Does anyone else miss old Arlington

[Hedevar]

I know I certainly do. Hawthorne is running harness racing because no trainer will run at that dive especially for the nickels and dimes they have for purse money. Saw John Dooley calling races in Indiana. AP still stands completely unused. I had to take some time off to mourn for AP. I certainly did not mourn for Dickie D. They say only the good die young. That certainly explains why Dick lived so long. It gave him a chance to destroy Illinois racing, and as for that he did a crackerjack job. No tears for Dickie.

[wisconsin]

Originally Posted by Hedevar

I know I certainly do. Hawthorne is running harness racing because no trainer will run at that dive especially for the nickels and dimes they have for purse money. Saw John Dooley calling races in Indiana. AP still stands completely unused. I had to take some time off to mourn for AP. I certainly did not mourn for Dickie D. They say only the good die young. That certainly explains why Dick lived so long. It gave him a chance to destroy Illinois racing, and as for that he did a crackerjack job. No tears for Dickie.

Yes, I miss Arlington, but do some research. It's NOT "Dickie D's" fault.

[Hedevar]

Originally Posted by wisconsin

Yes, I miss Arlington, but do some research. It's NOT "Dickie D's" fault.

I have done my research. It was positively the senile geezer's fault. AP functioned quite nicely, since the twenties, until Dick came along with a crew that knew nothing about running a track. Moving the Stars and Stripes stake from July 4th is a small example of just how obtuse these idiots were. What you sew you reap. Let us see how long it takes the Bears to build a stadium. 2040 is a conservative guess. Do not forget the top-notch racing AP offered under Dick, not to mention the ridiculous prices fans had to endure. Dick was absolute proof that only the good die young.

[BarchCapper]

Originally Posted by Hedevar

Hawthorne is running harness racing because no trainer will run at that dive especially for the nickels and dimes they have for purse money.

You know as well as I do that Hawthorne is running harness racing because they have been the ONLY harness racing track around since Maywood and Balmoral went down in the mid 2010's. Since that time they were running a May-September harness meet that coincided with the T'bred season at Arlington. Not easy serving both now that they're the only thoroughbred track too. And considering what they have to do for the switchovers, it's pretty impressive that they made it through the spring meet with no racing/training fatalities. It sure seems like the Carey family has been doing the best they can to provide something for Illinois horsemen of both stripes.

[The_Turf_Monster]

It takes two to tango and the horsemen aren't innocent in why AP sits empty.

Either way, Mr. D. was a veteran that fought at the Bulge and had donated over $100M to the U. of Chicago for medical research and treatment.....to put things in perspective as people dance on his grave.

btw, has HAW found the money to build its casino yet?

[wisconsin]

Originally Posted by Hedevar

I have done my research. It was positively the senile geezer's fault. AP functioned quite nicely, since the twenties, until Dick came along with a crew that knew nothing about running a track. Moving the Stars and Stripes stake from July 4th is a small example of just how obtuse these idiots were. What you sew you reap. Let us see how long it takes the Bears to build a stadium. 2040 is a conservative guess. Do not forget the top-notch racing AP offered under Dick, not to mention the ridiculous prices fans had to endure. Dick was absolute proof that only the good die young.

By all means, go back in time when Gulf and Western owned the track. Looney Mooney was more for you, I guess.

Duchossois was part of the group that rescued Arlington and fought for gaming for years. Let's put the blame on Churchill, where it belongs.

[olddaddy]

Arlington was the best well kept track I have ever been to. Yes admission was a bit pricey at the end. It also had the nicest grass course in the country. Million day and the preview day were the only days that racing was worthwhile at the end. The location of the track was always safe and safe to get to. Many things factored into the closing but unfortunately I dont hear or didnt hear a major out cry as it closed. Racing is a dying sport with its followers dropping like flies daily. Yes I miss Arlington.

[Hedevar]

Originally Posted by wisconsin

By all means, go back in time when Gulf and Western owned the track. Looney Mooney was more for you, I guess.

Duchossois was part of the group that rescued Arlington and fought for gaming for years. Let's put the blame on Churchill, where it belongs.

Dick never wanted gaming at AP. He had a piece of Rivers casino about 20 minutes away from AP. It is now Churchill's having paid some 200 million dollars to Dick for the track and the casino. If he wanted gaming at AP he could have had it. It is more profitable to run a casino and sell APs land. Additionally, Dick never applied for a casino license when they became available.

Many people served in the military and have donated money to worthy causes. Dick's only goal was to make money. At that he was very successful. Good riddance. By the way, how was the racing when AP was owned by Gulf and Western? I don't remember horses breaking down every other day. I do recall excellent racing with top stables racing here. Of course, that was before Dickie D's Fourth of July spectacular where every horse had to tranquilized and cotton placed in their ears.

[Hedevar]

Originally Posted by The_Turf_Monster

It takes two to tango and the horsemen aren't innocent in why AP sits empty.

Either way, Mr. D. was a veteran that fought at the Bulge and had donated over $100M to the U. of Chicago for medical research and treatment.....to put things in perspective as people dance on his grave.

btw, has HAW found the money to build its casino yet?

Hawthorne's casino is pie in the sky. Who in their right mind would go to Stickney. How is the attendance at beautiful Hawthrone Racecourse these days?

[Hedevar]

Originally Posted by olddaddy

Arlington was the best well kept track I have ever been to. Yes admission was a bit pricey at the end. It also had the nicest grass course in the country. Million day and the preview day were the only days that racing was worthwhile at the end. The location of the track was always safe and safe to get to. Many things factored into the closing but unfortunately I dont hear or didnt hear a major out cry as it closed. Racing is a dying sport with its followers dropping like flies daily. Yes I miss Arlington.

Of course, AP had an excellent turf course. They only raced on it once a week. There was no hue and cry when AP closed because Dick had irritated every race goer in the area. No one gave a dam.

[geroge.burns99]

The Bears deal will close late this year or early next...

Tho its un-used now....there will be plenty of action once they start the re-build

Many jobs will be around for a few years....

[wisconsin]

Originally Posted by Hedevar

Dick never wanted gaming at AP. He had a piece of Rivers casino about 20 minutes away from AP. It is now Churchill's having paid some 200 million dollars to Dick for the track and the casino. If he wanted gaming at AP he could have had it. It is more profitable to run a casino and sell APs land. Additionally, Dick never applied for a casino license when they became available.

Duchossois sure as hell did lobby for a casino at the track. People sure have short memories. He wanted a level playing field to compete with river boat gambling at the time. When the state initially said no, he shut down the track for 2 years. Churchill bought out Dick for 158 Million in 2018, reducing his ownership to 6.8% and then after that bought 62% of Rivers Casino from Neil Bluhm and Midwest Gaming, not Duchossois. That was the dirty move, if you will.

I'll say it again, it's not Dick's fault.

[dnlgfnk]

Originally Posted by wisconsin

Duchossois sure as hell did lobby for a casino at the track. People sure have short memories. He wanted a level playing field to compete with river boat gambling at the time. When the state initially said no, he shut down the track for 2 years. Churchill bought out Dick for 158 Million in 2018, reducing his ownership to 6.8% and then after that bought 62% of Rivers Casino from Neil Bluhm and Midwest Gaming, not Duchossois. That was the dirty move, if you will.

I'll say it again, it's not Dick's fault.

Yes, aside from already being aware of this, it would take little effort to verify...https://harnessracingupdate.com/2022...?cn-reloaded=1

"Riverboat casino gaming invaded Illinois in the mid-1990s and it had a negative impact on both thoroughbred and harness wagering...In response, Duchossois began clamoring for legislative approval for a “racing industry casino” at his racetrack, claiming that it would make “Illinois racing the best in the country.”

At worst, the author would attribute naivete to Duchossois..." Later that year he made what unwittingly turned out to be an ill-fated move by merging Arlington with Churchill Downs, Inc. (CDI) in the belief that it would ensure the future of his beloved track and make it a monument to his legacy...This day is historical for racing,” Duchossois asserted. “This merger will benefit both Churchill Downs and Arlington and more important it will strength our industry in Illinois and North America as well as benefit the horsemen and fans who participate in this sport. This merger will put together a facility and an organization that can compete with anything in the world.”

Nobody in 2000 probably understood that CDI was, or would be overwhelmingly directing their efforts to the casino industry, save for the first Saturday in May.

[The_Turf_Monster]

Originally Posted by Hedevar

Hawthorne's casino is pie in the sky. Who in their right mind would go to Stickney. How is the attendance at beautiful Hawthrone Racecourse these days?

Every bar and restaurant in Stickney, Cicero, Berwyn, etc. over there has slot machines. There's gaming demand in the area, and the West/Southwest side of Chicago doesn't offer any gaming.

As far as AP only running on the turf once a week, the charts would not corroborate that statement.

Regarding Mr. D. and AP not supporting gaming, I recall tables set up to write/lobby elected representatives in Springfield for slots at the track ca. 2010-2012. Like anything else at the time, nothing went through Springfield without Madigan's approval, and Madigan wasn't in support of slots at the tracks.