HORSEPLOP.COM
General Category => Harness Racing => Topic started by: hasbeen on June 03, 2026, 08:01:03 AM
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Business paper said this morning that Hawthorne's site may be sold and made into an industrial park. Just like Maywood with an Amazon distribution center.
If Hawthorne gets out of racing, all that will remain in Illinois will be Fairmount, which is spitting distance from St.Louis.
Another day, another Chicago track falls into the grave and into the history books.
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/real-estate/commercial/ccb-hawthorne-race-course-real-estate-20260602/
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thats the best news of the day
fck carey
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50 years ago,in Illinois you could race harness at:
Sportsmans
Hawthorne
Maywood
Balmoral
Washington Park
Aurora Downs
Quad City Downs
Fairmount
Cahokia
Arlington raced 1 or 2 years around the time Washington Park burned down.
Add in Springfield, DuQuoin and the county fairs and the standardbred business was in full bloom.
Corrupt owners, fiscal mismanagement, and fans flocking to the riverboats have killed the sport.
I hope old man Langley and Billy Johnston are rotting in their Graves.
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Not only were all those places racing Harness but most guys I know all wanted to have a horse good enough to race there!
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The property is already being marketed as an industrial property/site, in case the "bail out" or "partnership" doesn't fly. BK court doesn't let people stonewall, at least not forever. Call it the sport/industry in decline or whatever you want, but IMO, this was Tim Carey's doing.
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50 years ago,in Illinois you could race harness at:
Sportsmans
Hawthorne
Maywood
Balmoral
Washington Park
Aurora Downs
Quad City Downs
Fairmount
Cahokia
Arlington raced 1 or 2 years around the time Washington Park burned down.
Add in Springfield, DuQuoin and the county fairs and the standardbred business was in full bloom.
Corrupt owners, fiscal mismanagement, and fans flocking to the riverboats have killed the sport.
I hope old man Langley and Billy Johnston are rotting in their Graves.
Damn, Damn, Damn!
How very depressing!
I raced at all of the above with the exception of Cahokia.
Also raced at now deceased Brandywine, Liberty Bell, Atlantic City, Louisville Downs, Canterbury, Blue Bonnets, Pompano, and two in MI.
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3 yrs ago he barred me from the track when i called him a piece of shit,,which he is,,
i told him to his fckin face he ruined harness racing in chicagoland ,,i told him his track will close in 5 yrs,,,
oops i was wrong ,,took only 4 yrs ,,, ngc3 ngc3 ngc3 ngc3 ngc3