Horse Racing
Hawthorne Race Course recently announced the opening of The Platinum Players Club, a new luxurious space offering personalized VIP service to the Platinum members of its nationally renowned Club Hawthorne rewards program. The Platinum Players Club accommodates 80 patrons, and is open seven days a week, opening at 11:00 a.m. until close for top players looking to wager in style. The renovation is part of an ongoing celebration of the Carey family’s 100th anniversary of ownership and operation of Hawthorne, and the start of its signature fall thoroughbred racing season.
The Platinum Players’ Club was built with the player’s needs in mind. The venue’s new elite space features a private entrance, plush carpeting, and intimate track lighting, as well as dozens of high definition flat screen televisions, private tellers, tableside food and beverage service, a host concierge, and personal reservations. The club room also includes a 100-year-old bar imported from a casino in Seattle, WA. A complimentary snack bar and non-alcoholic beverage service catered by the private wait staff is also featured.
"The Platinum Club offers something that no other room in the state can offer to the player. The room is modeled after a Vegas-style sports book with full food and beverage service in a setting that gives the best comforts to the player," said Jim Miller, Assistant General Manager at Hawthorne Race Course.
This room is only available to the Platinum members, who are classified as such by wagering a minimum of $15,000 in a 30-day period. The members also enjoy other privileges, namely up to 4% cash back on all wages during live racing, but also invitation to exclusive VIP events, reserved access and seating in the Gold Cup and Turf Club and other perks.
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. 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. Hawthorne has invested multiple millions of 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 flat panel televisions and a centrally located sports bar on the first floor of the grandstand, flanked by an 80 sf video wall.
Hawthorne Race Course will celebrate the season with a series of exciting events including Oktoberfest and Chicago’s Biggest Family Reunion, as well as ongoing specials like $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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