Belle.
Seven horses have died since an equine herpesvirus outbreak in October, including a horse who had been in quarantine on Dec. 24.
Richard and Karen Papiese's Midwest Thoroughbreds surpassed a 38-year-old single-season record for victories by an owner this month with 501 winners from 1,706 starters in 2012. The old record was 494 wins.
A horse at Hawthorne was euthanized Nov. 26 and a necropsy revealed the horse had EHV-1. It is the fourth horse to die of the disease during the Hawthorne fall meet.
The Illinois Racing Board Nov. 27 approved Hawthorne Race Course's request to drop seven Wednesday cards because of the effects of an outbreak of neurological equine herpes on the backstretch.
On Nov. 16, track officials confirmed a horse who died Nov. 14 and one other ailing horse had tested positive for EHV-1. The deceased horse is the third confirmed death from EHV-1 during the outbreak.
Two additional horses at Hawthorne Race Course were moved to an isolation barn area Oct. 26 after testing positive for equine herpesvirus, a track official reported.
Following discussions with state veterinarians, the Department of Agriculture, and consultants from the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, the decision was made to put a quarantine of the affected barn in place.
Due to an unknown illness among some horses at Hawthorne Race Course, the Kentucky state veterinarian's office has issued a directive that horses from that Illinois track not be allowed onto tracks in the Bluegrass State.
The $500,000 Hawthorne Gold Cup Handicap (gr. II) will once again headline the stakes schedule at Hawthorne Race Course in Stickney, Il.
Hawthorne Race Course opens its spring meet Feb. 17 with higher purses, a lot more horses on the grounds and a hopeful eye on both the weatherman and the state Capitol.
Hawthorne Race Course will offer bonus money for larger fields during its spring meet, track officials announced Dec. 26.
The $500,000 Hawthorne Gold Cup Handicap (gr. II) returns as the marquee race for the Hawthorne fall meet, which begins on Saturday, Oct. 1.
The partnership between Hawthorne Race Course and TVG for the Illinois Derby (gr. III) has allowed for the purse for the race to be increased from $250,000 to $300,000.
The Illinois Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association and Hawthorne Race Course have agreed to pay purses to the bottom finisher in all races beginning with the Friday, April 1, racing card.
Management at Hawthorne Race Course attributed improved weather, a schedule change, and larger fields for increased average daily wagering during the fall 2010 meet at the Chicago-area track.
The Illinois Racing Board approved a request from Hawthorne Race Course to make substantial cuts to its stakes schedule at a meeting Aug. 31.
The Illinois Thoroughbred Horseman's Association, Arlington Park, and Hawthorne Race Course have agreed to cooperate in a program to provide for the care of retired Thoroughbred racehorses.
The Horseplayers Association of North America regularly rates the 65 Thoroughbred racetracks in North America. Featured exclusively on BloodHorse.com is a countdown of the top 10 tracks. Hawthorne Race Course is #8.