Hawthorne Race Course - Hawthorne History


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Hawthorne History

1890

October 20 - Edward Corrigan purchases 119 acres of land in Cicero Township and construction begins on the Hawthorne grandstand.

1891

May 20 - Hawthorne Race Course opens with a five-race card. The feature is the Chicago Derby, a 1/4-mile race won by Brookwood, owned by Edward Corrigan. The Chicago Tribune estimates the crowd at 6,000.
Hugh Penny is the leading rider during the 27-day spring meet with 25 wins, Johnny Rodegap is the leading trainer and Corrigan is the meet's leading owner.
Penny (49 wins), Rodegap (17 tallies) and Corrigan (17 victories) repeat their respective titles during the 41 -day summer session.

1902

May 30 - Hawthorne grandstand burns to the ground. Corrigan immediately transfers the balance of the Spring meet to nearby Harlem racetrack.
July 21 - First of two summer meets oens. With the new grandstand not yet completed, the meet is raced at Harlem.
August 18 - Racing returns to Hawthorne for the start of a 12-day late summer session.

1905

Racing is banned in Chicago.

1909

May - Corrigan sells the Hawthorne grounds to Thomas Carey.
Labor Day - Carey tries to revive racing in Chicago. A crowd estimated at 10,000 is on hand.

1911

Carey again attempts to revive racing in Chicago but the races are halted by sheriffs.

1916

July 15 -A 13-day "experimental" meeting run by the Illinois Jockey Club begins. The opening day feature, run before an estimated 20,000, is the $10,000 American Derby, won by Dodge. In spite of the success of the meeting, it would be another six years before racing would return to Chicago.

1922

September 30 - Racing returns to Chicago for good with a 13-day meeting. The opening day program is highlighted by an appearance by the great Exterminator, who races against the track record of 2:04 3/5 for 1 1/4 miles in a non-betting race against the clock. However, he is timed in 2: 10 over a "new and slow" track.

1923

Hawthorne's racing season expands to 25 days.
A new $25,000 dining facility opens.
July 14 - The $10,000 Illinois Derby is run with In Memoriam winning under jockey N. Barrett in track-record time of 2:04 1/5 for 1 1/4 miles.

1924

The Chicago Business Men's Racing Association takes over the racing operation of Hawthorne and conducts a 52-day meet.
A new clubhouse is built.
Edward Corrigan, founder of Hawthorne, dies in Kansas City.
July 12 - Kentucky Derby champion Black Gold wins the seventh running of the 1 1/4-mile Chicago Derby, only two days after capturing a one mile prep race

1925

July 2 - A 58-day racing season begins.
A cooperative form of pari-mutuel wagering is instituted at Hawthorne.
Hawthorne provides jockeys a gymnasium and exercise equipment.
July 29 - Carey and the Chicago Business Men's Racing Association agree on a 10-year lease extension.

1926

Certificate wagering, a modified form of parimutuel wagering replaces cooperative wagering.

1927

August 27 - May Cooper wins the first running of the Chicago Juvenile Handicap, now known as the Hawthorne Juvenile.
September 24 -The Autumn Handicap, later known as the Chicago Handicap, is inaugurated.

1928

A new clubhouse opens.
Misstep wins the inaugural Hawthorne Gold Cup and lowers the 1 1/4-mile track mark to 2:03.
The Bahr starting gate is introduced at Hawthorne.

1929

October 7 - Sun Beau captures his first of three consecutive Gold Cup victories in a race Daily Racing Form hails as the "GREATEST RACE OF 1929."

1931

Hawthorne becomes the first major track in the United States to use an electrical timer.
A new infield tote board, invented by Albert Gascogine, is installed, allowing patrons to calculate place and show pools before the race is run. It is the first electric tote board in Chicago.

1933

Daily Double wagering is instituted at Hawthorne.
Equipoise, in his last Chicago appearance, wins the Gold Cup.

1934

Infra-red rays which are broken by passing horses are installed as part of an automatic timing device.
A new paddock, located between the grandstand and the clubhouse, is built.

1936

May 23 - Hawthorne, for the first time in a decade, opens the Chicago racing season.
Photo Eye, an electronic photo-finish camera capable of producing a photo within seconds after a race, is in place for the start of the meeting.
September 25 - Myrtlewood, world-record holder for six furlongs (1:09 2/5), and Clang, seven-furlong (1:22) world-record holder are featured in a six-furlong match race. Myrtlewood prevails by a nose in 1: 10 4/5.

1937

A record $7,557,896 is handled during the 24-day meeting, the largest amount ever handled (over a similar period) by a Chicago track.
September 6 - A record crowd of 37,792 passes through the gates for the opening day card.

1938

Hawthorne installs a new tote system, American Totalizator.

1939

A new drainage system is installed.

1940

The new Bahr starting gate, with stall doors that open and close electronically, makes its Hawthorne debut.

1941

Hawthorne celebrates its Golden Jubilee.
A new dining room on the second floor of the clubhouse and new club boxes are among the improvements in place for the Golden Jubilee Season.
Minimum purse is set at $1,000.

1942

Hawthorne announces that one race each week would be restricted to horses owned by Illinois residents and two races each week by horses bred and/or foaled in the state.

1943

Due to wartime racing restrictions, south suburban Lincoln Fields moves its meet to Hawthorne, which plays host to the Crete rack's spring dates from 1943 until 1947.
May 31 - Hawthorne enjoys its first $1 million handle when 37,000 fans bet $1,135,878 on the Memorial Day card during the Lincoln Fields meeting.

1944

Hawthorne enjoys its best season to date with a daily average handle of $925,328.

1945

The Chicago Business Men's Racing Association conducts its final meet at Hawthorne Race Course.
May 30 - Hawthorne hits the $1.5 million plateau for the first time when 37,524 fans bet $1,586,718 on the Memorial Day card during the Lincoln Fields meeting.

1946

January - Charles W. Bidwill, Sr. is named managing director of Hawthorne by the Thomas Carey estate.
May 30 - The largest crowd ever to pass through the gates at Hawthorne, 39,033, bets a then-record $1,730,117 on the Memorial Day card during the Lincoln Feilds meeting.
Daily average handle surpasses the $1 million mark during the Lincoln Fields at Hawthorne spring meeting when a daily average 14,375 fans bet an average of $1,014,435.
The Hawthorne Gold Cup is revived after a five year hiatus.

1947

Robert F. Carey takes over as managing director of Hawthorne after the death of Charles W. Bidwill, Sr. Carey, who initially intended to stay on only until a suitable replacement for Bidwill could be found, managed Hawthorne until his death in 1980.
July 7 - Work begins on a new racing strip.
November - Construction of a six-furlong turf course begins.

1948

Turf racing returns to Hawthorne after a 44-year absence.

1952

The Lincoln Fields meet returns to Hawthorne after a five-year absence. The Crete track's dates are raced at Hawthorne in both 1952 and 1953.

1953

New Daily Double machines are installed.
A new mutuel unit is installed where the paddock was formerly located.
A new paddock, located east of the grandstand, is built.
May 18 - In what is believed to be the first time a father and son jockey team raced against each other in Chicago, Hall-of-Fame reinsman John Adams squares off against son J. Ralph Adams for the first time.

1955

October 15 -Bill Shoemaker posts his first Hawthorne victory with a win aboard Remorseful.

1956

October 1 - Jockey Johnny Heckmann wins with seven of eight mounts. Only one of his winners is sent off as the betting favorite.

1957

A new, million-dollar clubhouse, with three times the seating capacity of the old, is unveiled.

1958

October 11 -Round Table's victory in the Gold Cup makes him the richest race horse to date with earnings of $1,336,364.

1960

Kelso annexes the Gold Cup, his first "hundred grander", en route to the first of his five consecutive Horse-of-the-Year titles.

1961

An all-new, glass-enclosed, air-conditioned Gold Cup Room, overlooking the finish line, opens.

1963

Hawthorne enjoys its first $2 million handle on Gold Cup Day with $2,037,297 passing through the mutuel windows.

1965

Bold Bidder wins the inaugural Diamond Jubilee Stakes, which is later to become the Hawthorne Derby.

1966

For the first time in its history, Hawthorne handles over $1 million every day of the meeting.

1967

Seating is increased by 2,500, bringing total capacity to 17,000.

1968

The Gold Cup Room is enlarged, the third floor of the grandstand enclosed and 72 closed-circuit television monitors are installed.

1969

Announcer Phil Georgeff makes his Hawthorne debut.
A new drainage system and new racing surface are installed.

1970

Racing on Labor Day for the first time since 1939, a crowd of 26,427 is on hand to witness Well Mannered win the Hawthorne Derby.
Harness racing is held for the first time at Hawthorne.

1972

Hawthorne is awarded spring dates.

1973

Hawthorne operates a 33-day summer meeting, July 25-August 31.

1975

Hawthorne seaon extended to 50 days, September 26-November 22.

1976

May 8 - The first quarter-horse race to be run at a pari-mutuel racetrack in Illinois is held at Hawthorne.
A new brick tote board is installed in the infield.
Richard Hazelton establishes a single-season training record by saddling 48 winners.

1978

November 19 - An early-morning fire completely destroys the Hawthorne grandstand. An attempt to transfer the season's remaining dates to Sportsman's Park fails due to the lack of available mutuel machines.

1979

Both the winter harness season and fall thoroughbred meet are raced at neighboring Sportsman's Park.

1980

All but the final week of the winter harness season is raced at Sportsman's Park while the finishing touches are put on the new Hawthorne.
September 29 - The new Hawthorne has its official grand opening to coincide with the start of the 72-day thoroughbred meet.
October 9 - Robert F. Carey dies. His son Thomas assumes the role of president and general manager of Hawthorne.

1981

Charles Coon, one of the top racetrack engineers in the country, redesigns the racing surface, installing a new base, four inches of cushion and increased elevation on the turns.

1983

The Robert F. Carey Memorial Handicap is inaugurated.

1984

Intertrack wagering is introduced in Illinois.

1985

August 5 - Following the July 31 fire that destroyed Arlington Park, the northwest suburban track transfers its remaining dates (except August 25-Arlington Million Day) to Hawthorne.

1986

With Arlington out of commission except for a 13-day festival meeting, Hawthorne is awarded summer racing dates.
July 1 - Earlie Fires records his 4,000th victory aboard Camplin.
The Hawthorne Budweiser Breeders' Cup is inaugurated.
A new paddock, located in the infield, is used as weather conditions allow.
Construction begins on a turf course extension.

1987

Off-track wagering debuts in Illinois.
November 9 -The newly-expanded seven-furlong turf course is used for the first time.
November 29 - The $1 Super Bet, a wager requiring a bettor to correctly select two perfectas and a trifecta on a single ticket, is hit for an alltime Illinois record of $1,546,140.75.

1988

With Arlington closed for construction of its new facility, Hawthorne is again awarded summer racing dates.
August 13 - Announcer Phil Georgeff enters the Guiness Book of World Records when he calls his 85,000th race.
Jockey Earlie Fires sets a new Hawthorne record for wins with 11 3 tallies.

1989

November 26 - The Bill Shoemaker Farewell Tour passes through Chicago with the veteran reinsman making his last Hawthorne appearance, finishing second and third with two mounts. Shoemaker retires the following February as the winningest jockey of all time with 8,833 wins.

1990

Fresh off a third-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Sprint, Black Tie Affair captures the Budweiser-Hawthorne Gold Cup.

1991

Hawthorne's 100th anniversary is celebrated.
November 23 - Breeders' Cup Classic champion and eventual Horse-of-the-Year Black Tie Affair makes his last racetrack appearance, parading before the crowd on Gold Cup Day.

1992

October 22 - Veteran track announcer Phil Georgeff announces that he will retire at the end of the year.
October 31 - An Illinois record $8,256,608 is bet on the 16-race card that includes wagering on the seven Breeders' Cup races from Gulfstream Park.
December 26 - Phil Georgeff Day. The veteran announcer is presented with a Cadillac by the managements of Hawthorne, Arlington and Sportsman's.
December 31-Georgeff calls his 96,131st and final race (save for a pair of 1993 and 1994 guest appearances), bringing to a close a career that spanned 34 years.
For the first time in its 101-year history, Hawthorne's daily average handle exceeds $2 million ($2,260,139).

1993

Hawthorne enjoys its best season to date with an average daily mutuel handle of $2,292,832.

1994

January 15-18 - Due to weather-related cancellations, Hawthorne becomes the first Illinois track to offer full-card simulcasts of out-of-state races, with wagering on programs from Freehold Raceway in New Jersey and Gulfstream Park and Pompano Park in Florida.
February 12 - Dave Magee becomes the sixth driver in harness racing history to post 6,000 wins when he guides Oliver Hill to victory in the 11th race on the afternoon card.
November 4 - Randall Meier pilots the 2,500th win of his career when Little Prospector scores in the first race.
November 5 - A Hawthorne record $8,431,739 is bet on the 16-race card that includes wagering on the seven Breeders' Cup races from Churchill Downs.
Mark Guidry establishes a new single-season riding record with 117 victories.
For the third consecutive season, Hawthorne's daily average handle reaches an all-time high of $2,393,305.

1995

February 4 - Bret's Avenger, driven by Brian Pinske, paces to an all-age track record of 1:52 3/5 in the first division of the Suburban Downs Pacing Derby.
Full-card simulcasting begins.
Indoor paddock made fan accessible.
December 2 - Trainer Gene Cilio and jockey Carlos Silva combine for three stakes wins during the Phil Georgeff Illinois Festival of Racing.
Mark Guidry betters his own single-season record by booting home 137 winners during the 91-day stand.
Including full-card simulcasting, wagering average a record $3,490,048.
Out-of-state wagering on Hawthorne's signal increased 168.3% from $408,506 in 1994 to $1,093,343 in 1995.

1996

February 4 - Ball And Chain wins the first six-figure pacing event in Hawthorne harness history, the $100,000 Suburban Downs Free-For All Pacing Derby.
For the first time in its 27-year history, eliminations were held for the Erwin F. Dygert Memorial Trot. Night court Dan and Federal Yankee won the eliminations and the latter captured the $100,000 Final in stakes record time of 1:56 2/5.
January 27 - Joe Anderson trains and drives six winners on one card.
February 11 - Dean Magee drives his 2,000th career victory with All That Rhythm in the third race.
Dave Magee establishes a new Hawthorne Driving record with 114 wins.
October 27 - Jockey Mark Guidry rides the 3,000th winner of his career when Sweet Hawaii captures the $50,000 Illinois Stallion Stakes Trial.
November 10 - Hall-of-Fame rider Eddie Arcaro and Phil Georgeff preside over the inaugural inductions into the Hawthorne Jockey Hall of Fame with 21 of the greatest reinsmen so honored.
Another wagering record is set with a daily average of $3,575,861 (including full card simulcasting) passing through the windows. Daily avaerage out-of-state handle on Hawthorne's races reaches a new record of $1,394,726.

1997

February 1 - For the first time in its history, eliminations are held for the Erwin F. Dygert Memorial Trot.
Joe Anderson sets a single-season training record during the harness meet with 66 victories.
September 8 - The thoroughbred meet opens on a two-day a week schedule for the first five weeks of the season.
October 11 - Eventual Illinois Horse of the Year Buck's Boy posts a gate-to-wire victory in the $300,000 Hawthorne Gold Cup.
November 8 - Hawthorne "dual simulcasts" the Breeders' Cup, alternating live product with Breeders' Cup races. The experiment is a complete success as handle on the Hawthorne races skyrockets.

1998

In preparation for its first summer thoroughbred meet in 10 years, Hawthorne embarks on a multi-million dollar renovation and beautification project. Four new party rooms are added along with plush outdoor box seats, a full-service food court and a walk-in gift shop.
"POST TIME at Hawthorne" debuts on FOX Sports Chicago. The live running of the ninth race highlights the daily, half-hour production.
July 30 - With Sportsman's Park's Chicago Motor Speedway under construction to become a multi-purpose facility which can host both CART and horse racing, officials from the National Jockey Club announce a lease agreement for the 1999 season.
August 18 - The racing schedule is reduced to five days per week.
August 19 - Earlie Fires becomes the 13th rider in history of thoroughbred racing to ride 6,000 winners by guiding Barkenlor Cat to victory in the afternoon's third race.
October 10 - Awesome Again remains an undefeated five-for-five on the season by capturing the $400,000 Hawthorne Gold Cup at odds of 1-9 for jockey Pat Day and trainer Patrick Byrne.
November 1 - For the first time in the three-year history of the Hawthorne Hall of Fame, trainers are inducted along with jockeys.
November 7 - Recent Hawthorne Gold Cup winners Buck's Boy (1997) and Awesome Again (1998) both capture Breeders' Cup races at Churchill Downs. Buck's Boy becomes the richest Illinois-bred of all time by capturing the $2 million Breeders' Cup turf in gate to wire fashion. Awesome Again retires a perfect six-for-six on the year after defeating one of the deepest fields in Breeders' Cup Classic history. The race was worth a record $5.12 million.
November 15 - Buck's Boy, fresh off his win in the Breeders' Cup Turf, parades between the afternoon's second and third races.

1999

July 22 - Eusebio Razo, Jr. scores his 1,500th career victory by winning the day's fifth race allowance aboard Lin Grisham and Team Block's TOwering Storm.
August 18 - Minor Wisdom set his first course record of the meet by covering the about 1 1/8 mile Turf distance in 1:49.48.
August 22 - Hawthorne's management elects to postpone the racing card scheduled for this day because of the inaugural running of the Target Grand Prix at neighboring Chicago Motor Speedway. The program was rescheduled for October 13.
September 18 - Wwwdotwindotcom returns a season high win payoff of $148.60 in the third race Illinois allowance.
September 25 - Minor Wisdom breaks his second turf course record of the meet by stopping the timer in 1:42.04 for about 1 1/16 mile distance.
December 16 - Jockey Mark Guidry scores his 7th Hawhtorne riding title.

2000

October 1 - After running all dates in 1999 at Hawthorne, the fall scheudle returns with the openeing of the 62 day meet.
October 7 - The longest shot on the board, Dust on the Bottle, slides through on the rail to win the Hawthorne Gold Cup for trainer Glen Hild and jockey Tim Doocy.
October 7 - Can't split 'em - Rumsonontheriver and Hymn hit the wire together as they Dead-heat for the victory in the Hawthorne Derby.
Hawthorne leading jockey Mark Guidry shifts his tack to Kentucky after riding to seven Hawthorne riding titles.
October 28 - Hawthorne joins 21 racetracks across America as they withdraw from the NTRA. It would be a year before the tracks return.
November 11 - The voice, Phil Georgeff, returns to Hawthorne to witness the "Phil Georgeff Illinois Festival of Racing".
November 30 - Jere Smith Sr. has the most interesting of training doubles as his entry of Chicago Six and Muchacho Fino Deady Heat for victory.

2001

Fresh faced Zoe Cadman takes the title as leading apprentice for the spring meet with 36 wins. She is the only female to win a Hawthorne riding title.
May 1 - Turf racing is run the earliest ever in the state of Illinois history as Hawthorne runs the Nicole Stakes on the turf on May 1.
May 19 - Off strong races in the past, the Hawthorne Gold Cup is upgraded to Grade 2 status as Duckhorn and Hawthorne's all-time leading rider Randy Meier run home to a front-running victory.
June 2 - Capping her big spring meet, jockey Zoe Cadman guides home her second stakes winner as she rides Where's Taylor to a win in the Sun Beau Stakes. She also rode home Alybgood to a win in the Indian Maid stakes on May 27.
Hawthorne returns the Guaranteed Pick 6 wager which provides a pool to start the wager off every day. The Pick 6 brings new bettors to the Hawthorne simulcast signal which has grown every year since.
In another move to improve betting for the fans, the takeout on Hawthorne's live races is lowered by 2% on site, posting increases to those who wager on-site at Hawthorne.

2002

The three Chicago tracks announce an agreement for the running of “Thoroughbred Today,” a replay show for the day’s races.
Due to the running of the Breeders’ Cup at Arlington Park, the Hawthorne Derby and Hawthorne Gold Cup are forced to the spring. Hail the Chief grabs the victory in the Grade 2 Gold Cup.
June - Harness racing returns to Hawthorne after 5 years out of the game
June 29 – Robert F. Carey, Jr., Assistant to President, Thomas F. Carey, passes. Bob Carey, one of the most well-respected men in the industry was known for his fine hands-on approach to all horsemen and fans.
November 2 – Trainer Mike Reavis sets a Chicago record, sending out 5 winners on the day’s card.
December 20 – The announcement of the staff for the newly-formed Hawthorne National LLC. Hawthorne National brings on the merge of National Jockey Club, Suburban Downs, and Hawthorne Race Course.

2003

April 5 - Wally Dollase trained Ten Most Wanted wins the Illinois Derby. Ten Most Wanted would later go on to win the Travers and run second in the Belmont Stakes.
April 13 – Veteran jock Curt Bourque records career win 3,000 aboard Golden Glacken.
April 14 – After 12 years away from the saddle, 52-year-old jockey Ron Gabriel wins aboard Family Covenant in the day’s third race.
September 28 – Hall of Fame jockey Pat Day guides Perfect Drift to a 1 ? length victory in the Hawthorne Gold Cup.
December 12 – Top sprinter, Coach Jimi Lee, shatters the Hawthorne track record for six furlongs, covering the distance in 1:07.27. He eclipses the 25 year-old Hawthorne record by nearly 1 second.

2004

January 15 - Longtime Chicago trainer Jere Smith Sr. succumbs to cancer at 63 years old. Awinner of 12 Illinois training titles, Smith campaigned twotime Illinois Horse of the Year Chicago Six.
April 3 – Favorite Pollard’s Vision wins the Illinois Derby. Total Live handle on the day of $5,581,557 is the largest ever on an Illinois Derby card.
April 17 – 2003 Illinois Derby Champ Ten Most Wanted returns to Hawthorne, grabbing a victory in the Grade 3, $250,000 National Jockey Club Handicap.
July 23 – Harness driver Andy Miller posts his 4,000th career victory, guiding Perdition to victory for brother Erv. While Yonkers Raceway undergoes construction, the top three-year-old trots, the Hudson Trot for females and the Yonkers Trot for the males. Windsong’s Legacy wins the Yonkers Trot.
September 9 – Top driver Anthony Morgan guides home Brian and Kellie to his 9,000th career win.

2005

April 30 – Jockey Chris Emigh guides home four winners on the Illinois Champions Day card. Also, Emigh hits the board in all six of the Illinois Stakes. Emigh would conclude the meet setting a spring mark for victories with 73 from only 54 racing days.
August 8 – The first Night of Champions takes place as Illinois-bred harness stars compete in eight stakes races, all worth $100,000. Two-year-old colt Hot N Sporty caps the night with a victory in the Perdition to remain undefeated.
September 24 – Super Frolic and jockey Victor Espinoza capture the Grade 2, $750,000 Hawthorne Gold Cup. Super Frolic would follow that win with a 4th place effort in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

2006

January – Tim Carey, son of Robert F. Carey Jr. takes over as President of Hawthorne Race Course and Suburban Downs.
March – Renovations and upgrades begin at Hawthorne.
April 8 – Kent Desormeaux, who was about Greeley’s Galaxy in winning the 2005 Illinois Derby, rides favorite Sweetnorthernsaint to the win in the 2006 edition. Sweetnorthernsaint would later be sent off as the favorite in the Kentucky and would run second in the Preakness Stakes.
April 22 – Fleet Indian pulls off an impressive double-digit margin win in the Sixty Sails Handicap. The win is the beginning of a streak that would push her to the top spot in the National rankings for female runners.
April 29 – Chicago favorite, Silver Bid, grabs his final stakes victory in the Chicagoland Handicap.
June 3 – Night of Champions becomes Dave Magee night as the Hall of Fame driver wins four of the seven stakes events.
September 30 – No Tolerance and jockey Jesse Campbell win the Grade 3, $150,000 Robert F. Carey Memorial on the front end. The win is the first Graded Stakes one for jock Campbell aboard a runner trained by his father Michael.
September 30 – With initial plans to run in Kentucky, trainer Rebecca Maker makes a last minute change of decision and sends It’s No Joke to Hawthorne for the $500,000 Gold Cup. The decision is a good one as It’s No Joke wins for local rider Eusebio Razo, Jr.
November 4 – Chicago-based Dreaming of Anna rides the rail to victory in the Breeders’Cup Juvenile fillies at Churchill Downs. The win is the first Breeders’ Cup triumph for local trainer Wayne Catalano and perennial leading owner Frank Calabrese.

2007

April 7 - Cowtown Cat wins the 50th running of the Grade 2, Illinois Derby in wire to wire fashion for trainer Todd Pletcher and jockey Fernando Jara. Reporting for Duty was second and Bold Start finished third.
April 21 - Master Command proved dominant as the 2-5 favorite, easily winning the Grade 3, National Jockey Club Handicap, defeating amongst others, 2006 Illinois Derby winner Sweetnorthernsaint.
August 4 - Another year, another spectacular night for Hall of Fame driver Dave Magee as he drove home seven winners, including five stakes on the Night of Champions.
September 18 - The Illinois Racing Board approves Hawthorne's request for January racing dates, marking the first time in history Hawthorne will offer live thoroughbred racing during the first month of the year.
September 29 - Student Council and jockey Richard Migliore team up on the California shipper to prevail by 1 lengths over Jonesboro to win the 71st edition of the Grade 2, Hawthorne Gold Cup. Favored A.P. Arrow checked in third.
October 13 - The Grade 3, Hawthorne Gold Cup provided a thrilling stretch-run between Bold Hawk and Twilight Meteor, in which Bold Hawk had a head in front on the wire. Jean-Luc Samyn rode the winner for trainer Jimmy Toner.
October 21 - The Frank Kirby trained Cloudy's Knight went north to Canada to capture the $2 million Canadian International. Cloudy's Knight would later be named the Sovereign Award winner as older male turf horse. Kirby would later win the training title for the Hawthorne Fall Meet.
November 3 - The Phil Georgeff Festival of Racing featured Illinois Breds and longshot winners throughout the day. Dakota Rebel highlighted the parade of big prices when he won the Sun Power Stakes for two-year-old colts and geldings and paid $90.40 to win.
December 1 - Sylvia Harris became just the second African-American female jockey to win a pari-mutuel race when she guided Wildwood Pegasus to victoryat the tender age of 40.