Chicago's Horse Racing Venues (Images of America Series)
The popularity of horse racing in Chicago has yet to be rivaled in any other metropolitan area. Since the 1800s, the Windy City's enthusiasm for both harness and Thoroughbred racing led to 10 major racetracks being built in the Chicago area. Four of those raceways--Balmoral, Maywood, Hawthorne, and Arlington--are still racing and thriving today. From Washington Park, Lincoln Fields, and Worth Raceway on the city's South Side, to the Near West Side venues of Hawthorne Race Course and...
Search in google:
The popularity of horse racing in Chicago has yet to be rivaled in any other metropolitan area. Since the 1800s, the Windy City's enthusiasm for both harness and Thoroughbred racing led to 10 major racetracks being built in the Chicago area. Four of those raceways--Balmoral, Maywood, Hawthorne, and Arlington--are still racing and thriving today. From Washington Park, Lincoln Fields, and Worth Raceway on the city's South Side, to the Near West Side venues of Hawthorne Race Course and Sportsman's Park, to Arlington Park's northwest locale and Aurora Downs to the west, Chicago's racing community has enjoyed a long and sometimes scandalous history. Chicago's Horse Racing Venues provides insight into Chicago's rich racing history and a behind-the-scenes look at the people and horses involved.
Acknowledgments 6Introduction 71 The Early Years: Before the 1920s 92 Glory Days: The 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s 193 Swing Time: The 1950s, and 1960s 454 Night Fever: The 1970s 755 Million-Dollar Babies: The 1980s 996 Turbulent Transitions: The 1990s 1117 The New Century: 2000 and Beyond 119Afterword 127
