Illinois racing dates requests much the same for 2011

The period of detente between Chicago’s two Thoroughbred tracks apparently will continue into next year, with Hawthorne Race Course and Arlington Park both submitting applications for 2011 race dates that basically mirror the schedule put into place this year.

Race-date applications were submitted by tracks to the Illinois Racing Board late last week, and the board will hold its annual dates awards meeting on Sept. 28 in Chicago. Arlington applied for 86 programs, racing four days per week (Thursday–Sunday) between May 6–Sept 25. This year’s Arlington meet is 91 days, spanning April 29–Sept. 26, and the later start date in 2011 is directly tied to the running of the Kentucky Derby, which was held on May 1 in 2010.

Hawthorne applied for 110 days of 2011 racing, compared with 107 in 2010. Hawthorne wants to begin its spring meet next year on Feb. 11, but asked for two-day racing weeks in February compared with three-day weeks during the month this year. Hawthorne wants to race four-day weeks in March, and five days per week in April with its meet ending on April 30. Hawthorne applied for a fall 2011 meet spanning Oct. 1– Dec. 31.

Fairmount Park applied for 150 programs without specifying race days.