Archive for October 2013

Breeders' Cup 2013 Saturday Picks and Ponderings

The Breeders’ Cup is a two-day event that in many ways serves as horse racing’s final exam. Given that many owners/trainers sometimes (but not always) use the Breeders’ Cup as a final race, we get one last chance to see our stars before retirement. Typically, campaigns may end for the year in this spot. Horse... Read more »
By Paul Mazur,
October 31, 2013 at 7:20 pm
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Buck's Boy Handicap Preview

The only Illinois-bred to ever win a Breeders’ Cup race was Buck’s Boy, and he’s the namesake of the feature race at Hawthorne for the first Saturday of November; the same day as Breeders’ Cup.  It functions also as the last grass stakes of the season at Hawthorne Race Course. Buck’s Boy also won the... Read more »
By Paul Mazur,
October 30, 2013 at 8:44 pm
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Breeders' Cup 2013 Friday Picks & Ponderings

The Breeders’ Cup is a two-day event that in many ways serves as horse racing’s final exam. Given that many owners/trainers sometimes (but not always) use the Breeders’ Cup as a final race, we get one last chance to see our stars before retirement. Typically, campaigns may end for the year in this spot. Horse... Read more »
By Paul Mazur,
October 30, 2013 at 7:56 pm
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Katie The Lady Posts Mild Upset in Illini Princess

STICKNEY/CICERO – – For handicappers to decode the most recent Saturday feature, they need only find out who won the prior two grass stakes at Hawthorne.  (It’s an easy game, as they say.) Just as in the G3 Hawthorne Derby and the R. F. Carey Memorial Handicap–the two earlier turf stakes of the meet– Francisco... Read more »
By Paul Mazur,
October 26, 2013 at 6:39 pm
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Illini Princess Handicap Preview

This week’s feature race may be the most generically named race on the calendar.   As it’s a field of females to see the starter, we have the fitting “Princess” in the name.  And the downstate University of Illinois main campus provides inspiration for the first third.  Handicap conditions (of weights assigned by the track) are... Read more »
By Paul Mazur,
October 23, 2013 at 8:34 pm
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Danny Miller (1952-2013)

In a story broken by HRTV’s Scott Hazelton on his twitter account, local trainer Danny Miller died today. He was sixty-one.  A cause of death has not been disclosed as of publish time.  Funeral and viewing arrangements have not been disclosed either as of publish time. Miller trained on the Arlington/Hawthorne circuit, scoring 458 victories... Read more »
By Paul Mazur,
October 17, 2013 at 9:35 pm
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The Pizza Man Survives Inquiry to Win Carey Memorial

STICKNEY/CICERO — The thirtieth running of the Robert F. Carey Memorial Handicap, unlike last week, was contested not under a downpour but rather on an overcast and slightly crisp evening. Early in the day, MR. VEGAS was scratched from the Carey, changing the race’s pace complexion and leaving TAZZ as the lone speed in the... Read more »
By Paul Mazur,
October 12, 2013 at 6:56 pm
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Robert F. Carey Memorial Handicap Preview

On its releases, its signage, and throughout the website, Hawthorne makes mention of being “100 years family owned”.  The family in charge of Hawthorne since 1909 is the Carey family.  To this day, the Carey family still oversee the racetrack (namely, President Tim Carey).  Along with four generations of ownership, the surname is in play... Read more »
By Paul Mazur,
October 9, 2013 at 7:58 pm
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Hawthorne Derby Day Recap

STICKNEY/CICERO  – – The first stakes races of the season at Hawthorne were originally scheduled for the turf.  But afternoon thunderstorms drenched the southwest suburban oval before the day’s first race, and that created a sloppy, sealed main dirt track and a “soft” turf course.  Two stakes were contested in the wet conditions. Indian Maid... Read more »
By Paul Mazur,
October 5, 2013 at 9:15 pm
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Hawthorne Fall Preview: Seven Questions

With the calendar reading October, live thoroughbred racing in Chicago shifts from Arlington Park in the northwest suburbs to Hawthorne Race Course in the southwest suburbs.  As with cross-town Arlington Park, “Picks and Ponderings” will be providing coverage (on site for stakes races) all meet long, and you can get e-mail updates all meet long... Read more »
By Paul Mazur,
October 3, 2013 at 8:23 pm
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