Hawthorne Race Course & Casino Rendering

A timeline for 2024 racing season has been approved by the Illinois Racing Board in the hopes that Hawthorne Race Course’s casino construction would finally get going during the racing season.

In order to prevent the racing from being hampered by anticipated construction activities, Hawthorne requested and was given racing dates on Thursday evenings, Saturdays, and Sundays at the IRB meeting on September 21. But because of the Saturday times, Hawthorne will face off against downstate FanDuel Sportsbook and Horse Racing, formerly known as Fairmount Park, all season long.

Post times will begin at 6:30 p.m. CT on Thursday and 2:50 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

The Thursday-Sunday timetable, according to Hawthorne President Tim Carey and Chris Block, President of the Illinois Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, “is going to be a necessity” for efficient operation. According to Carey, the long-anticipated and long-delayed casino will revitalize racing in the Chicago area.

Depending on the weather, it is anticipated that the race track will be open for thoroughbred training around Saturday, February 17. With 78 live racing dates, the Hawthorne Thoroughbred season will begin on April 6, 2024 and end on October 13, 2024. The track will hold harness racing on several racing surfaces from January 1 through January 29 and again from October 19 through the end of the year.