Illinois Horsemen Warn 2026 Hawthorne Meet May Not Start Amid Conversion, Debt

If you intend to stable and race at Hawthorne for the 2026 meet, once the track is ready for training, come at your own risk and with the knowledge that Hawthorne may be unable to start the meet and sustain it through its entirety," the Illinois Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association wrote as Hawthorne crews began converting the main track for Thoroughbred use. The conversion work, reported to have started Feb. 16 and expected to take about a week, sits beside a blunt warning that Hawthorne has offered no assurance it can fund the season it was allocated.

The Illinois Racing Board’s January 26 action looms large: the IRB suspended Hawthorne’s harness racing license for "financial integrity issues" after several checks to harness horsemen reportedly bounced. The suspension did not include the Thoroughbred license, and the IRB nevertheless awarded Hawthorne 63 Thoroughbred dates for 2026, scheduled from Sunday, March 29 to Sunday, November 1. Those 63 dates are a concrete calendar, but ITHA leaders say calendar alone does not guarantee paychecks or a complete meet.

Physical readiness and financial uncertainty are colliding. Bill Finley noted that "Hawthorne maintenance crews took the first step Monday toward converting the racing surface," and Equibase now lists a condition book with purses described as comparable to 2025. Still, ITHA says Hawthorne "has yet to provide the ITHA with any assurance that it has the financial means" to begin and sustain the meet, leaving trainers and owners to weigh the risk of traveling, stabling and starting horses at Hawthorne.

Leadership voices amplified the alarm. ITHA President Chris Block called the purse structure "woefully inadequate" and urged Hawthorne to finalize a casino deal to stabilize funding. McCaffrey warned members directly, saying, "Right now, we are telling people to come to Hawthorne at their own risk" and adding that the horsemen are "dubious that the meet is going to start on time." At the same time, Itharacing notes that purse increases the ITHA fought for did arrive and were listed as effective Thursday 9/25, a partial cash-flow fix that has not, in officials’ view, erased broader concerns.

Operational fallout is already visible beyond the main track. Suburban Downs was awarded 34 live racing programs for 2026, but 14 programs scheduled for January and February were vacated because of Hawthorne’s financial issues, leaving 20 programs from November 6 through December 27. ITHA also posted notices that "Hawthorne Harness Racing Again Cancelled," signaling cascading schedule impacts for backstretch workers and local barns.

Hawthorne President and General Manager Tim Carey did not appear at a recent IRB meeting, and ITHA is demanding a direct communication proving Hawthorne can meet its financial obligations. The horsemen’s group has set a clear conditional choice for participants: proceed and risk lost purses, or hold back until Hawthorne produces verifiable assurances.

The story is already amplifying on social channels, with the Paulick Report headline "'Come At Your Own Risk': Horsemen's Group Warns There's No Guarantee For Hawthorne Thoroughbred Meet" circulating on Instagram and Horseman's Voice reposting the ITHA notice on Facebook with fundraising details including Cash App $horsemansvoice and Zelle 8475302222. If you stable, own or work for Hawthorne, share this article or comment below with your experience - the 63 scheduled race dates and bounced checks are not abstract numbers for those who depend on purses and paydays.