Horse Racing
The Nation’s Oldest Family-Owned and Operated Race Track Launches Fall Meet and Hosts a Variety of Special Events to Commemorate a Century of Success in Sporting Entertainment
Hawthorne Race Course, 3501 S. Laramie, the live racing horse track home to the Annual Illinois Derby, has long been a forerunner of the regional racing business and continues to deliver thrills in its 100th year of family ownership. Under the proprietorship of the Carey family, the anniversary distinguishes Hawthorne as the oldest continuously family-owned and operated race track in the nation. Over the last century, Hawthorne has hosted over 100,000 races and employed 250,000 people. One million miles of track have been run by at least 1,000 jockeys and 100,000 horses and over $1 billion worth of winnings have been happily collected at the longest running sports venue in Illinois. Hawthorne Race Course continues to be an integral player in the legendary heritage of Chicago sports entertainment and is proud to take a look back over a century of success as well as look ahead to the next 100 years with its next meet as well as two special events: Chicago’s Biggest Family Reunion and Oktoberfest.
Just following the October 1st opening of its thrilling new fall racing season, Hawthorne Race Course will publicly commemorate its centennial of family ownership and operation on October 24th by inviting Chicagoland families to the city’s Biggest Family Reunion on the track’s apron. From noon until 6 p.m. and a post at 1:25 p.m., the track will host events including a father/son and mother/daughter potato sack race with participation by the Carey family. The event will also feature hayrides, music, a pumpkin carving contest, games, face painting, and a Moon Jump. The live entertainment of horse racing will serve as an exciting backdrop and families will have the opportunity to meet, greet and get autographs from the Hawthorne’s star jockeys.
With 2009 being called "The Year of Hawthorne" in a proclamation by the Illinois Racing Board, 4th generation president and general manager of Hawthorne, Tim Carey is proud to be a part of such a significant milestone in his family’s business. “It has been a true honor to continue my family’s legacy and I’m pleased that the tradition my great-grandparents began at the turn of the century continues to thrive today,” said Carey. “It has been home to many of my own family’s memories and we want the community to share in that experience; to come together and celebrate the success and thank those who have helped get us to this triumphant point in Hawthorne’s history."
On the weekend prior, October 17th-18th, the Carey Family will celebrate one the world’s most traditional horse races: Oktoberfest. The legendary festival originated as a horse race honoring the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese in Munich, Germany in 1810. While the races have long since been replaced by beer carts and a carnival-like atmosphere in Munich, Hawthorne, commemorating their own anniversary, promises a full version of the original celebration featuring live music, an outdoor barbecue and beer fest, endless sauerkraut and sausage, and no shortage of live racing. Festivities will begin at noon each day, followed by a 1:20 post time with live racing and celebrations ending at approximately 6:00 p.m.
Fall Racing Season
The 2009 fall meet at Hawthorne Race Course runs from October 1st through December 31st. The stakes schedule is headlined on opening weekend by the running of the Grade 2, $500,000 Hawthorne Gold Cup. Daily racing occurs Wednesday through Sunday with first post at 1:20 p.m. with the exception of Fridays at 2:30 p.m. through the week prior to Thanksgiving. First posts on Fridays after the holiday are at 1:20 p.m. Returning for another action packed season are top jockeys Inez Karlsson, Chris Emigh, Tim Thornton and Randall Meier riding for equally premier trainers Frank Kirby, Jamie Ness, Mike Reavis, Brian Williamson and Chris Richard.
Hawthorne's dirt racing surface has proven to be the safest surface in regards to injury to horses and humans in Illinois and the Hawthorne homestretch is the second longest in North America behind the Fair Grounds in New Orleans. While the autumn meet at Hawthorne has the largest field size in the state of Illinois featuring a full backstretch of horses and turf racing well into November, one of the season’s highlights is that the track is also the premier place to watch the Breeders' Cup on November 6th and 7th as the entire facility will be open to the public. Top players will be able to enjoy the comforts of the newly constructed Platinum Club which offers a Vegas-Style racebook setting and a 100 year old bar imported from Washington. Hawthorne has invested multiple millions in dollars in the past five years in a facility overhaul which has included a new floor surface on the first floor of the grandstand, 1,000 new LG televisions and a centrally located sports bar on the first floor of the grandstand.
Hawthorne Race Course will celebrate the season with a series of ongoing special events including $1.00 TGI Fridays featuring $1.00 hot dogs and beers, Senior Day Thursdays, and Bags Tournaments coupled with NFL Ticket Sundays in November.
About Hawthorne
Hawthorne’s historic halls are filled with classic photos and relics of racing seasons past dating back to when Thomas Carey first purchased the estate back in 1909. Hawthorne Race Course has been able to revive horseracing in Chicago time and again due to continuously placing fans in the middle of all the fast-paced action and interactive excitement involved in the sport. After 100 years, Hawthorne Race Course promises to remain Chicago’s home to showcasing the very best talent in the historic “sport of kings.” For more information on Hawthorne Race Course visit www.hawthorneracecourse.com or call 708-780-3700.
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