The Thoroughbred Horsemen of Illinois are out and about in a year that promises trouble and even depression – with a huge dose of uncertainty set to emerge just a few months away.
There is hope for the future but…
With Arlington International Racecourse closed, and the Chicago Bears outlined plans to run wide receivers and close tights there Quote , Secretariat , and John Henry used to race, Hawthorne Racecourse in 2022 is the only venue to host the race in the Chicago area.
And, because harness racing must also be met, the inaugural Thoroughbred meeting on April 2 runs only until June 25, when the track is scraped for the return of the carts. The purebreds returned on September 23 but during the crucial summer months they were without a home in Chicago.
There are only 76 Purebred race days on the 2022 calendar.
Chris Block, president of the Illinois Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association and a member of a prominent, longtime racing and racing family, said the situation poses unique challenges as trainers seek out where for summer vacation.
“I believe we will probably have a few riders stay here like they did during the winter,” said Block. “I think they might have jogged a lot in the barn and then they might have run over Lawn Park. But I think a lot of these horses will probably end up in Canterbury or the Indiana Grand. The colony seems to be a place that some knights are heading towards, maybe Ellis . Park. “
Trainer Chris Block adjusts the reins to his horse as his family looks into Arlington Park.
Canterbury Park in fact, in Minnesota announced incentives for horsemen. When Canterbury opens May 18, Illinois racehorses in 2021 or 2022 will be eligible for a $1,000 bonus for a first start in Minnesota, plus a $1,000 general incentive bonus. la for any horse races in May, plus loans to cover shipping costs.
Andrew Offerman, vice president of racing operations at Canterbury, said: “We understand that owners and coaches who once called Arlington home are faced with challenging decisions to make. official in 2022. “We respect that all breeders need to make the best decisions for their stables and we have a desire to keep these horses in the Midwest. Canterbury Park is an option. great choice for them to consider.”
The other knights accustomed to gathering in Arlington mentioned Colony Downs in Virginia, the nearby Indiana circuit, and Ellis Park in Kentucky are options.
“All of this year’s riders are probably going somewhere for two months,” said nine-time Arlington champion coach Larry Rivelli. “I’m going to Colonial and Kentucky.”
But Block says it’s not as simple as picking somewhere and getting there.
“The problem is that moving is expensive,” says Block. “And one of the things we’ve had as riders, is it’s getting harder and harder to find qualified help to look after these horses… I’m currently trying to decide between Ellis and Colonial but I don’t want to go there looking for help because that doesn’t happen these days.”
Other Arlington regulators from previous years have more flexible stability elsewhere.
Wayne Catalano, a famous jockey before turning to coaching, lamented he won’t be in Arlington for the summer, noting, “I have a ranch there – it’s a beautiful place. “
“I don’t know how that’s going to play out,” Catalano said of the season Thoroughbred split at Hawthorne. However, he said, he will have “a few” to run during the spring at Hawthorne and will likely visit the occasional again in the fall.
“We’re not moving the entire operation to Hawthorne, that’s for sure,” he said. “Upcoming Saratoga. “
While Catalano is a veteran who made his mark at Arlington, Chris Davis is a younger, growing coach who has also been a regular at the suburban football field in northwest Chicago. Currently based in Keenelandhe said Hawthorne does not count on his plans on a full-time basis.
“There’s no point in setting up a store there and then they kick you out for a few months,” Davis said.
However, Davis has nothing but praise for the Carey family, the multigenerational owners of Hawthorne.
“I think they really wanted to make it work for the riders,” Davis said. “I know the Carey family’s hearts are in the right place for us. When we needed something, they were there to support us. It was just the price to pay for getting there in a few months. “
Block, often part of the upbeat team of the Illinois racing community, says the situation also affects owners and coaches psychologically, as their lives are turned upside down twice a year.
“I use the word depressed right now, and I’m a bit disappointed because this is the time of year when we get the horses together and make the venture to Arlington Heights and set up the stables,” Block said. our for the next six months and everyone is at home and we are in Arlington Park.
“We’ve been doing it for so many years. It’s life. It’s who we are and what we do. Right now, we don’t have that and it’s a huge shock to us. everyone and we have to adjust. It’s not always easy to adjust.”
Despite all the troubles, the horsemen got off to a good start to spring in Hawthorne with lush fields the first weekend of April despite the dismal seasonal weather in the Chicago area.
John Walsh, assistant superintendent, said: “The Horsemen of the Illinois Thoroughbred Riders Association have shown great support in immigration. “The increased amount is a big draw. Also, starting to build out a stake schedule once again shows that things are moving in the right direction at Hawthorne.”
Now, the question is what happens after the “summer break?” Will the horsemen find greener grass elsewhere and stay, or will they return to Hawthorne just in time for the fall and winter to begin?
And in the years to come, what if the situation does not change?
“I believe when they leave, they come back,” Block said. “It’s home to a lot of people and so they’ll always come back. Now, whether this is something that’s going to work for everyone, I think that remains to be seen. , depending on how those two and a half months play out the riders venture to another racecourse and take their horses there and see if they can do well.”
He said he bases that forecast on an improved purse structure at Hawthorne early in the season and a similar outlook in the fall.
Rivelli agrees.
“The wallets are a lot bigger than they were before,” he said. “I think they’re bigger than Indiana now. Apparently (schedule split) in just one year. Next year we’ll be good – all the same as the meeting in Arlington.
Owners Carolyn Wilson and Larry Rivelli
“It’s a conclusion that can’t be ignored that we won’t part with the mining team encounter like they did this year. Hopefully they’ll have a place to go and a track to be built. .
That could be news for the Illinois Mining Riders Association, and the 2023 schedule won’t be finalized until the September meeting of the Illinois Racing Board. And a new mining line has been kept by Machiavellian Illinois political forces — for how long, no one knows.
The block admittedly restores an optimal schedule.
“Not until we get the second track,” he said. “And, again, my fear is that it’s the way down and I just don’t know how long our riders can hold out given the distance we’ll have.”
Another problem was the lengthy delay in casino construction in Hawthorne. The track was able to get up and running relatively quickly after the passage of legislation to expand the game in 2019. But that facility provides no revenue for racing and delays in terms of racing. Regulations have slowed the progress of full casinos, which are expected to significantly increase wallets.
Sources say the Illinois Gaming Board is expected to approve it later this spring, the free build will begin in June with the cards being dealt, the wheel spinning and the coins in the wallet starting to flow. around the end of 2023.
Could the sound of construction itself be a trigger for depression?
“Yes,” Block said. “Yes, it will!”
