Illinois Harness Racing License Suspended Amid Financial Woes at Hawthorne Race Course
A significant blow has been dealt to Illinois' harness racing industry as the Illinois Racing Board has suspended the license of Hawthorne Race Course, citing "financial integrity" concerns. The decision comes after two days of uncertainty, with General Manager John Walsh assuring that his team is working closely with a new partner to get their long-stalled racino plan back on track.
However, horse owners and industry insiders are growing increasingly skeptical about the course's ability to recover from its financial struggles. With checks from previous races having bounced, many feel that Hawthorne has been playing catch-up for years, with promises of financing and revamping plans never materializing in a timely manner.
The Illinois Harness Horsemen’s Association reports that 66 horse owners have been affected by bounced checks totaling over $580,000 since August, highlighting the dire financial situation on the ground. Executive Director Tony Somone warned that this is a "breaking point" for many, as they struggle to pay essential expenses such as feed, veterinary bills, and mortgages.
While General Manager Walsh expressed optimism about the future, with a new partner in place and plans to have everything back in order by February 16th, horse owner representatives remained unconvinced. Chairman Dan Beiser emphasized the need for concrete specifics and verification, cautioning against empty promises that have become all too familiar over the past five years.
Despite the suspension of its license, Hawthorne still expects to meet the demands of the thoroughbred racing season, which is set to begin on March 29th. With around 800 applications for stalls received so far, General Manager Jim Miller is confident that the number of horses competing will be similar to last year's figures.
The Illinois Racing Board has rescheduled its vote to approve Hawthorne's racing officials for the 2026 calendar until its next meeting on March 18th, highlighting the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the course's future.
A significant blow has been dealt to Illinois' harness racing industry as the Illinois Racing Board has suspended the license of Hawthorne Race Course, citing "financial integrity" concerns. The decision comes after two days of uncertainty, with General Manager John Walsh assuring that his team is working closely with a new partner to get their long-stalled racino plan back on track.
However, horse owners and industry insiders are growing increasingly skeptical about the course's ability to recover from its financial struggles. With checks from previous races having bounced, many feel that Hawthorne has been playing catch-up for years, with promises of financing and revamping plans never materializing in a timely manner.
The Illinois Harness Horsemen’s Association reports that 66 horse owners have been affected by bounced checks totaling over $580,000 since August, highlighting the dire financial situation on the ground. Executive Director Tony Somone warned that this is a "breaking point" for many, as they struggle to pay essential expenses such as feed, veterinary bills, and mortgages.
While General Manager Walsh expressed optimism about the future, with a new partner in place and plans to have everything back in order by February 16th, horse owner representatives remained unconvinced. Chairman Dan Beiser emphasized the need for concrete specifics and verification, cautioning against empty promises that have become all too familiar over the past five years.
Despite the suspension of its license, Hawthorne still expects to meet the demands of the thoroughbred racing season, which is set to begin on March 29th. With around 800 applications for stalls received so far, General Manager Jim Miller is confident that the number of horses competing will be similar to last year's figures.
The Illinois Racing Board has rescheduled its vote to approve Hawthorne's racing officials for the 2026 calendar until its next meeting on March 18th, highlighting the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the course's future.
, sounds like those horse owners are getting totally worked over, $580k in bounced checks? That's a huge blow! Interesting how the general manager is trying to spin it as "back on track" but the horse owners aren't having it 
. Like, what's the plan again? And why should they believe it this time around? The Illinois Harness Horsemen’s Association is right though, 66 people can't just magically make ends meet when there's a "breaking point" 
.
This is a huge mess! I mean, who gets into financial trouble that bad? 
But at the same time, I get why they did it. They can't keep running around with empty promises and unpaid bills. That's just not sustainable. 
So yeah, I guess this is a wake-up call for Hawthorne to get their act together. 
We'll see how that plays out.
the fact that 66 horse owners have been affected by bounced checks is crazy, that's like $580k in unpaid bills...it's not just about the horses, it's about the livelihoods of the people who work at the track too. i hope they can turn things around, but for now it feels like they're just kicking the can down the road 
This suspension is like, super worrying for all the horse owners and trainers who are counting on this racino plan to come through. It's been going on for ages, with promises of financing and renovation plans that just never seem to materialize...it's getting old! 
Chairman Dan Beiser is right to push for concrete specifics and verification before anything else. Can't just promise the world and expect people to believe it. 
they keep making promises but never follow through, it's so frustrating. 66 horse owners affected by bounced checks is just wild 