Arlington Park Horseracing

Arlington Park was a thoroughbred racing facility in Arlington Heights, Illinois, that featured two tracks. Its racing season typically ran from May or June through September or October.

As one of Illinois' top racetracks, Arlington Park regularly hosted high-profile stakes races; among them were the Arlington Million, the Beverly D. Stakes, the Secretariat Stakes, the Stars & Stripes Breeders' Cup, and the Washington Park Handicap.

Over its final few years, Arlington Park took on an active international role by exchanging races with leading tracks in England and Japan, participating in global conferences on international racing, and taking on an advisory role in efforts to develop a worldwide thoroughbred racing series. In various capacities, it participated in several international projects, including the Emirates World Series Racing Championship, the Dubai World Cup, and the Singapore International Cup.

Arlington Park closed down after nearly 100 years due to declining profits and state regulatory disputes. Its owner, Churchill Downs Inc., put the 326-acre site up for sale, and the track hosted its final racing event on September 25, 2021. In early 2023, the Chicago Bears bought the land for $197.2 million and demolished the grandstand for a potential new stadium, bringing a definitive end to Illinois horse racing at the historic site.

Arlington Park Facts

Main Track - One mile and one eighth oval with chutes for 6½, 7/8, 7½, 1 mile

• Composition - 5½ cushion pad - sand top soil mixture, 18% clay, 22% silt, 60% sand
• Width - 90 feet wide through the stretch
• Distance from last turn to finish - 1,049 feet

Turf Course - One Mile Oval

• Composition - Grasses are 15% red fescue, 52% Kentucky blue grass, 31% perennial rye
• Dark brown topsoil with 3% organics
• Width - 150 feet wide through the stretch

Training Track - Five Furlongs

• Stable Accommodations - 2,140 Stalls, 35 Barns

Arlington Park Records

Dirt Track

DIST	HORSE	AGE	WGT	DATE	REC
400 Y	De Elegant Oscar	5	124	Aug 25, 2002	:19.71
4 1/2 F	Wheat Penny	2	119	Jun 08, 2000	:51.64
4 1/2 F	Bold America	2	120	Jun 28, 2002	:51.64
5 F	Staunch Avenger	2	119	Jun 29, 1970	:57 1/5
5 F	Heisanative	2	118	Jun 12, 1971	:57 1/5
5 F	Shecky Greene	2	118	Jun 12, 1972	:57 1/5
5 F	Zarb's Magic	9	118	Sep 7, 2002	:57 1/5
5 1/2 F	Hey That's Great	5	113	Jun 27, 1992	1:02 3/5
6 F	Taylor's Special	5	118	Aug 22, 1986	1:08
6 1/2 F	Pentelicus	6	115	Jul 14, 1990	1:14 1/5
7 F	Tumiga	4	120	Jul 13, 1968	1:20 2/5
7 1/2 F	I'll Raise You One	3	112	Aug 3, 1987	1:28 4/5
1 M	Dr. Fager	4	134	Aug 24, 1968	1:32 1/5
1 M 70 Y	Geo. Groom	5	111	Oct 25, 1927	1:42 4/5
1 1/16 M	Kindly Manner	4	114	Aug 22, 1977	1:41 2/5
1 1/16 M	Mojave	3	109	Jun 30, 1981	1:41 2/5
A. 1 1/16 M	Ashleigh's Jet	4	120	Jun 14, 2001	1:44.10
1 1/8 M	Spectacular Bid	4	130	Jul 19, 1980	1:46 1/5
1 3/16 M	Tenpins	4	116	Sep 29, 2002	1:55.07
1 1/4 M	Private Thoughts	4	117	Aug 20, 1977	1:59 2/5
1 5/16 M	Rush Home	5	115	Aug 7, 1971	2:10
1 5/16 M	Evanescent	6	114	Jul 18, 1993	2:10
1 3/8 M	Playdale	3	98	Jul 19, 1932	2:15 2/5
1 1/2 M	El Misterio	5	112	Sep 5, 1960	2:28 1/5
1 5/8 M	Fool's Robbery	4	111	Jul 5, 1973	2:45 3/5
1 3/4 M	Deux-Moulins	8	119	Jul 14, 1955	2:59 2/5
2 M	Swede Of Norfolk	6	127	Aug 15, 1970	3:26 2/5
2 1/4 M	Djem	4	119	Jul 30, 1953	4:05 3/5

Turf Course

DIST	HORSE	AGE	WGT	DATE	REC
5 F	Distinctive Mr. B	5	122	Sep 15, 2001	:56.36
5 1/2 F	Chief Sun Dance	4	115	Jul 6, 1970	1:02 3/5
1 M	Gee Can He Dance	6	113	Sep 4, 1995	1:34.50
1 M 70 Y	Pass The Brandy	7	114	Jul 25, 1970	1:38 4/5
1 1/16 M	Zeeruler	4	113	Sep 7, 1992	1:41
1 1/8 M	Mr. Leader	4	116	Jul 4, 1970	1:47 2/5
1 1/8 M	Jinski's World	3	111	Jul 6, 1991	1:47 2/5
1 1/8 M	World Class Splash	3	113	Jul 11, 1992	1:47 2/5
1 3/16 M	Reluctant Guest	4	123	Sep 1, 1990	1:53 1/5
1 1/4 M	Awad	5	126	Aug 27, 1995	1:58.69
1 1/2 M	Cetewayo	8	118	Jul 6, 2002	2:27.50
1 5/8 M	Coincident	4	117	Jul 26, 1951	2:45
1 3/4 M	Pennsburg	5	110	Jul 5, 1941	3:02 3/5
2 M	Penaway	5	118	Jul 24, 1953	3:25 2/5
2 1/16 M	Deux-Moulins	8	124	Jul 28, 1955	3:30 4/5
2 1/8 M	English Harry	6	108	Jul 30, 1941	3:45

History of Arlington Park

• Arlington Park opened to an enthusiastic crowd of about 20,000 on October 13, 1927. In the first race run, jockey Joe Bollero guided Luxembourg to victory.
• In 1933, the track installed the first all-electric totalisator.
• In 1934, Arlington Park ran turf races for the first time in the state's history.
• In 1936, the track installed Chicago's first photo-finish camera, called the Eye in the Sky.
• In 1940, the track installed the first electric starting gate in Chicago racing.
• In 1967, Arlington Park installed the largest closed-circuit color TV in all of sports.
• In 1971, Arlington hosted the Pontiac Grand Prix - the first commercially sponsored $100,000 race in the U.S. That same year, Arlington introduced Trifecta wagering in Chicago.
• In 1981, Arlington hosted the first ever million dollar race for thoroughbreds - the Arlington Million. In that race, jockey Bill Shoemaker led John Henry to a come-from-behind win over longshot The Bart.
• In 1985, a fire devastated the original grandstand.
• In June 1989, Arlington changed its name to Arlington International Racecourse. Their new casino and amusement park ushered in a new concept in thoroughbred racing by offering entertainment for the entire family.
• In 1996, Arlington hosted the North and South American simulcasts of the first Dubai World Cup, the world's first $4 million race.
• In 2000, Arlington merged with Churchill Downs Inc. and its name reverted back to Arlington Park.

Place a bet on your favorite horse now!