The biggest race at Hawthorne Park is the Illinois Derby, a graded stakes race for three-year-olds. Hawthorne was the home for Arlington Park’s major races while the track recovered and was rebuilding from the fire in 1985. The track was purchased by Thomas Carey in 1909 and has remained in the Carey family ever since. Hawthorne Race Course is located close to downtown Chicago and opened in 1891. In 1985, a fire devastated the facility but the track rallied and fully reopened four years later. The Arlington Million has the distinction of being the first million dollar race for Thoroughbreds in history. Known for the prestigious Arlington Million, a Grade 1 turf event held in the summer, the track hosts numerous graded stakes races and routinely attracts some of the best turf horses from around the world. Arlington International Racecourse is the premier racetrack in Illinois and was established in 1927.
