The Illinois Racing Board on Wednesday awarded 2021 race dates to Arlington Park and Hawthorne Race Course.
Arlington will host 68 live race days, with opening weekend featuring the Kentucky Oaks (April 30, 2021) and the Kentucky Derby (May 1, 2021), and will conclude on Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021.
Hawthorne will host 50 live race dates, from March 6 through April 25 and from Oct. 1 through Dec. 31.
Arlington International Racecourse President, Tony Petrillo, is enthusiastic about continuing Arlington's traditions in 2021.
“This will be our 94th year of operation and Arlington remains committed to fans, guests, bettors, horsemen/horsewomen, and the community,” Petrillo said. “We look forward to showcasing the renowned Arlington Experience in 2021, featuring our beautiful facility and providing race fans with the opportunity to wager on quality races along with a slate of graded stakes races.”
The Arlington meet will host many of the graded stakes races that were placed on hiatus in 2020 and will feature a festival of stakes races for Illinois horses, featuring the Bruce D. Stakes, Beverly D. Stakes, and the newly renamed Arlington Million: “Mister D. Stakes,” in honor of Richard Duchossois, who will be 100 years old next year.
Racing for the 2020 season continues Thursday through Saturday now until Sept. 26.
More specific race date information is available below:
ARLINGTON PARK – 68 Thoroughbred race programs and 220 total host programs.
- January 3 through March 5 – dark host time. No live racing.
- April 26 through May 31, racing 2 days per week on Fridays and Saturdays. Live racing begins on April 30. Dark April 26 through April 29 and May 7, racing on May 9.
- June 1 through June 30, racing 3 days per week on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Racing on June 20.
- July 1 through August 14, racing 4 days per week on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Dark July 1.
- August 15 through August 31, racing 4 days per week on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Dark August 4 and 11, racing on August 1 and 8.
- September 1 through September 30, racing 3 days per week on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Dark September 2, 3 and 26 through 30, racing on September 5.
HAWTHORNE RACE COURSE – 50 Thoroughbred race programs and 145 total host programs.
- January 1 and 2 – dark host time. No live racing.
- March 6 through April 25, racing 2 days per week on Saturdays and Sundays.
- October 1 through November 30, racing 3 days per week on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
- December 1 through December 31, racing 2 days per week on Saturdays and Sundays. Dark December 25
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