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Balmoral Park racetrack is a one-mile horse track in Crete, Illinois
that offers year-round harness racing. It is located along route 394,
the Calumet Expressway S., or route 1, Dixie Highway, about 38 miles
from Chicago's loop.
Interesting Track Facts about Balmoral Park
Balmoral Park has exclusively been a harness racing track since 1991
after periodically hosting thoroughbred race meets throughout most
of its history. The one-mile track was added in 1989. It has speed
ratings of 1:581. The length of the stretch is 1,360' while the width
is 80'. There are 10 starters behind the gate.
The grandstand has a capacity of 8,281 while the clubhouse has a capacity
of 2,000. The parking capacity is 15,000 vehicles.
Its record handle was $2,817,966, achieved on 16 September 2000. The
largest attendance ever recorded at Balmoral Park was on 4 February
1990 when 11,494 people showed up for the races.
History of Balmoral Park
In 1925, Col. Matt J. Winn, manager of Churchill Downs, and his business
associates at the Kentucky Jockey Club bought 1,050 acres of land
just south of Crete, Illinois and built a 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 and spring-fed lakes were built in the infield.
Lincoln Fields became a busy thoroughbred racing facility from 1926
until 1942 when it was shut down due to World War II restrictions.
From that year up to 1953, race meetings were moved to Hawthorne and
nearby Washington Park. Lincoln Fields sprang back to life in 1954
when thoroughbred racing commenced.
 In
1955, Benjamin Lindheimer, head of horse racing at Washington Park
since 1935 and Arlington Park since 1940, put together the Balmoral
Jockey Club which purchased Lincoln Fields. The name of the racetrack
was changed to Balmoral Park. Balmoral's thoroughbred meetings were
run at Washington Park from 1955-1963. Balmoral Park's thoroughbred
track was converted to a half-mile track for harness racing in 1967.
It has since then been primarily a harness racing venue, with thoroughbred
racing being held intermittently throughout the years. The one-mile
track was added in 1989. Balmoral Park finally became exclusively
a harness racing facility in 1991 after the Illinois Racing Board
took away its thoroughbred dates.
Special harness racing Stakes held at Balmoral Park
Balmoral Park has regularly played host to special harness racing
stakes with significance throughout both the Midwest and the state
of Illinois. Among the more prominent ones held at the Park are:
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 The
Crete Trotting Series
Champion
On Ice Trotting Series
The
Big Dog Pacing Series
Plesac
Trotting Series
Pacific
Racing Series
Columbian
Trot
American-Nationals
Hanover
Stakes
Midwest
Derby
Fairy
Godmother |
Ready
To Wager? |
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