Chicago Race of the Day: Sunday, April 18

We stay on the turf for Episode 202 of Chicago Race of the Day! Let’s jump into Sunday’s Hawthorne 8th, a maiden special weight turf mile for fillies and mares ages three and up. With circuit moves, class moves, and pace questions, there’s plenty to dive into…so let’s get started!

Listen to Chicago Race of the Day right here. And, make sure to subscribe on either Google PlayApple PodcastsStitcherSpotify, or through the RSS feed so you don’t miss an episode!

Chicago Race of the Day: Sunday, April 18

Chicago Race of the Day: Saturday, April 17

Hawthorne is back in action this Saturday, including a pair of races on the turf. For Episode 201 of Chicago Race of the Day, we look at one of those turf races: Saturday’s 6th race, a five-furlong turf dash for open N1X/$20,000 company. The races drew a big field — twelve, plus two on the also-eligible list! — so let’s get down to business and find out who’s got a shot at better odds than a very likely chalk.

Listen to Chicago Race of the Day right here. And, make sure to subscribe on either Google PlayApple PodcastsStitcherSpotify, or through the RSS feed so you don’t miss an episode!

Chicago Race of the Day: Saturday, April 17

Chicago Race of the Day: Sunday, April 11

Episode 200 — 200! — of Chicago Race of the Day is here! It may be a milestone…but it’s also a day the horses are running at Hawthorne, which means there are horses to analyze. Sunday’s Hawthorne 8th is a two-turn maiden special weight for horses aged three and up. There’s a questionable favorite, so let’s figure out who can win at a much better price.

Listen to Chicago Race of the Day right here. And, make sure to subscribe on either Google PlayApple PodcastsStitcherSpotify, or through the RSS feed so you don’t miss an episode!

Chicago Race of the Day: Sunday, April 11

Chicago Race of the Day: Saturday, April 10

We’re expecting a wet weekend in Chicago, so there won’t be any turf racing: but there will be racing, and there will be Chicago Race of the Day!

Episode 199 dives into the 5th race at Hawthorne: a claiming dirt route featuring a horse I’m looking forward to seeing in my back yard, as well as an intriguing price horse who is returning to a dirt route for the first time since his maiden win.

Listen to Chicago Race of the Day right here. And, make sure to subscribe on either Google PlayApple PodcastsStitcherSpotify, or through the RSS feed so you don’t miss an episode!

Chicago Race of the Day: Saturday, April 10

Chicago Race of the Day: Sunday, April 4

It’s here! It’s here! It’s finally here!

“It” could refer to Episode 198 of Chicago Race of the Day, though that was going to be here no matter what the weather looked like. But, “it” also refers to one of the most exciting things about spring in Chicago: the beginning of turf racing at Hawthorne! Sunday’s Hawthorne 6th is an open $10,000 claiming turf mile with a full field of twelve horses, and a setup that looks ripe for a nice price.

So, let’s dive in!

Listen to Chicago Race of the Day right here. And, make sure to subscribe on either Google PlayApple PodcastsStitcherSpotify, or through the RSS feed so you don’t miss an episode!

Chicago Race of the Day: Sunday, April 4

Chicago Race of the Day: Saturday, April 3

Episode 197 of Chicago Race of the Day returns to the maiden ranks for Saturday’s 5th race at Hawthorne. The race is a maiden special for Illinois-bred fillies and mares. Between a pedigree that came as a surprise to see in this race, and several who have made careers out of finishing underneath, this nine-horse field could be just the right place to go looking for a price.

So, let’s dive in!

Listen to Chicago Race of the Day right here. And, make sure to subscribe on either Google PlayApple PodcastsStitcherSpotify, or through the RSS feed so you don’t miss an episode!

Chicago Race of the Day: Saturday, April 3

Chicago Race of the Day: Sunday, March 28

Episode 196 of Chicago Race of the Day dives into an Illinois-bred allowance for fillies and mares, aged three and up, that drew a competitive field. Three-year-olds face older. Salty mares face newer faces. Let’s dive in…and enjoy a race that proves that a race doesn’t need a huge field to have an interesting price horse.

Listen to Chicago Race of the Day right here. And, make sure to subscribe on either Google PlayApple PodcastsStitcherSpotify, or through the RSS feed so you don’t miss an episode!

Chicago Race of the Day: Sunday, March 28

Chicago Race of the Day: Saturday, March 27

Racing gets back underway at Hawthorne on Saturday, and Episode 195 of Chicago Race of the Day focuses on the Hawthorne 7th, a six-and-a-half furlong race for open $8,500 claimers. Extended one-turn races are some of my favourites to handicap, and this is a competitive one full of questions about pace and class.

Listen to Chicago Race of the Day right here. And, make sure to subscribe on either Google PlayApple PodcastsStitcherSpotify, or through the RSS feed so you don’t miss an episode!

Chicago Race of the Day: Saturday, March 27

Chicago Race of the Day: Sunday, March 21

Saturday we did a maiden race, so let’s switch it up this time, and look at some salty old claiming horses. In Sunday’s Hawthorne 6th, we have plenty to consider: the condition book, a lively pace scenario, class moves, trainer moves…several of the things that make a race an interesting handicapping puzzle. So let’s dive in and find a winner!

Listen to Chicago Race of the Day right here. And, make sure to subscribe on either Google PlayApple PodcastsStitcherSpotify, or through the RSS feed so you don’t miss an episode!

Chicago Race of the Day: Sunday, March 21

Chicago Race of the Day: Saturday, March 20

In Episode 193 of Chicago Race of the Day, let’s turn to the very last race on Saturday’s card at Hawthorne, a $15,000 maiden claiming dirt route. We find a few examples of our favourite kind of chalk — the suspicious kind! — and figure out who can win this race at an appealing price.

Listen to Chicago Race of the Day right here. And, make sure to subscribe on either Google PlayApple PodcastsStitcherSpotify, or through the RSS feed so you don’t miss an episode!

Chicago Race of the Day: Saturday, March 20

Chicago Race of the Day: Sunday, March 14

The Hawthorne meet rolls on, and Chicago Race of the Day does, too! Yesterday we looked at a field of maidens going short, so now we flip the script completely. It’s time to delve into Sunday’s 6th race, a mile and seventy yard race for open $8,500 claimers. The race drew a field of seven experienced older horses, so let’s make sense of it and find a winner!

Listen to Chicago Race of the Day right here. And, make sure to subscribe on either Google PlayApple PodcastsStitcherSpotify, or through the RSS feed so you don’t miss an episode!

Chicago Race of the Day: Sunday, March 14

Chicago Race of the Day: Saturday, March 13

Chicago Race of the Day always loves its maiden races, and with a maiden special weight on Saturday featuring five first-time starters, we’ve got a lot to talk about. Listen now, and get to know the pedigrees and patterns that can help you beat some chalk in Saturday’s Hawthorne 5th!

Listen to Chicago Race of the Day right here. And, make sure to subscribe on either Google PlayApple PodcastsStitcherSpotify, or through the RSS feed so you don’t miss an episode!

Chicago Race of the Day: Saturday, March 13

Chicago Race of the Day: Sunday, March 7

For Episode 190 of Chicago Race of the Day, let’s jump into the seventh race at Hawthorne on Sunday, March 7. It’s an N2X/$32,500 allowance/optional claimer for open company, and gives us plenty to think through in terms of both pace and who is going to come back sharp off the winter layoff!

Listen to Chicago Race of the Day right here. And, make sure to subscribe on either Google PlayApple PodcastsStitcherSpotify, or through the RSS feed so you don’t miss an episode!

Chicago Race of the Day: Sunday, March 7

Chicago Race of the Day: Saturday, March 6

Welcome back!

It’s time for another year of racing in Chicago: Hawthorne gets underway Saturday, March 6! Get your meet started the right way with Episode 189 of Chicago Race of the Day. We delve into the very first race of the meet: a rare opening-day route race, and a perfect example of why the joy of beating suspicious chalk isn’t limited to huge fields.

Listen to Chicago Race of the Day right here. And, make sure to subscribe on either Google PlayApple PodcastsStitcherSpotify, or through the RSS feed so you don’t miss an episode!

Chicago Race of the Day: Saturday, March 6

Chicago Race of the Day: Sunday, December 27

Sunday, December 27 is closing day at Hawthorne. Sunday’s Hawthorne card is packed: ten races, with full fields all day. Episode 188 of Chicago Race of the Day starts at the very beginning: with Race 1, a two-year-old race, featuring a horse on the upswing who is finally getting the chance to do the thing I’ve been looking forward to seeing him do all year long.

Listen to Chicago Race of the Day right here. And, make sure to subscribe on either Google PlayApple PodcastsStitcherSpotify, or through the RSS feed so you don’t miss an episode!

Chicago Race of the Day: Sunday, December 27