In the midst of a winter that has included both record snowfall and record
cold temperatures, the weather looks to break this weekend as the Hawthorne
spring meet kicks off Friday.
While the fall meet ended with some
uncertainty as to the future of racing in the state, an extension to the
Advanced Deposit Wagering bill in Illinois was approved at the end of January to
insure a full racing schedule for 2014. Horsemen have had to play catch-up
quickly to prepare for the opener but many are ready to run as 69 horses are
entered on the opening day card.
“The has been a very tough winter on everyone,” Hawthorne President and General Manager Tim Carey
stated. “Our track crew has done a
great job to allow for us to train as much as we have during this dark period.
“That being said, we know many horsemen are behind in their training but as
things warm up, we expect they will catch up quickly. I expect us to gather
momentum as the meet progresses and I’m looking forward to another strong
Illinois Derby in April.”
Hawthorne’s stakes schedule is highlighted by a pair of days that covers the
end of April. A total of $850,000 in stakes
races will be contested on April 19, with the feature being the 57th running of the Grade 3,
$500,000 Illinois Derby.
Early closing for the Illinois Derby is February 14,
and the race is once again positioned to draw a large and competitive field. In 2013,
Departing used the Illinois Derby as a springboard to victories in the West Virginia Derby and
Super Derby later in the year.
Joining the Illinois Derby on April 19 will also be
the Grade 3 Sixty Sails Handicap. The $150,000 event for fillies and mares will
be contested at 1 1/8 miles on Hawthorne’s main track. In addition to the two
Grade 3 events, older Illinois-bred sprinters will also take to the track on
April 19. Older state-bred males will sprint in the $100,000 Robert S. Molaro Handicap while state-bred females will race in the $100,000 Third
Chance Handicap.
The following weekend, on April 26, four $100,000 stakes events for Illinois-bred runners will take place. Three-year-olds will be
featured in the Land of Lincoln Stakes for the boys and Pretty Jenny Stakes for
females. Older runners will go two turns as males face off in the Milwaukee
Avenue Handicap while female runners contest the Peach of It Handicap.
Many of the mainstays at Hawthorne return on the training
and riding end. Past meet training champions Roger Brueggemann, Mike Reavis and
Frank Kirby will have full stables of runners this spring. They will be joined
by large stables of Chris Dorris, Chris Block, Brian Williamson, John Haran and
Manny Perez.
Multiple-meet leading rider Tim Thornton is back to defend
his title and will be joined by veterans Eddie Perez, Marlon St. Julien and
Rafael Hernandez. The females made their mark last fall and a pair of female
apprentice riders, Stephanie Slinger and Heidi Rose, are back in the
Hawthorne jocks room.
Admission to Hawthorne is free every day. The spring meet, which runs from
February 21 through April 27, will feature live racing Friday through Sunday in
February and Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday in March and April. Daily
post time is 1:45 p.m. (ET).
For more information please visit
HawthorneRaceCourse.com.
Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com