Illinois Racing Board met Sept. 22.
Here are the minutes provided by the board:
A regular meeting of the Illinois Racing Board was held at the 555 West Monroe, Chicago, Illinois and via WebEx Audio Conferencing starting at 11:00 a.m. The following Board members participated: Chairman Dan Beiser, Commissioners Leslie Breuer Jr, Beth Doria, Lydia Gray, Benjamin Reyes, and Leslye Sandberg. Staff members Domenic DiCera, Bob Denneen, Michael Belmonte, and Donald Marquez also participated.
LICENSEE REQUESTS:
Commissioner Reyes moved for approval of a race official at Hawthorne Race Course for the fall 2022 meet. Commissioner Gray seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously (6-0) by roll call vote.
BOARD REQUEST
Chairman Beiser moved for approval of the following race dates and conditions for calendar year 2023. Commissioner Reyes seconded the motion.
FAIRMOUNT PARK, INC. - 62 live thoroughbred race programs with 7 races per day minimum.
• April 18th through November 18th- Racing 2 days per week on Tuesdays with a post time of 1 PM and Saturdays with a post time of 7:30 PM.
Section 20(e-3) of the Illinois Horse Racing Act states that the Board shall award a racetrack in Madison County, for calendar year 2020 and thereafter, racing dates and the organization licensee, Fairmount Park, shall run at least 700 thoroughbred races. However, pursuant to Section 20 (e-4.5) of the Act, the Board may decrease the number of racing days “only if the Board determines that there is an agreement between an organization licensee and the breed association that is applicable to the involved live racing guarantee.”
The Board received an agreement dated August 18, 2022 between Fairmount Park and the Illinois HBPA. They have agreed to 62 days of live racing with a minimum of 7 races per day.
1) As of August 14, 2022, the purse account was overpaid $172,380.83; and
2) Fairmount Park and the Illinois HBPA agree that 100 days of racing “is simply not possible for 2023.”
HAWTHORNE RACE COURSE, INC- 68 race programs and 365 total host programs.
• January 1 through March 3 – dark host time. No live racing.
• March 4th through June 3rd, racing 2 days per week on Saturdays and Sundays. June 4th through September 3rd, racing 3 days a week Wednesdays, Saturdays, Sundays, and Monday September 4th. Post Times on Saturdays, Sundays and Monday September 4th at 2:50PM and 6:30PM on Wednesdays.
SUBURBAN DOWNS, INC. - 49 race programs and 365 total host programs.
• September 9th through December 31st, racing 3 nights per week on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays with a post time of 7:10 PM and dark on Sunday December 24th.
After reviewing the applications for organization licensees and after hearing testimony from the organization licensee applicants and the respective horsemen’s organizations as it relates to host track status pursuant to Section 3.075 of the Illinois Horse Racing Act, the Board finds that conditions are present to allow a lesser schedule of live racing than five days per week and 9 races per day.
This motion includes the following conditions:
1) Conditions from the following paragraphs in the Board Order awarding thoroughbred and standardbred Racing Dates for calendar year 2022 shall be incorporated in the order awarding thoroughbred and standardbred Racing Dates for calendar year 2023: paragraphs 38-51.
2) Suburban Downs, Inc shall ensure that there is a race secretary on site and available during race dates or as prescribed by the Board of Stewards, to manage issues as they arise.
3) Hawthorne Race Course and Suburban Downs, Inc will ensure that there is a fully functional tote board on all assigned race dates.
4) On or before March 1, 2023 Fairmount Park shall provide the Illinois Racing Board with a detailed infrastructure improvement plan that has been signed off on by ownership including a timeline of when projects will be completed.
The motion passed unanimously (6-0) by roll call vote.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Commissioner Gray moved to approve the minutes of the June 16, 2022 board meeting. Commissioner Breuer seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously (6-0) by roll call vote.
ADJOURMENT
At 1:20 PM., Commissioner Reyes moved to adjourn the meeting. Commissioner Gray seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously (6-0) by roll call vote.
https://irb.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/irb/documents/sept22mins.pdf
Alerts Sign-up