Hawthorne turf holding its ground

STICKNEY, Ill. – When it rained before the Hawthorne card on Nov. 21, forcing that day’s grass races onto a wet main track, one had to think the Hawthorne turf course would be on winter holiday until sometime in April. Think again.

Turf racing – or, at least, the prospect of it – has returned to Hawthorne this week despite the fact the track sits on the edge of Chicago, and that this is December. Grass races are carded both Tuesday and Wednesday this week, and track officials hope to use the course through this weekend, if not longer.

“We’re going to see what happens, but the grass wasn’t bad,” said Hawthorne general manager John Walsh. “There was never any freezing. We were just waiting for it to dry out. I think it’d be the latest grass race ever at Hawthorne if it happens.”

Even a handful of grass races might at least slightly boost what has been a sagging racing product late this autumn at Hawthorne. Walsh said total handle is down about 15 percent compared to the fall-winter meet a year ago, though that number doesn’t look as bad factoring in a reduction in daily races from nine to eight this year.

Hawthorne has averaged 7.97 starters per race so far this meet compared to 8.21 a year ago, and that number has sagged to 7.58 since Nov. 15.

“We’re down to about 800 horses or so right now,” Walsh said. “Our biggest problem is we started off with fewer horses this year. Usually we have from 1,400 to 1,600, and this year we had 1,200.”

Mister Marti Gras still going

Owner Bob Lothenbach and trainer Chris Block have decided not to pull the plug on the racing career of Mister Marti Gras. The 8-year-old millionaire finished eighth last out in the Hawthorne Gold Cup, a race in which he had been competitive for four straight seasons. His form appears to have been sliding since mid-summer.

Block said Mister Marti Gras ships his week to Florida and will be tried in a turf allowance race at Tampa.

“He’s sound, and I can tell you he didn’t handle the track at all in the Hawthorne Gold Cup,” Block said. “If he’s competitive at Tampa, we’ll go on with a 9-year-old season. If not, we’ll retire him.”

Silver Lode best in Debutante

Despite breaking from a wide draw and racing last of 10 in the early going, Silver Lode rallied steadily to win the $71,000 Debutante Stakes for Illinois-bred 2-year-old fillies on Saturday at Hawthorne. Santo Sanjur rode the winner for trainer Doug Matthews and owner TNT Thoroughbreds V. The Cashel Castle filly won for the second time in five starts.

 Scott Becker, leading trainer with 20 Hawthorne wins entering this week’s racing, and jockey Chris Emigh, leading rider with 42, look formidable again in the featured sixth race Wednesday with Creative Art. He is being given a logical class drop after finishing a fading third in the Blackhawk Stakes on Nov. 28, his first start since August.