It feels like the racing week just started...which it did, in a sense, since we're on two-day racing weeks for the rest of the Chicago meet. But, now, we're on to Saturday...and we're racing two days a week in Chicago until the meet ends on January 4. Episode 97 dives into Hawthorne's 8th on Saturday.... Continue Reading →

In episode 96 of Chicago Race of the Day, let's take a look at Friday's 7th race at Hawthorne: a $5,000 starter allowance that drew eight of the saltiest horses on the grounds: over 332 starts among them, the kinds of durable horses that make horse racing so rewarding to follow over time. And, it's... Continue Reading →

Episode 95 of Chicago Race of the Day takes a listener request (thanks, Scott!) and jumps into Saturday's Hawthorne 6th. It's an Illinois allowance dirt sprint that drew a field of nine fillies and mares. It's a well-matched group -- a mix of more seasoned runners and newer faces -- that presents an interesting pace... Continue Reading →

In Episode 94 of Chicago Race of the Day, we take a dive into the 2nd race, an Illinois maiden special weight for juveniles. It's a pedigree-heavy episode, including a look at a first-crop sire who is doing surprisingly well despite not being precocious himself, as well as a visit to a first-time starter who... Continue Reading →

In Episode 93 of Chicago Race of the Day, we take a look at the 7th race at Hawthorne, a salty claiming sprint. I talk about my favourite Illinois dirt-racing sire angle, and examine the pieces of the puzzling pace scenario of the race. Listen to Chicago Race of the Day right here. And, make... Continue Reading →

Episode 92 of Chicago Race of the Day delves into Saturday's feature at Hawthorne: the Lightning Jet Handicap, a six-furlong sprint for older Illinois-breds. The race drew a field of ten: Grade 2 placed Richiesinthehouse and Grade 3 placed Wynn Time are the headliners, but neither of them will have an easy path to the... Continue Reading →

Episode 91 of Chicago Race of the Day looks at the first of two stakes races this week at Hawthorne: the Powerless Handicap, a six-furlong dirt sprint for Illinois-registered fillies and mares. The race, Friday's 7th, drew a field of seven: five salty older horses, and two three-year-old fillies who face older stakes horses for... Continue Reading →

The rest of the week will focus on older stakes horses...so in episode 90 of Chicago Race of the Day, let's delve into a maiden race! Thursday's 5th at Hawthorne is a dirt sprint limited to maiden two-year-olds, registered in Illinois. It's a mix of runners we've visited here before, new faces, and ones who... Continue Reading →

Saturday's 4th race at Hawthorne is a maiden special weight dirt route. In episode 89 of Chicago Race of the Day, we take a dive into this race, make some sense of the pace, and figure out who can get the right run! Listen to Chicago Race of the Day right here. And, make sure... Continue Reading →

In Episode 88 of Chicago Race of the Day, let's take a dive into the Hawthorne 5th on Friday, November 8: a $6,250 N3L route over the dirt that drew an overflow field, 12 plus an also-eligible. It's a good puzzle...and a good betting race, with several horses likely to take win money who are... Continue Reading →

Racing at Hawthorne gets back underway on Thursday with a nine-race card. In Episode 87 of Chicago Race of the Day, let's take a dive into Thursday's finale: a $4,000 maiden claimer (no, I haven't seen any of those in recent years at Hawthorne, either!) that drew a ten-horse field to go five and a... Continue Reading →

Join me for a look at Saturday's 8th race at Hawthorne: a stakes-quality dirt sprint allowance featuring the return of a very good horse to his very best surface! Listen to Chicago Race of the Day right here. And, make sure to subscribe on either Google Play, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or through the RSS feed so you don't... Continue Reading →

Friday, two-year-old Illinois-registered fillies take centre stage in the Showtime Deb Stakes! The race drew a field of eight, so join me and get to know these talented Illinois-bred two-year-old fillies in Episode 85 of Chicago Race of the Day. Listen to Chicago Race of the Day right here. And, make sure to subscribe on... Continue Reading →