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Hawthorne Race Course
41°49′37″N 87°44′38″W / 41.827°N 87.744°W
Hawthorne Race Course is a racetrack for horse racing in Stickney, Illinois, near Chicago.
The oldest continually run family-owned racetrack in North America, in 2009 the Horseplayers Association of North America introduced a rating system for 65 Thoroughbred racetracks in North America. Of the top ten, Hawthorne was ranked No. 8.
In 1890, Edward Corrigan, a Chicago businessman and horseman who owned the 1890 Kentucky Derby winner, Riley (by Longfellow), bought 119 acres (0.48 km2) of land in Cicero and started constructing a grandstand for a new racecourse. His track opened in 1891 with a five-race card including the featured Chicago Derby. In 1902, the grandstand burned to the ground, which moved all racing to the Harlem racetrack in Chicago. The reopened track held a 12-day summer meet at its own facility later that year.
In 1905, horse racing was banned in Chicago, leading to the closure of Hawthorne. The field was used briefly by pioneer aviators Victor and Allan Haines Loughead in 1910 to fly a powered Montgomery glider and a Curtiss pusher.
In 1909, the track was sold to Thomas Carey who tried to reopen the track twice but was stopped by the sheriff's department and the local police.
In 1914, motorcycle racing was featured at the track. On June 7, 1914 Charles "Fearless" Balke, famed Motordrome board track and flat track racer, died after colliding with a roller that was mistakenly ordered onto the track by the track manager while Balke was doing practice laps. Balke was blinded by dust and exhaust smoke from other racers who were also doing practice laps. At the time of his death Balke was the top rated motorcycle racer in the United States, and was the number one rider on the top rated Hendee Manufacturing Company / Indian Motorcycle racing team.
In 1916, the track ran a 13-day meeting which included the American Derby. That would be the last race until 1922.
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Hawthorne Race Course
41°49′37″N 87°44′38″W / 41.827°N 87.744°W
Hawthorne Race Course is a racetrack for horse racing in Stickney, Illinois, near Chicago.
The oldest continually run family-owned racetrack in North America, in 2009 the Horseplayers Association of North America introduced a rating system for 65 Thoroughbred racetracks in North America. Of the top ten, Hawthorne was ranked No. 8.
In 1890, Edward Corrigan, a Chicago businessman and horseman who owned the 1890 Kentucky Derby winner, Riley (by Longfellow), bought 119 acres (0.48 km2) of land in Cicero and started constructing a grandstand for a new racecourse. His track opened in 1891 with a five-race card including the featured Chicago Derby. In 1902, the grandstand burned to the ground, which moved all racing to the Harlem racetrack in Chicago. The reopened track held a 12-day summer meet at its own facility later that year.
In 1905, horse racing was banned in Chicago, leading to the closure of Hawthorne. The field was used briefly by pioneer aviators Victor and Allan Haines Loughead in 1910 to fly a powered Montgomery glider and a Curtiss pusher.
In 1909, the track was sold to Thomas Carey who tried to reopen the track twice but was stopped by the sheriff's department and the local police.
In 1914, motorcycle racing was featured at the track. On June 7, 1914 Charles "Fearless" Balke, famed Motordrome board track and flat track racer, died after colliding with a roller that was mistakenly ordered onto the track by the track manager while Balke was doing practice laps. Balke was blinded by dust and exhaust smoke from other racers who were also doing practice laps. At the time of his death Balke was the top rated motorcycle racer in the United States, and was the number one rider on the top rated Hendee Manufacturing Company / Indian Motorcycle racing team.
In 1916, the track ran a 13-day meeting which included the American Derby. That would be the last race until 1922.