Return of Stakes Schedule, Focus on Illinois-breds to Highlight Fall Hawthorne Meet

By Jim Miller —-

As the five month summer harness meet has concluded at Hawthorne, the track conversion to a thoroughbred surface is complete with the fall racing season kicking off on Friday afternoon. A renewed interest from horsemen this fall at Hawthorne is shown in an increase in horse population from recent years on the backstretch. The cards for opening weekend filled well and look to be solid throughout the course of the fall meet.

A strong boost from grant funds have become available again to the Illinois racing industry, bringing about an added incentive for those with Illinois-bred horses. A 10-race stakes schedule is back this fall, along with incentives to Illinois restricted races, giving a boost to kick off the meet.

Hawthorne’s marquee race, the Grade 3 Hawthorne Gold Cup, returns on Saturday, November 25. The fall meet also sees the return of the Hawthorne Derby, on the turf course, on October 28. Eight Illinois-restricted stakes will be on the schedule as purses of upwards of $100,000 each will be available for state-bred juveniles and older horses throughout November. The stakes schedule concludes in December with the running of the $50,000 Pat Whitworth Illinois Debutante and the $50,000 Jim Edgar Illinois Futurity.

The overnight program at Hawthorne will receive a boost as funds made available through the Illinois Department of Agriculture will allow for increased opportunities for Illinois-bred runners during the meet. This fall, all Illinois-bred claiming and maiden claiming races will see a supplement to the purse of an additional $7,500. Maiden allowance and allowance races for Illinois runners will see an increase of $10,000 to the purse. These supplements will be in place for the entire fall meet.

“There are so many reasons to look forward to the meet this fall at Hawthorne,” stated Hawthorne President and General Manager Tim Carey. “The racing surfaces are always of the utmost importance. With racing the summer harness meet here, we know the base is perfectly consistent around the entire oval. We were able to continue our work to the turf course, as we hope to race well into November on the grass. We aim to provide one of the safest surfaces in the industry once again.
Through the hard work done by all off the tracks and horsemen’s groups in Illinois racing coming together, we saw the grant funds come available with the assistance of the Illinois Department of Agriculture and their staff. These funds will provide a boost to those with state-bred horses and give them reason to breed and race in the state. The importance of having our stakes schedule return was paramount as well. It gives us seven consecutive weekends with a stakes race to draw additional interest to our signal.”

The 37 day fall racing season kicks off on Friday, October 6 and concludes Saturday, December 30. In October, through the end of the first week of November, live racing will take place every Wednesday through Saturday. The remainder of November will have live racing every Thursday through Saturday, excluding Thanksgiving Day. In December, racing will take place every Friday and Saturday. In October and November, first post will be 3:10 PM Central and will move to 12:55 PM Central in December.

ABOUT HAWTHORNE RACE COURSE
Founded in 1891, Hawthorne Race Course is the 4th oldest racetrack in the nation and the oldest sporting venue in Illinois. Located in Stickney, Illinois on the edge of Chicago’s city limits, the 126 year old facility hosts thoroughbred racing in March and April and again in October through Dec. Standardbred harness racing is conducted in May through September. The family-owned and operated business has been an innovator in horseracing for more than 100 years and features the nation’s most rewarding players program. For additional information: www.HawthorneRaceCourse.com | Facebook.com/ClubHawthorne | @ClubHawthorne.