Next year, the Chicago metro area’s only remaining racetrack, Hawthorne Race Course in Cicero, will be bustling with activity as it takes on the majority of the races previously held at Arlington International Racecourse, which has now closed. The recently approved 2022 Illinois horse racing schedule indicates that Hawthorne Race Course will be the center of attention.
Illinois horse betting will now only occur at two designated locations in the Prairie State, unless any unexpected changes occur. It is unlikely that further action will be necessary if all remaining guidelines are adhered to as planned.
Information about the 2022 Illinois horse racing plan
The Illinois Racing Board approved a proposed schedule by Hawthorne and FanDuel Sportsbook and Horse Racing on September 23. At least seven races will be featured at the Collinsville facility on each active day next year.
Starting on April 19, 2022, the timeline for rushing on Tuesdays and Saturdays will be in effect. The Tuesday-Saturday schedule will continue until June 11, with blog posts for Tuesday races being published at 1 p.m. Additionally, Friday races will be added to the schedule starting on June 12. All races on Fridays and Saturdays will have post times of 7:30 p.m.
The Saturday, May 7, 2022 journal time has been changed to 1 p.m., which is an exception to the usual schedule. The original Fairmount Park racing schedule will end on September 24. FanDuel’s races feature all pedigree competitions. The calendar at Hawthorne will be significantly busier the following month.
In 2022, there are a total of 76 horse racing and 75 saddle racing programs scheduled. The details for the events at Hawthorne the following month are as follows:
2022 Thoroughbred racing routine at the Hawthorne Race Course
- Blog times are 3:10 p.m. for all posts.
- There will be racing on Saturdays and Sundays throughout the month of April, starting on April 2nd and ending on April 30th.
- Aside from the races on Thursday, June 23 and May 1 through June 25, there are also races on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
- The race takes place on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays between September 23 and December 31, with the only exceptions being December 24 and 25.
Schedule for Harness race at Hawthorne in 2022
- Blog times are always at 7:10 p.m.
- Driving Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from January 7th to 30th.
- There will be racing on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from February 3 to March 20.
- Saturdays, Sundays, and Fridays from July 1 to August 21 will be dedicated to sporting activities.
- Racing will be live on June 30, August 27, 29, September 1-4, and September 8-11.
If both tracks complete their entire program, the number of races in 2022 will match the total number of races held this year. Arlington hosted 220 complete programs this year, while Hawthorne had 145 planned for 2021. In 2022, Hawthorne plans to host only 365 programs.
Illinois horse racing fans see it as the ideal scenario, even if it may not be fitting. The closure of Arlington has the most significant impact on the industry that made the venue famous.
May Arlington Park actually host horse racing once more?
Currently, all signs suggest that this is not the case. The situation is straightforward: Churchill Downs owns Arlington International and also owns Rivers Casino in nearby Des Plaines.
Churchill Downs has a vested interest in keeping any competing games out of the Chicago area. While they may no longer want to own the property, they still have control over who the consumer will be. This shows that Churchill Downs was cautious in ensuring that the property was not sold to anyone looking to transform it into a gaming facility or racino.
At the moment, the Chicago Bears are the most well-known potential buyer. It is currently unclear how committed the NFL team is to buying the land and building a suburban stadium on it. This could be a strategic move to negotiate better lease terms for Soldier Field.
However, for horse racing enthusiasts, that is not the main focus. The 2022 IL calendar may look different from previous years, but its purpose remains unchanged.
