It may be mid-December, but it’s still not too early for a “first” of the year. Episode 185 of Chicago Race of the Day delves into Saturday’s Hawthorne opener: the first juvenile dirt route of the year. A $25,000 maiden claimer, it drew eight runners, all of whom are trying two turns on the main track for the first time. It opens up plenty of questions of pedigree and pace, so let’s start thinking!

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