Former Racetrack Executive Edward Duffy Dies
Edward Duffy, a former Chicago police officer who went on to become an executive at two Illinois racetracks, died Jan. 4, 2014, in Arlington Heights, Ill., at age 68.
Sportsmans Park
News, Articles, Videos and other content about Sportsmans Park
Beverage Distributor on Old Sportsman's Site
The site of old Sportsman's Park in Illinois will complete a kind of weird full circle with plans to build a new headquarters for Wirtz Beverage Illinois on the suburban Chicago acreage.
Calling of Note Puts NJC Meet in Jeopardy
Duchossois 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.
National Jockey Club Sues Partner in Failed Speedway
The National Jockey Club is suing its former partner in the ill-fated auto racing track built at Sportsman's Park for failing to pay over $35 million in debt from the project.
Live Racing Returns to Chicago on Friday
Live racing returns to the Chicago area Friday as the National Jockey Club at Hawthorne opens its spring meet at the track near Cicero, Ill. Opening day features a 10-race card with first post at 1:10 p.m. The 47-day meet runs through May 13
Illinois Board to Rule on Purse 'Recapture' Payment
- By Victor Ryan
- News
The Illinois Horse Racing Board is scheduled to meet Jan. 29 to decide on a $13-million "recapture" payment to the state's racetracks that would come from the horsemen's purse account.
Retired Fair Grounds Official Tommy Scott Dies at 83
Tommy Scott, a longtime racing official and a member of the Fair Grounds Racing Hall of Fame, died Jan. 21.
Town of Cicero Buys Sportsman's Park Equipment, Fixtures
The town of Cicero, Illinois paid $300,000 Tuesday to acquire all of the fixtures, equipment, and other property at Sportsman's Park, the dual purpose car and horse racing track.
Hawthorne Posts Handle Gains Across the Board
The National Jockey Club at Hawthorne Race Course spring meet posted business gains when compared with the comparable meet held at Sportsman's Park in 2002.
Hawthorne Kicks Off Season With Strong Numbers
Consolidation came to Illinois racing with a financial question mark on the first day of March as National Jockey Club opened its winter-spring meet at Hawthorne Race Course.
War Emblem Bonus Settled by Thoroughbred Corp., Reineman
Nearly nine months after the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) that triggered the situation, the case of the $1 million bonus payable to the owners of War Emblem has finally been settled.
Sportsman's Park Turns Back Challenge to ITW Licenses
The Illinois Racing Board Monday turned back an effort by Maywood Park Trotting Association and Balmoral Racing Club to strip the National Jockey Club of its intertrack wagering licenses in Peru, Joliet, and Crestwood.
War Emblem Derby Bonus Case Heads for New Year Hearing
Five months before the Pick Six Scandal began dominating headlines, the Illinois Derby-Kentucky Derby bonus controversy was making news. A hearing to determine just who will collect the cool $1 million payout should be set soon after the New Year.
Illinois Dates: NJC to Race at Hawthorne in 2003
After a lot of sound and fury during a 10-hour meeting, the Illinois Racing Board produced a 2003 racing schedule that honors the status quo and enables a semi-merger between Hawthorne Race Course and Sportsman's Park.
Sport of Sporstman's
By John McEvoy -- So, it's goodbye to Chicago's "bull ring." After 70 years, Sportsman's Park is finished as a blue-collar, ethnically integrated site of Thoroughbred racing, a track whose configuration changed from a half-miler (1932), to a five-furlong oval (1956), to a seven-furlong strip (1992) with the longest stretch (1,436 feet) in America.
Sport of Sportsman's
By John McEvoy -- So, it's goodbye to Chicago's "bull ring." After 70 years, Sportsman's Park is finished as a blue-collar, ethnically integrated site of Thoroughbred racing, a track whose configuration changed from a half-miler (1932), to a five-furlong oval (1956), to a seven-furlong strip (1992) with the longest stretch (1,436 feet) in America.
Illinois Dates: Conflicting Requests ... and Balmoral, Too
Given the consolidation of Sportsman's Park and Hawthorne Race Course, and a bid by Balmoral Park for Thoroughbred dates, the Illinois Racing Board will have a lot to sort through before it slots the 2003 racing schedule in the state.
Sportsman's Park Hopes to Race at Hawthorne in 2003
Sportsman's Park will merge operations with its next-door neighbor, Hawthorne Race Course, and plans to conduct all racing at Hawthorne starting next year, officials of both tracks said July 31.
Illinois Budget Woes Bring About Purse Cuts
Illinois racing took a multimillion-dollar hit as Gov. George Ryan sliced up this year's overall state appropriations bill to deal with a budget crisis. Among the items cut by Ryan was money for the "recapture" of purse money.
Derby Bonus Dispute Heads to Court ... But Which One?
The dispute over the $1-million Illinois Derby bonus earned by War Emblem appears headed for court. Still unresolved: Which court, and upon whose initiative?
Thoroughbred Corp. Sues Over Illinois Derby-Ky. Derby Bonus
Saudi Prince Ahmed bin Salman's The Thoroughbred Corporation, owner of Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner War Emblem, filed a lawsuit June 10 to resolve a dispute over who is entitled to a $1 million bonus for winning the Illinois and Kentucky Derbys --- the prince or the colt's previous owner.
Politics Stymies Racing-Related Bills in Illinois
Fierce partisan warfare over the state budget blocked a last-minute, controversial flurry of racetrack-related legislation in the final hours of the regular spring session of the Illinois General Assembly.
Racetrack Slots Not Dead Yet in Illinois
No one in Illinois government seems to like the idea of slot machines at racetracks, but the proposal remained on the table as the legislature's spring session went into overtime in an attempt to find new revenue sources to solve a multibillion-dollar budget shortfall.
Illinois Fiscal Woes Bring Talk of Racetrack Slots
The latest unlikely solution for a huge Illinois state budget crisis: Slot machines at racetracks.
Controversy Swirls Around $1 Million War Emblem Bonus
An attorney for The Thoroughbred Corp. says his client is not obligated by contract to split the $1 million bonus earned by War Emblem for winning the Illinois Derby (gr. II) and the Kentucky Derby (gr. I).
Derby Doings Outside Kentucky
Plenty of racetracks besides Churchill Downs have special events this Saturday.
Sportsman's Park Race Report: Speedway
- By Jeff Johnson
- News, Racing
With Ability sets sail, Emeraldforajudge shines while getting rich victories on the front end.
War Emblem's Half-Sister Faces Six in Sixty Sails Handicap
Illinois Derby (gr. II) winner War Emblem's half-sister Pretty Gale returns from a front-running win in the listed Lady Hallie Handicap two weeks ago to attempt her first graded stakes in Sunday's $300,000 Sixty Sails Handicap at Sportsman's Park.
Sportsman's Park Race Report: Dirt Devil
- By Jeff Johnson
- News, Racing
Peter M. Crane's Hail The Chief has found a new life since being switched to dirt racing.
Chicago Six to Defend Title in NJC Handicap
Eight horses passed the entry box Tuesday for Saturday's $200,000 National Jockey Club Handicap (gr. III) for 4-year-olds and up a 1 1/8 miles at Sportsman's Park. Defending champion Chicago Six looks to regain his stature as the best among the locals while Ubiquity is the most prominent of the invaders.
War Emblem's Half-Sister Wins Sportsman's Stakes Race in Familiar Style
Russell L. Reineman Stable's Pretty Gale, a half-sister of Illinois Derby winner War Emblem, beat Lunar Star by 7 1/4 lengths in the $100,000 Lady Hallie Handicap at Sportsman's Park on Sunday.
Meier Sidelined After Spill
Randall Meier, Sportsman's Park's all-time leading rider, will be out of action for at least a couple of weeks following a spill in Thursday's fifth race according to his agent, Penny Fitch-Heyes.
The Mud Bug
By Victor E. Zast -- The "Mud Bug" -- aka Trackside Chicago, the off-track betting facility owned by Arlington Park -- rekindles youthful days spent at Fort Erie.
War Emblem Ships to Kentucky; Still Not Likely for Derby
Illinois Derby (gr. II) winner War Emblem was shipped to Kentucky by van Sunday, but the son of Our Emblem is still not considered a likely Kentucky Derby (gr. I) starter.
Sportsman's Park Race Report: Battle Lines
California trainer David La Croix verbalized what most of the entrants were thinking in the days leading up to the April 6 Illinois Derby (gr. II) when he said he was looking for a "back door" to the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) for Fonz's.
Santa Anita, Illinois Derbys on ESPN
"Citgo Racing to the Kentucky Derby," the NTRA-produced series on the ESPN networks, will air a live doubleheader Saturday consisting of the Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) and the Illinois Derby (gr. II). The show will air Saturday from 5-6 p.m. (EST) on ESPN.
Repent Tops Field of 10 for Illinois Derby
A field of 10 headed by Select Stable's Repent has been entered for the $500,000 Illinois Derby at Sportsman's Park April 6. The grade II event offers a $1-million bonus to the connections of the winner if that horse goes on to capture any Triple Crown race.
Names in the News
Spring meet winners from Sam Houston, Maryland racing shifts to Pimlico, Eddie Perez' After the Races holds benefit for Roy Houghton.
Publication Works Toward Illinois Derby
Mercedes Stable's Publication put in a six-furlong work at Hawthorne Friday in preparation for a start in the April 6 Illinois Derby (gr. II) at Sportsman's Park. Repent, the likely favorite for the race, will work Saturday at Gulfstream Park.
On the Other Hand
Bob Kieckhefer -- Illinois racing. It's hard to figure out where to start thinking about the current state of affairs. Harder yet to figure out where things are going.
Sportsman's Blasted by Late Winter Weather
- By Bob Kieckhefer
- News, Racing
Sportsman's Park's meager 46-day Thoroughbred racing schedule has been severely eroded by horrible early-March weather.
Sportsman's Cancels Again; Scheduled to Resume Friday
Thoroughbred racing at Sportsman's Park was cancelled again Tuesday because of weather-related track conditions.
CLTV to Air Replay Shows From Three Chicago Tracks
Beginning May 5, Thoroughbred racing fans in the Chicago area will be able to tune in to the same channel for nightly replays from local tracks.
Illinois Casino Boat, Revenue for Racing Grounded
An odd turn of events threatens any chance for construction of a new riverboat casino in Rosemont, Ill., that is designed to pump tens of millions of dollars a year into the state's horse racing industry.
Weather Continues to Take Its Toll on Live Racing
Citing frigid temperatures, management at Sportsman's Park cancelled live racing Monday. Racing at the Illinois track is scheduled to resume Tuesday.
Sportsman's Park Officials Say Live Meet is Safe
National Jockey Club officials assured the Illinois Racing Board Wednesday that the Sportsman's Park horse racing meet set to begin March 1 is not threatened by financial problems that have closed the organization's Chicago Motor Speedway for the year. In other business, the board began the process of changing some state regulations to facilitate the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships at Arlington Park this fall.
Sportsman's Park Suspends Auto Racing; Horses a Go
The 2002 Sportsman's Park Thoroughbred meet is expected to go on as scheduled even though Chicago Motor Speedway has decided to suspend auto racing this year.
Sportsman's
Sportsman's Park, which launches the 2002 Chicago Thoroughbred racing season on Friday, March 1, will bring daily coverage of the sport with the premier of "Post Time at Sportsman's" on FOX Sports Net Chicago.
Arroyo Leaves Sportsman's Park; Joins Racing Board
H. Eddie Arroyo has resigned his position as general manager of the National Jockey Club at Sportsman's Park to rejoin the Illinois Racing Board as Senior State Steward at all Chicago-area Thoroughbred tracks.
Hawthorne Handle Up for Fall-Winter Meet
- By Bob Kieckhefer
- News, Racing
Aided by balmy late fall weather, Hawthorne Race Course posted improved numbers for on-site and total handle during its November-December meet. Hawthorne wound up operations on New Year's Day.
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