Last year’s ICF two-year-old filly trotting champion Whiskey Lou (Curt Grummel) makes her 2024 debut at Du Quoin today. (Photo courtesy of Terry Young)



 By Mike Paradise for the I.H.H.A. 

 Harness racing returns to Illinois Thursday with the opening of Hawthorne’s weekly meeting at the State Fairground venues.

 First up is the revisiting of racing Standardbreds on the historic Du Quoin State Fairgrounds. First post for the initial 2024 card is 1 p.m.

 Harness racing at Du Quoin at one time was big news. It was a must stop for the Grand Circuit for Hayes Memorial stake events and the host of the illustrious Hambletonian from 1957 through 1980.

 Thousands of racing fans would fill its Grandstand every year to watch and bet on such Hambletonian champions as Speedy Scot (Ralph Baldwin), Nevele Pride (Stanley Dancer), Speedy Crown (Howard Bessinger), Super Bowl (Stanley Dancer), Green Speed (Billy Haughton), and Burgomrister (Billy Haughton).

 The Hayes Memorials saw the likes of Armbro Ranger (Joe O’Brien), Sonsam (George Sholty), Speedy Crown (Howard Beissinger), Speed Bowl (Tom Haughton), Noble Victory (Stanley Dancer), Songcan (Gilles Lachance) and Bonefish (Stanley Dancer) come out on top.

 The World Trotting Derby replaced the Hambletonian when it was moved to the Meadowlands and its champions included Diamond Exchange (Robert Williams), Baltic Speed (Jan Nordin), Prakas (Bill O’Donnell), Royal Prestige (Brent Lindstedt )and Peace Corps (John Campbell), through 1996, its last year as a Grand Circuit stop.

 The Du Quoin State Fair has continued since 1923 but its harness racing dates had shrunk to three days in September. This year Du Quoin will host harness racing for 14 days as it alternates with racing at Springfield every other week.

 Just one other problem, however. You can’t wager on Du Quoin or Springfield races until their State Fair dates months down the line. Whatever happened to pari-mutuel betting? Seems the Illinois Racing Board went along with its staff recommendation to have non-wagering races for a second year in a row.

 Big mistake says your author.

 How do you keep up the interest of harness racing in Illinois without betting? Not that wagering on Springfield or Du Quoin would bring in big bucks but with the horsemen’s account in the hole at $2.6 million. and again, more than $1 million to be paid this year to Hawthorne for “Recapture,” any mutuel handle could have helped an industry on life-support.

 A pair of racing days at Du Quoin were on this week’s schedule but with insufficient entries for two programs we have just today’s lengthy 14-race card. Nevertheless, the card doesn’t lack quality as many young prominent ICF pacers and trotters will compete this afternoon.

 Gorgeous Big Guy (Cordarius Stewart), the 2023 ICF two-yar-old colt pacer of the year, puts his seven-race winning streak on the line in race ten for Illinois bred pacers ages three or four.

 The Erv Miller trained champion breezed in his season debut five days ago, winning in 1:57.3 at Springfield in a Spring Preview event but don’t be deceived by his winning time. Unchallenged on the lead, he raced to the three-quarters in just 1:31 flat before Cordarious let the gelding loose and he responded with a wicked 26.3 last quarter in his first start since last October.

 Gorgeous Big Guy will be tested today by Mister Sleaze (Juan Franco), Deputy Dawg (Marcus Turner), Fox Valley Durham (Wyatt Avenatti), Guitar Man (Travis Seekman), Doctor Cruise (Kyle Husted), Rayjen (Nick Prather) and Fox Valley Steeler (Casey Leonard).

 A few races earlier a solid field of Illinois bred pacing fillies tangle, headed by three-year-olds, Stevie Mae (Casey Leonard), Illini Belle (Cordarius Stewart), Fox Valley Tasha (Kyle Husted), and She’s Brooke Star (Travus Seekman),

 Defending ICF freshman filly trotting titleholder Whiskey Lou (Casey Leonard) makes her first start since last October for the Curt Grummel stable in race 12.

 The now 3-year-old Lou’s Legacy trotter takes on stable-mate Calypso Moon (Curt Grummel), Radiant Diamond (Rick Schrock), 2023 filly champion Bell Boots (Matt Avenatti), Zions Really Chilly (Mike Rogers), Judge Me Not (Cordarius Stewart), Lous Andiamo (Jamaal Denson) and Tankmetodennyland (Travis Seekman.