Balmoral Park
Encyclopedia
| Horse Race Track | |
|---|---|
| Balmoral Park | |
| Location | Crete Township, Will County, Illinois Crete Township, Will County, Illinois Crete Township is located in Will County, Illinois. The population was 23,589 at the 2000 census. Washington Township was formed from a portion of Crete.- External links :****... , near Crete, Illinois Crete, Illinois Crete is a village in Will County, Illinois, United States. The population was 7,346 at the 2000 census. Originally named Wood's Corner, it was founded in 1836 by Vermonters Dyantha and Willard Wood.-Geography:Crete is located at .... |
| Owned by | George Steinbrenner's family and a group of local track operators headed by Billy Johnston and his sons John and Duke |
| Race type | Standardbred |
| Principal Races | |
| American National | |
| Orange & Blue | |
| Filly Orange & Blue | |
| Pete Langley Memorial | |
Balmoral Park is a horse racing
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
track located just south of Crete
Crete, Illinois
Crete is a village in Will County, Illinois, United States. The population was 7,346 at the 2000 census. Originally named Wood's Corner, it was founded in 1836 by Vermonters Dyantha and Willard Wood.-Geography:Crete is located at ....
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The track hosts harness racing
Harness racing
Harness racing is a form of horse racing in which the horses race at a specific gait . They usually pull a two-wheeled cart called a sulky, although racing under saddle is also conducted in Europe.-Breeds:...
for most of the year except for a brief period in January when the track is dark.
History
1925Col. Matt J. Winn, manager of Churchill Downs, came to Chicago to look over the Illinois racing situation. Winn returned to Kentucky where he talked to business associates at the Kentucky Jockey Club. They agreed to buy 1050 acres (4.2 km²) just south of Crete and built the new track named "Lincoln Fields." The large oval was surrounded by Kentucky bluegrass which Winn imported from Kentucky. Red Spanish tile was used as roofs on the buildings. Spring-fed lakes were built in the infield.
1926
The inaugural meeting at Lincoln Fields began on August 9, 1926 and the first trainer to stable on the grounds was Thoroughbred horseman Daniel E. Stewart, the trainer for Senator Johnson Camden, president of the Kentucky Jockey Club. The first horse to work out was Camden's mare Rothermel. Miss Rosedale won the first race contested. The inaugural card featured the $5,000 Joliet Stakes for 2 year-old colts and geldings. The certificate system of wagering was used since pari-mutuel wagering had not yet become legal.
1927
Pari-mutuel wagering became legal in Illinois July 1.
1936
On Aug. 30, 1936 Lincoln Fields installed the DeBrie Camera at the finish line. This instrument recorded 240 pictures per second, and was the first such camera to be installed at an Illinois racetrack.
1940
On June 3, 1940, the mighty Whirlaway won at Lincoln Fields, the first race of his career. He won the coveted Triple Crown in 1941.
1942-1947
Lincoln Fields shut down in 1942 due to World War II restrictions. Their race meetings were shifted to Hawthorne Race Course
Hawthorne Race Course
Hawthorne Race Course is a race track for horse racing in Stickney/Cicero, Illinois, near Chicago.The oldest continually-run family-owned racetrack in North America, in 2009 the Horseplayers Association of North America introduced a rating system for 65 Thoroughbred racetracks in North America...
from 1943 to 1947.
1948-1951
The Lincoln Fields race meetings were run at Washington Park in nearby Homewood.
1952-1953
A fire in the grandstand damaged Lincoln Fields while it was being renovated for the '52 season and prevented the re-opening at the Crete site. The 1952-53 race meeting were then shifted to Hawthorne.
1954
Thoroughbred racing returned to the homegrounds of Lincoln Fields for the first time since 1942.
1955
Benjamin Lindheimer put together the Balmoral Jockey Club which purchased Lincoln Fields. The name of the racetrack was changed to Balmoral Park. Lindheimer had been head of horse racing at Washington Park since 1935 and Arlington Park
Arlington Park
Arlington Park is a horse race track in the Chicago suburb of Arlington Heights, Illinois. Horse racing in the Chicago region has been a popular sport since the early days of the city in the 1830s, and at one time Chicago had more horse racing tracks than any other major metropolitan area...
since 1940. Balmoral's Thoroughbred meetings were run at Washington Park from 1955-1963.
1960
Lindheimer died on June 5, 1960 and was succeeded by his adopted daughter Marjorie Lindheimer Everett. She then consolidated Washington and Arlington Parks as divisions of a new corporation called Chicago Thoroughbred Enterprises (CTE), which owned Balmoral Park.
1964-1969
In 1964 Balmoral's Thoroughbred race meeting was moved to Arlington Park
Arlington Park
Arlington Park is a horse race track in the Chicago suburb of Arlington Heights, Illinois. Horse racing in the Chicago region has been a popular sport since the early days of the city in the 1830s, and at one time Chicago had more horse racing tracks than any other major metropolitan area...
, where it remained for 6 years.
1967-1972
William S Miller, a self-made millionaire and horse breeder, and his partners purchased Balmoral Park in 1967. Miller had been a member of the Illinois Racing Board from 1951 to 1967 and also served as Board Chairman. Miller converted Balmoral's Thoroughbred track to a half-mile track for harness racing. The Cook County harness racing season was then limited to March through November. Since Balmoral Park is located outside of Cook County the limitation permitted Balmoral to have harness racing during the winter months.
1970-1977
The Balmoral Thoroughbred meeting for 1970 was moved to Washington Park. This move proved to be a disappointment for Balmoral. It returned to Arlington in 1971, but only for that one season. In 1972, the Balmoral Thoroughbred meeting was moved to Sportsman's Park, where it remained for 6 years.
1973
Edward J. DeBartolo Corporation purchased Balmoral Park. DeBartolo, a real estate developer, converted Balmoral's half-mile oval into a 5/8's mile race track to accommodate both Thoroughbred and harness racing.
1978-1985
Thoroughbred racing returned to Balmoral for the first time in 24 years, on January 8, 1978. Balmoral ran summer Thoroughbred meetings at Balmoral Park every year from 1978-1985.
1986
Balmoral Park held a fall Thoroughbred meeting from October through December, because of the Arlington Park
Arlington Park
Arlington Park is a horse race track in the Chicago suburb of Arlington Heights, Illinois. Horse racing in the Chicago region has been a popular sport since the early days of the city in the 1830s, and at one time Chicago had more horse racing tracks than any other major metropolitan area...
fire.
1987
Early in 1987 Balmoral Park was sold to George Steinbrenner's family and a group of local track operators headed by Billy Johnston and his sons John and Duke.
Illinois became the first state to permit race tracks to own and operate OTB facilities. Balmoral opened Illinois' first OTB parlor, located in Peoria, on Sept. 8, 1987.
1988
On June 26 Balmoral hosted North America's first World Driving Championship, which originally began in Germany in 1972. The contest is conducted every four years to coincide with the Summer Olympics. Drivers from 14 countries participated, with Oddvar Maeland of Norway and Jans Stampp of Germany emerging as victors.
A new one-mile (1.6 km) racing strip was built around the existing 5/8's mile oval.
Balmoral conducted the Miller High Life Jockey Challenge, a three-race series that included nine of the leading jockeys in North America. Bill Shoemaker, North America's winningest jockey, won the event beating Jean Cruguet, Pat Day, Sandy Hawley, Julie Krone, Laffit Pincay, Jr., Randy Romero, Ray Sibille and Jacinto Vasquez.
1991
Balmoral Park became a harness racing facility exclusively after the Illinois Racing Board took away its Thoroughbred dates.
1993
Balmoral Park led the way throughout the country in the use of standardized saddle pads. These pads make it easier for the bettors to identify their wagering selections.
1995
Balmoral held several races in conjunction with the World Driving Championships hosting drivers from 16 countries. Local driving star Dave Magee won the competition.
The 5/8's mile track was eliminated. A state-of-the-art lighting system was installed on the one-mile (1.6 km) oval. On June 1, full-card simulcast wagering was introduced.
1996
In August, Balmoral constructed a new receiving barn and paddock adjacent to the grandstand. Balmoral Park can now accommodate 120 horses, which is all of the horses that race each night.
1998
Balmoral Park became Chicago's premier harness racing facility when Sportsman's Park ended harness racing. All of their major stakes were shifted to Balmoral Park including "Super Night" and all "American National" events.
1999
The Great Midwest Fair, re-inaugurated in 1998, continued with its presentation of fun, food, games, fireworks, entertainment and live horseracing, to more than 25,000 patrons. The adventurous 3-day event was held on the Memorial Day weekend.
Incredible Tillie and Star Slinger claimed their share of the Illinois Department of Agriculture's Million Dollar Bonus program with victories on "Super Night."
Balmoral added a circular walking ring under the magnificent shade trees near the paddock, similar to that at Saratoga. This pastoral area is well-lighted and ideal for horses to walk and cool out.
2000
On June 10, Big Tom, an Illinois-bred, lowered the previous track record as the fastest pacer on the one-mile (1.6 km) track with a time of 1:49.1. On October 21, Major Blur, an aged gelding, equaled the mark.
The $3,777,549 bet on "Super Night," September 16, was the highest harness handle in Illinois history.
Physical attributes
The track has a one mile (1.6 km) dirt oval. The track is capable of seating at least 71,000. There is stabling on the backstretchBackstretch
The Backstretch is the area in a horse racetrack where horses are stabled and the training and daily work of maintaining the horses occurs. In many race tracks it will be found directly across the track from the grandstands and may also be called "the other side of the track."-Description:A...
for over 900 horses almost all stalls are constantly full.
Racing
The following stakes are held at Balmoral Park:- Orange & Blue
- Filly Orange & Blue
- Pete Langley Memorial
- Grandma Ann
- Dan Patch Championship
- Ann Vonian
- Su Mac LadSu Mac LadSu Mac Lad was an American gelding trotter. He reached the peak of his racing career in the 1960s. In 1962, he was harness racing's career money leader and named Harness Horse of the Year...
- Lady Ann Reed
- American National series
- Lincoln Land
- Lady Lincoln Land
Metra SouthEast Service
Metra is planning to build a new station as the terminus at this place on the new SouthEast ServiceSouthEast Service (Metra)
The SouthEast Service is a proposed commuter rail line which would be provided and operated by Metra in Chicago, Illinois, and its surrounding suburbs. The route of the proposed line would use tracks owned by CSX Transportation and the Union Pacific Railroad, but the service would not be operated...
.