Hawthorne Cancels Harness Racing for Fourth Straight Weekend; Horsemen Want ‘Options’ from Racing Board
Hawthorne Race Course has once again cancelled harness races for this Saturday and Sunday, marking the fourth weekend in a row the suburban Chicago track has been dark on scheduled racing dates.
In an update posted Thursday on the Illinois Harness Horsemen’s Association website, IHHA President Jeff Davis said the Cicero track’s banking issues still have not been resolved.
This marks yet another weekend where racing cannot proceed because horsemen cannot be paid. We have formally asked the Illinois Racing Board to begin discussing alternative options, as repeating this same outcome week after week is not workable for horsemen or the industry.
ihha PRESIDENT JEFF DAVIS
“Our position remains unchanged: Racing should not resume until horsemen have reliable access to their earned funds.”
A message to the IRB was not immediately returned on Friday.
IRB to Meet Wednesday
According to an article by Neil Milbert of Harness Racing Update, horsemen had $500,000 in purse checks from Hawthorne bounce, with up to $400,000 more in checks not yet cashed because of concerns those would also be returned.
Hawthorne has been the only track in the Chicago area since Churchill Downs Inc. closed Arlington International Racecourse in September 2021. That has forced thoroughbred racing and harness racing to share the track located seven miles southwest of downtown Chicago.
However, after there was no harness racing for a third consecutive week last weekend, the Illinois Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association posted on its website that “the continued cancellations are deeply troubling and may cast doubt on our spring thoroughbred meet.”
The ITHA also called on Hawthorne officials and the IRB to “illuminate the specifics” of what’s happening with the track.
Those answers could come as soon as next Wednesday. That’s when the IRB holds its January meeting, and the second item on the agenda is an update from Hawthorne President and General Manager Tim Carey.
Ongoing Drama for Illinois Horsemen
The latest Hawthorne saga adds to the challenges Illinois horsemen have faced for years. Once one of the stronger racing states in the nation, Illinois has been surpassed by several of its neighboring states, which have used casino gaming to increase their purses.
Nearly seven years ago, Illinois lawmakers passed an expanded gaming law that gave Hawthorne and the state’s other tracks the opportunity to get a casino license and use those funds to bolster purses.
Churchill Downs chose not to seek a license for Arlington, leading to its closure, but Hawthorne went ahead and received state approval to proceed. However, financial problems have plagued Hawthorne since, and the track has yet to open the casino.
Meanwhile, several other casinos that were created through the state law have opened.
Now, many Illinois horsemen are hoping for lawmakers to help again. This time with a bill that would remove Hawthorne’s veto authority on any proposed race tracks in the Chicago area.
Illinois lawmakers began their 2026 session this week in Springfield.
Gambling Insider delivers the latest industry news, in-depth features, and operator reviews that you can trust. Our team combines rigorous editorial standards with decades of specialized expertise to ensure accuracy and fairness. We are committed to delivering clear, impartial, and dependable coverage across the global gambling sector.
