Illinois-bred day on tap

Fairmount Park has unveiled plans for an Illinois Breeders Day to be held Tuesday, Oct. 16. Six stakes restricted to Illinois-breds are scheduled for the day, each to carry a $35,000 purse.

"Since it is late in the meet it seemed like the best thing to have them all in one day" racing secretary Bobby Pace said. "We plan to acknowledge some of the people who helped us get House Bill 1069 passed as well."

House Bill 1069, signed into law by Gov. George Ryan last month, enabled Fairmount to keep 80 percent of its simulcast profits from wagers made after 6:30 p.m., instead of turning the money over to Standardbred racing interests, as the former law stipulated. Fairmount dropped harness racing at the end of 1999.

The Breeders Day stakes will consist of the Pete Condellone for 3-year-olds and up at one mile; the Bungalow for fillies and mares at one mile; the Tex's Zing for 3-year-old colts and geldings at six furlongs; the Slight in the Rear for 3-year-old fillies at six furlongs, the Marluel's Troy for 2-year-old colts and geldings at six furlongs, and the All Sold Out for 2-year-old fillies at six furlongs.

Nominations will close Oct. 6 and entries will be drawn on Oct. 12.