Dan Beiser News Today

The Illinois Racing Board's chairman is hoping for better things to come for horse racing in the state in 2023.

Sunday marks the anniversary of the final day of horse racing at Arlington Park. The Arlington Heights oval is expected to remain dormant next year, too, after the Illinois Racing Boards formal award this week of 2023 race dates to Hawthorne Race Course in Cicero -- the owners of which are touting grand plans to start building a casino.

Illinois racing officials are challenging a request to allow off-track betting by Arlington International Racecourse, even though it is not licensed for racing next year, as the statute appears to

Arlington owner Churchill Downs Inc. shut the track down permanently in September and has a preliminary agreement to sell the site for $197 million to the Chicago Bears.

Horsemen call on Illinois Attorney General to launch antitrust probe of Churchill Downs   The association representing horse owners and trainers in Illinois is asking the states attorney general to launch an antitrust investigation into the dealings of Arlington Park owner Churchill Downs Inc. Joe Lewnard | Staff Photographer, May 2021 Mike Campbell Updated 5/26/2021 3:57 PM The association representing horse owners and trainers at Arlington Park has called on the Illinois atto...

Its a longshot, but Arlington Parks survival possible, racing board member says Alan Henry   While many expect 2021 to be the final season of horse racing at Arlington Park, Illinois Racing Board Commissioner Alan Henry says theres a glimmer of hope to keep the historic venue open. Joe Lewnard | Staff Photographer, May 2021   Updated 5/18/2021 5:04 PM Though saving Arlington Park may be a longshot, recent developments suggest theres still hope to keep the historic venue open, ...

Updated 2/26/2021 1:15 PM Now that Arlington International Racecourse is officially for sale, the owners of Churchill Downs Inc. on Thursday reiterated their desire to relocate Arlingtons horse racing operations elsewhere in Illinois, despite questions over the process to do so. "It is our intention to work constructively with state and local authorities to find a solution to continue thoroughbred operations in Illinois, and we look forward to further constructive dialogue as we explore alterna...