Hawthorne Race Course Closing: Sale Approved, Track to Shutter After 135 Years

Hawthorne Race Course, the last Chicago-area track, is closing after 135 years. A judge set an Aug 31 deadline for a backstretch transition plan. The sale to a developer is confirmed, with unpaid July purses and the future of Illinois racing at stake. This affects hundreds of workers and horses, and the health of US racing circuits.