Illinois Racing Board Suspends Hawthorne Harness License After $580K Bounced Checks

The Illinois Racing Board suspended the operating harness license of Suburban Downs, Inc., the organization that runs harness racing at Hawthorne Race Course, after finding the licensee had not provided documentation demonstrating financial integrity and could not meet required minimum standards. The move follows weeks of disrupted racing at the suburban Chicago track, including four consecutive weeks of canceled harness cards and the board’s cancellation of Jan. 3 and Jan. 4 races for failure to submit required surety bonds.

Domenic DiCera, executive director of the Illinois Racing Board, called the action a “very difficult decision,” and said the board was compelled by Hawthorne’s failure to provide financial documents showing the ability to operate assigned 2026 race dates. The suspension, announced at an IRB meeting, immediately cast doubt on the future of Hawthorne’s harness meet and on paydays for drivers, trainers, grooms and other race-day personnel.

Horsemen told the board stark stories of unpaid bills. Illinois Harness Horsemen’s Association representatives reported that checks tied to the Carey family and Hawthorne operations had “bounced more than $580,000 in checks between about 66 individuals in recent months.” Representatives also said the Illinois Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association is owed about $600,000 for payments dating back seven months. Those liabilities come on top of what IHHA President Jeff Davis reported as a claim that “Churchill Downs Inc. obtained a judgment for $1.64 million from Hawthorne in December,” a point Hawthorne disputed at the meeting.

Hawthorne management, represented at the hearing by general manager Walsh in the absence of owner and CEO Tim Carey, urged patience and framed the situation as solvable. Walsh said, “I think everything is going the right way,” and added, “At our February meeting, if we have one, I'll be here and I'll be smiling.” Walsh also said Hawthorne and the Carey family felt “disgusted” by the “unexpected” turn of events and that they were “working to sort out the issue with their bank” while pursuing a new partner to move the track’s long-stalled racino project forward.

Operationally, the suspension removes Suburban Downs’ authority to stage harness cards while the IRB seeks documentary proof of financial capacity. Walsh noted a milestone on Feb. 16 tied to the facility’s operational calendar, the date by which arrangements would need to be made to shift operations from harness racing to Thoroughbred racing if necessary.

For owners, trainers and drivers, the immediate impact is concrete: canceled cards mean lost purse payments and disrupted training and shipping schedules. For bettors and local racing economies, the suspension could shrink the racing calendar and reduce pari-mutuel handle at Hawthorne. Regulators and horsemen said they expect further documentation and possible court filings to clarify the $1.64 million claim and the bounced-check allegations.

The next steps are documentary. The IRB has indicated the suspension will remain until Suburban Downs demonstrates financial responsibility. For horsemen waiting on bounced checks and owed invoices, the board’s action signals a regulatory backstop, but it leaves unresolved the practical questions of when purses will be paid and whether the harness meet will return to Hawthorne.