After racing for minimal purse opportunities as Springfield and DuQuoin in June and July, horsemen were
looking forward to the State Fair meet starting later this week. However, the advertised $5,000 purses for
the IDOA 2 and 3 year olds races were chopped significantly. Those $5,000 purses were reduced for the most
part to $2,500 and even $1,666. There are 557 registered 2 year olds in Illinois this year and it is mid-August and almost every one of them is bleeding $$. While those 2 year olds will be racing for peanuts, there are a pair of overnight races that will go for $4,000 each. That is absolutely obscene.
In less than a month Illinois' two major yearling sales, the Land of Lincoln and the Illini Classic will be conducted and it's almost certain they will be impacted negatively. There are 552 Illinois Bred yearlings on the ground this year and their overall worth has plummeted immensely. Rumor has it that the 2024 racing schedule at Hawthorne will see the thoroughbreds racing from March through December. And that is why is looks like Illinois Harness Racing is finshed.
