Hawthorne Crisis: $1M Owed, Chicago Racing in Jeopardy

David Moore · 2026-01-29

Let's talk about what's happening in Illinois, because it's a situation that's getting pretty serious for the racing community. Horsemen are still waiting on close to a million dollars in payments, and the whole saga with Hawthorne Race Course just keeps dragging on. We're talking about a track in the Chicago suburbs that hasn't hosted a single race this year—they've canceled four weekends in a row already. The core of the problem? Frozen bank accounts. The track says that's what's stopping them from paying people what they're owed. ### The Frustration Boils Over At a recent Illinois Racing Board meeting, the frustration from everyone involved was palpable. Jeff Davis, President of the Illinois Harness Horsemen’s Association, laid it out plainly: his members are due almost $1 million in prize money from 2025. That's not just a number on a page; that's livelihoods hanging in the balance. And here's the kicker—Hawthorne's President, Tim Carey, didn't even show up to the meeting after the board specifically asked him to come and explain the financial mess. The track sent other officials, but from what we hear, they couldn't provide the answers everyone was desperate for. It's a tough look, and it feels pretty disrespectful to the folks who are waiting for their money.  ### Is This the End for Chicago Racing? This isn't just about delayed payments. The financial cracks are spreading. Checks for over $582,000 bounced for 66 horsemen. Hawthorne recently lost a legal judgment to Churchill Downs for $1.6 million in unpaid fees. They also owe six-figure sums to the horsemen's associations. David McCaffrey from the Illinois Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association didn't mince words. He said there's "a very good chance that the last horse race in the Chicago area has been raced." Think about that for a second. Harness racing has been part of Chicago's fabric since Hawthorne opened in 1891. We've already seen tracks like Balmoral Park, Maywood Park, and the iconic Arlington Park close their doors. Could Hawthorne be next? - **1891:** Hawthorne Race Course opens. - **2015:** Balmoral Park and Maywood Park close. - **2021:** Arlington Park shuts down. - **2025:** Hawthorne in crisis, future uncertain. The timeline isn't encouraging. It feels like we're watching a piece of history potentially fade away. ### What Happens Next? Right now, everything's up in the air. The harness racing schedule is already in complete disarray. Meanwhile, the thoroughbred season is supposed to kick off on March 29th and run through September. Work to get the track ready for those races is scheduled to start soon. There's also talk of a potential new partner for a racino—a combined racetrack and casino—which Hawthorne has had the rights to build since 2019. An announcement on that front might be coming. But given how many times those plans have stalled, it's hard for anyone to feel optimistic. The horsemen need answers and they need their money. The future of an entire racing community in Chicago is riding on it. We'll be keeping a close eye on this, because when the starting gates finally open again—if they open again—it'll be a moment that defines the sport in Illinois for a generation.