Hawthorne Race Track

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Hawthorne Racing Schedule: Spring: Dark Wednesday & Thursday Fall: Dark Monday & Tuesday, occasional Thursdays Racing Dates 2009: February 23 - May 3 September 21 - December 31 Post Times: 1:10 p.m. Hawthorne Race Track Location: Cicero, Illinois Hawthorne Official Website: www.hawthorneracecourse.com

Hawthorne Facts:

The Hawthorne Race Track is one of the small handfuls of older horse racing venues in the country. In October of 1890, Edward Corrigan purchased 199 acres of land and began building the Hawthorne grandstand. It came into existence on a nice May day in 1891. The first day of exciting horse racing at Hawthorn Race Track had five races. According to the Chicago Tribune, there were about 6,000 horse racing fans in attendance. The winning horse of the featured race, Brookwood, was owned by the track's founder, Edward Corrigan.

The leading rider during the inaugural season was Hugh Penny, who amassed 49 wins. The Hawthorne Race Track opened with a bang and appeared to be well on its way to greatness. Unfortunately, on May 30, 1902, the grandstand at the Hawthorne Race Track burned to the ground. With no grandstand, races were transferred to nearby Harlem racetrack. It was an unfortunate event, but the Hawthorne Race Track would recover. On August 12, 1902 horse racing action returns to the Hawthorne Race Track as the new grandstand is ready to go. Things went from getting better to worse though. In 1905, the city of Chicago banned horse racing.

Edward Corrigan decides enough is enough and he sells the Hawthorn Race Track to Thomas Carey. Thomas Carey is convinced that he can revive horse racing in Chicago. In 1911, Thomas Carey tries his best to revive horse racing in Chicago, but his efforts are stopped by local sheriffs. Eventually horse racing got back on track in Chicago and at the Hawthorne Race Track. Finally, in 1922 horse racing returned to this legendary race track. In 1923, the Hawthorne Race Track expanded its racing season to twenty-five days. They also opened a new dining facility.

Great times were waiting for the Hawthorn Race Track. In 1924, The Chicago Business Men's Racing Association took over the racing operation of the track and the meet was expanded to fifty-two days. One year later, the horse racing season was expanded by again - by six days. A form of pari-mutuel horse wagering was implemented in 1925 and the Hawthorne Race Track worked to improve the lifestyle of jockeys by opening a gymnasium with exercise equipment. In 1931, the Hawthorne Race Track became the first major horse racing track in America to use an electrical timer.

As time went on, the Hawthorne Race Track set many new records, including a record for the most money taken in on a single race in Illinois - almost nine million dollars. In 1999, a season high win payoff of $148.60 was turned in by the winner of the third race, Wwwdotwindotcom. Horse racing bettors who had this horse factored in to win were mighty happy on this day. In fact, this race captures the excitement and essence of playing the horses. The Hawthorne Race Track is own of the crowning jewels in the world of horse racing betting.