Suburban Downs Racetrack
Suburban Downs Racetrack holds harness racing at Hawthorne Race Course in Stickney/Cicero, Illinois. The track is located about eight miles from Chicago. Suburban Downs Racetrack, Inc. is the entity that conducts the harness racing meet at the Illinois track and has done so since 1970.
Suburban Downs Racetrack carries out its harness meets during the summer months while Hawthorne Racetrack conducts its own thoroughbred racing meets during the spring and fall.
Suburban Downs Racetrack at Hawthorne Racetrack is situated on 119 acres, between Laramie and Cicero Avenues, at 35th Street and is one of Illinois’ most prominent horseracing facilities.
Major harness racing stakes races conducted by Suburban Downs Racetrack at Hawthorne Racetrack include:
- The Erwin F. Dygert Memorial
- The Robert F. Carey, Jr. Memorial
- The Plesac
- The Star Slinger
- The Fox Valley Dynamic
- The Fox Valley Evita
- The Gumcorner Lad
Suburban Downs Racetrack Facts
- Track Opened: 1890
- First Harness Race: 1970
- Speed Ratings: 1:58.3
- Length of Homestretch: 1,320 feet
- Width of Homestretch: 85 feet
- Starters Behind the Gate: 9
- Hubrail: No
- "Open" Stretch: Yes
- Grandstand Capacity: 8,000
- Clubhouse Capacity: 5,000
- Parking Capacity: 10,000
History of Suburban Downs Racetrack and Hawthorne Race Course
1890 - Edward Corrigan purchased the land and began construction on the racetrack.
1891 - An estimated 6,000 people attended Hawthorne Race Course’s opening day on May 20. The centerpiece race of the day was the Chicago Derby, a 1/4-mile race won by Brookwood, owned by Edward Corrigan.
1970 - Harness racing was held for the first time at Hawthorne Race Course and was conducted by Suburban Downs Racetrack, Inc. The summer harness racing meet at Hawthorne has since been known as Suburban Downs Racetrack at Hawthorne Race Course.
1995 - On February 4, Bret's Avenger, driven by Brian Pinske, paced to an all-age track record of 1:52 3/5 in the first division of the Suburban Downs Racetrack Pacing Derby.
1996 - On February 4, Ball and Chain won the first six-figure pacing event in Hawthorne harness history, the $100,000 Suburban Downs Racetrack Free-For All Pacing Derby.
For the first time in its 27-year history, eliminations were held for the Erwin F. Dygert Memorial Trot. Night Court Dan and Federal Yankee won the eliminations and the latter captured the $100,000 Final in stakes record time of 1:56 2/5.
