Hawthorne Racecourse (10/6/11)
Contact: Jim Miller
(708) 780-3700
Fast main track and a firm turf at Hawthorne
It’s summer time here at Hawthorne! Sunny skies once again, a fast main track and a firm turf course for today’s nine-race card. We are preparing for a big weekend ahead with the 75th running of the Grade II $500,000 Hawthorne Gold Cup Handicap on Saturday.
Before we get into the Saturday card, let’s take a look at what happened at Hawthorne Wednesday as the full fields produced some great payouts, and also led to carryovers in the Pick 6, Place Pick 9, and High-5 Wager. On Wednesday, the track played very evenly once again, as did the turf. Nine different trainers won races on Wednesday, and only one rider, Florent Geroux, had a riding double on the card.
For Friday, we have the first of our later 3:00 pm posts with another excellent nine-race card. We will have the outdoor BBQ open and our $2 Fan Friendly Friday specials. Also, Friday begins our online Survivor Contest. The contest is free to sign up for at www.Hawthorneracecourse.com and the last to Survive wins the $2,500 top prize. In addition, I will supply my Survivor selection of the day in our stable notes to see how long I can survive.
On Saturday, we are making a slight change to our first post which will be in effect for the remainder of the meet (excluding Fridays). Our first post will now be 1:40 pm. We have noticed that the 4th race daily at Belmont goes at 1:34 pm, so it is tougher on bettors to concentrate on both cards. By moving the post time back five minutes, we can avoid that conflict.
The Saturday card is packed full of horses! We have 10 races and 114 horses entered in the body of the races, along with also-eligibles. The Indian Maid Handicap kicks off an excellent Late Pick 4 sequence with a 12-horse field in the 7th race. The Hawthorne Gold Cup goes as the 9th and the Robert F. Carey Memorial as the 10th on the Saturday card.
The Hawthorne Gold Cup is packed full of talent. While local favorite Giant Oak and multiple graded stakes winner Rule will take much of the action, the Gold Cup has five graded stakes winners in the event and a total of 8 horses who are graded stakes placed. The race is perfectly placed as runners get in their final preps before the Breeders’ Cup. Post time for the Gold Cup is 5:45 Central.
Changes
Main Track – Fast
Turf – Firm
Race 3
Scratch #3 – Strait of Mewsina (Ire)
Race 4
Scratch #4 – Missjeanlouise
Race 6
Scratch #1a – Outbreak
Race 9
Scratch #6 – Military Legend
Scratch #11 – Stig’s Deputy
Scratch #12 – Champion Kid
Hawthorne Race Course opens for live racing on Saturday, October 1 and races live through Saturday December 31. Live racing will be conducted five days a week, racing Wednesday-Sunday. Live racing will also take place on Monday, December 26. First post daily is 1:35 pm. On Fridays through November 25, first post will be 3:00 pm. Hawthorne Race Course is located in Stickney IL at 3501 S. Laramie Ave. For information on live racing or groups at Hawthorne Race Course, contact Hawthorne at 708-780-3700 or visit Hawthorne online at www.Hawthorneracecourse.com.
