Sportsman's offers $1M bonus

In an effort to attract top 3-year-olds to its centerpiece race, Sportsman's Park will award a $1 million bonus to any horse who wins next year's Illinois Derby and then any of the three Triple Crown races, track management has announced.

The $500,000 Illinois Derby, a Grade 2 race, will have its 45th running on April 6. It is the richest race of the 2002 meet at Sportsman's Park in Cicero, Ill.

The Illinois Derby traditionally was run after the Kentucky Derby, but last year was moved to early April because of a change in racing dates for Chicago-area tracks.

Also on next year's Sportsman's stakes schedule are two Grade 3 stakes: The National Jockey Club Handicap for older horses at 1 1/8 miles, which will be run April 20, and the Sixty Sails Handicap for older fillies and mares, scheduled for April 28.

Illinois Champions Day will take place on March 30 and is made up of six stakes for Illinois-conceived and- foaled runners. The purse for each of these stakes has been raised from $75,000 to $100,000.

The 46-day Sportsman's meet begins on March 1 and ends on May 4. The track will run Friday through Tuesday, with Wednesdays and Thursdays dark. The track also will be dark on Easter Sunday, March 31.

DATEEVENTCONDITIONSDISTANCEPURSE

Sat.,Mar. 9Lost Code Handicap4YO & Up6 Furlongs $100,000

Sat.,Mar. 16 Cicero Handicap4YO & Up F/M6 Furlongs 100,000

Sun.,Mar. 24 Sportsman's Park BC3YO & Up1 mile 100,000

Sat.,Mar. 30 Violet Stakes3YO F Ill-bred6 Furlongs 100,000

Sat.,Mar. 30 Land of Lincoln Stakes3yo Ill-bred6 Furlongs 100,000

Sat.,Mar. 30 Governor's Lady Handicap4YO & Up F/M Ill-bred6 Furlongs 100,000

Sat.,Mar. 30 Chicagoland Handicap4YO & Up Ill-bred6 Furlongs 100,000

Sat.,Mar. 30 Peach Of It Handicap3YO & Up F/M Ill-bred1 mile 100,000

Sat.,Mar. 30 Milwaukee Avenue HCP3YO & Up Ill-bred1 1/16 miles 100,000

Sat.,Apr. 6Illinois Derby (G2)3yo1 1/8 500,000

Sun.,Apr. 14 Lady Hallie Handicap3YO & Up F/M1 1/16 100,000

Sat.,Apr. 20 National Jockey Club HCP (G3)4YO & Up1 1/8 miles200,000

Sat.,Apr. 27 National Jockey Club Oaks3yo f1 1/16 miles100,000

Sun.,Apr. 28 Sixty Sails Handicap (G3)3YO & Up F/M1 1/8 miles300,000