Categories: Sports & Recreation

Horseracing in Chicago

Author: Jody Robbins

Arlington Park
Every day at the racetrack comes with the promise of good times and riches, although it doesn't always work out that way—but you never know when it comes to legal wagering. Feel free to go and concentrate on the races, but then take some time to look around and take advantage of the many regular and special events and parties thrown here. For more information, visit the Arlington Park website.

• Regular Parties—They keep things busy here on a regular basis, with regular promotions like the “Miller Lite Party in the Park” every Friday, which features live music, or the “Summer Bash and BBQ” every Saturday. More Information>>
• Special Events—Stay with the crowds and enjoy the murmur, or get a more private experience through special offerings like “Breakfast at Arlington.” Eat breakfast and see the horses work out in the early morning while track announcer John G. Dooley and race analyst Liane Davis cover everything from training horses to track maintenance—a learning experience. More Information>>

Hawthorne Race Course
Harness racing is the primary draw here, and fans of this unique sport are fervent in their desire to observe and wager on an endeavor that harkens back to the days of horse-and-chariot races. The site has been a racing facility in one form or another since 1890, except for a period of time after racing was banned in Chicago in 1905. Numerous renovations have made this one of the more luxurious track experiences in the Chicago area.

• Regular Parties— Good-time venue options are available here, including the well appointed Turf Club with a full-service bar, betting facilities, and even wireless internet. Step it up a notch at the Championship Suite, the Exclusive V.I.P. Room, or the Gold Cup Dining Room, a multi-level facility situated right at the finish line. More Information>>
• Special Events—Catering is available at Hawthorne,and the menu encompasses a wide range of menu choices for divergent tastes. Think Champagne and caviar, or beer and barbecue. Outdoor events can be held in the infield and one of three different parking lots. More Information>>

Balmoral Park
Founded in 1925 by Colonel Matt J. Winn, then-manager of Churchill Downs, Balmoral hosts harness racing in meets spaced throughout the year. On-hand facilities make wagering easy, both for live racing and simulcast. Win, place, or show, expect a great day at the track regardless.

• Regular Parties—There are regular highlighted events here, and take advantage of special privileges, like reserved seating or a group photo in the Winner's Circle. Overlook the track and dine at the Balmoral Club Dining Room, or grab something hot on the fly at the Lincoln Room Bar & Grill. More Information>>
• Special Events—The facilities here play host to a wide range of group outings, from bachelor parties to fundraisers. Group party packages are available for the Balmoral Club Dining Room, the Grandstand & Clubhouse, and the Sulky Suites. A wide range of food and beverage options are available. More Information>>

Maywood Park
A bit of a trek from downtown Chicago, Maywood Park is located about 10 miles west of the city on North Avenue. It was originally used as the Cook County Fairgrounds, but now hosts harness racing and a full range of simulcast wagering options. Attendance here topped out at 20,133 in September, 1980.

• Regular Parties—Live racing is on tap here in June and then starts up again in August and runs through December. You can check out the Saddle & Sulky Room, the ½-Mile Bar & Grill, or the Favorites Bar & Café. For fine dining, it's the Winner's Circle Dining Room. More Information>>
• Special Events—Group packages are available for 20 or more, and include parking, admission, racing program, VIP photos, and even rides in the starter car. Customize the experience by choosing a sit-down dinner, or appetizers and drinks at the Windy City Club. More Information>>

Elements of Horse Racing

Horses
It is called horse racing, and it does all come down to the horse. Thoroughbred racing is populated by horses of the same name, which was developed by mixing English mares with Arabian stallions. It is a unique, distinct breed of horse. In harness racing, horses race at specified gaits, and are generally standardbred horses, with shorter legs, longer bodies, and more genial dispositions than their often anxious Thoroughbred cousins.

• Thoroughbred—All Thoroughbred horses trace their lineage back to a specific breeding of English mares and Arabian studs in the 17 th century. Thoroughbreds are at the top of the heap when it comes to speed, and show it in race after race.
• Harness—Harness-ready horses know how to keep things steady, as they race in specified gaits pulling sulkies, two-wheeled carts. Their lineage is more roundabout, with contributions from Scandinavia, France, and England —at a minimum.  

Jockeys
Riding race horses for a living is not an easy way to make a living, but the jockeys do it for the excitement and the thrill of success. Jockeys are mostly self employed, and work their way up through the ranks at the track. They often work closely with the trainer to get the most out of every ride.

• Thoroughbred—Jockeys steering these speed-gifted equines might be small, but they're in shape and able to make split-instant decisions that can make the difference between victory and second place. Weight is the enemy for the most part, and jockeys have long experienced problems with eating disorders.
• Harness—Harness racing jockeys get a seat, but it's not a smooth ride on a sulky being pulled along by horses bred to pull them throughout the centuries. A quintessentially English sport, harness racing was held in America as far back as 1665.  

Harness
In general, harness racing is composed of well-trained standardbred horses pulling two-wheeled carts known as sulkies. In truth, harness racing is a mixture of strategy and up-down acceleration, which is why it captivates aficionados.

• The Basics—Races are conducted in two main gaits: trotting and pacing. Trotters move their legs diagonally and pacers move laterally. Pacing constitutes the majority of the racing in North America.
• The Track—Most harness racing tracks are around one mile in length, and the track size is one of the most important racing factors. Short races demand sprinting ability; longer races are won through endurance. Whichever strategy is used, expect spectacularly close finishes on a regular basis.

Thoroughbred
In Thoroughbred racing, in Chicago or elsewhere, it's just the horse and a jockey looking to meld themselves into one of the fastest human-animal combinations on the planet. Thundering hoofs mix with flying debris and close finishes en route to finishing world-famous races.

• The Basics—In thoroughbred racing, horse and jockey wear colors unique to the owner of the horse. Races are conducted at a full-out gallop with jockeys in the saddle. An elaborate breeding system has evolved throughout the centuries, and ensures top notch competition.
• The Track—Conditions matter. Some horses run well in the mud—some don't. Race conditions also depend on the track itself, whether synthetic or man-made. Saddle re-designs have contributed to track safety.

Wagering & Track Info

Arlington Park
Horse track wagering is a science, but not the no-fun kind you learned in school.

• Place Your Bets—Check out the cheat sheets that are available at most tracks, or forget the experts and do your own handicapping—outsmart the field and you've really done something. Pari-mutuel wagering means that the money bet by the wagering public is distributed back out to the winners. The less people with the same winning ticket as you, the more money you win. More Information>>

Click here for track information.

Hawthorne Race Course
Get to know the terminology, and how to read a racing form, and prosperous entertainment is sure to follow.

• Place Your Bets—You're basically betting against the person next to you when it comes to pari-mutuel wagering, so keep your thoughts to yourself unless you want company rolling in the dough. Favorites win only about 30 percent of the time, so go with the wild cards every now and then.
  More Information>>

Click here for track information.

Balmoral Park
When it comes to winning money betting simulcast, it's all about research. Get your of-the-day racing literature, learn how to decipher it and make shrewd bets that can pay off big.

• Place Your Bets—Betting starts as simply as buying a $2 ticket to win, place, or show, and the complexity goes upward from there with exactas, trifectas and the (most challenging!) pick six. You can also bet a horse across the board, to win, place, and show, and a win gets you three winning bets. More Information>> Get down the wagering lexicon at http://www.balmoralpark.com/PDF/RacingTerminology.pdf.

Click here for track information.

Maywood Park
Maywood enjoys a fine harness season, but much of the year is devoted to simulcast. Go all out while keeping track of a wealth of racing action, and even go all out with the superfecta, and pick the first four finishers in a race in exact order.

• Place Your Bets—Make each race a complex embrace between you and the numbers by betting exactas and trifectas (picking two to three horses to win in each race). You can box them, or pick first, second, or third. More Information>>

Click here for track information.

Check out places of interest near Horseracing in Chicago:

Horseshoe Hammond Casino
777 Casino Center Dr, Hammond, IN 46320

Already the premier gambling facility in the Midwest, the Horseshoe Hammond Casino has stepped it up a notch with a serious expansion happening summer of 2008. Check out the new 3,300-seat entertainment facility, The Venue. Choose from a wide range of tables and slots, plus entertainment and dining options here.

Jack Binion's Steakhouse
777 Casino Dr, Hammond, IN 46320

Jack Binion's Steakhouse, located inside the Horseshoe Hammond Casino, offers gamblers and non-gamblers alike a fine dining experience feature choice cuts of prime rib, steak and veal, as well as an opulent variety of fresh seafood. 

Arlington Park Racetrack
2200 W. Euclid Ave., Arlington Heights, IL 60005

Spend a day at the races at Arlington Park Racetrack.

Hawthorne Race Course
3501 S. Laramie, Stickney/Cicero, IL 60804

Horse racing in Chicago finds a home at this historic horse racing track. It's a top Chicago betting institution where nature meets human intuition, resulting in tickets both lost and won.

Horseshoe Hammond Casino
777 Casino Center Dr, Hammond, IN 46320

Already the premier gambling facility in the Midwest, the Horseshoe Hammond Casino has stepped it up a notch with a serious expansion happening summer of 2008. Check out the new 3,300-seat entertainment facility, The Venue. Choose from a wide range of tables and slots, plus entertainment and dining options here.

Jack Binion's Steakhouse
777 Casino Dr, Hammond, IN 46320

Jack Binion's Steakhouse, located inside the Horseshoe Hammond Casino, offers gamblers and non-gamblers alike a fine dining experience feature choice cuts of prime rib, steak and veal, as well as an opulent variety of fresh seafood. 

Maywood Park Racetrack
8600 W. North Ave., Chicago, IL 60173