Washington Park

Half a century ago, greater Chicago had five Thoroughbred tracks. Washington Park closed in 1977. Balmoral Park last ran flats in 1990 before spending its last 2 1/2 decades as a harness venue, shuttering in 2015. Sportsman's Park--which had the unique distinction of being built back-to-back behind Hawthorne Race Course--switched to auto racing in 2003 before being demolished. Arlington Park was ravaged by a 1985 fire, got rebuilt far more opulently, then ceased operations in 2021. By the time you read this, Hawthorne, the last surviving stop on a once-robust...

Edited Press Release from Oaklawn Park Trainer William H. 'Jinks' Fires will saddle his final runner in a career that has spanned 50 years when House Trick contests the second race at Oaklawn Park on Friday afternoon. According to Equibase statistics, Fires, the older brother of Hall of Fame jockey Earlie Fires, has sent out 1,502 winners from 11,400 runners. Arguably the best horse Fires trained was Archarcharch (Arch), who won the GIII Southwest Stakes and GI Arkansas Derby en route to an appearance in the 2011 GI Kentucky Derby....