The most radically different Chicago thoroughbred season in 22 years begins Monday in the conventional way–at Sportsman`s Park.
The reason for the difference: Arlington Park, traditionally the Midwest`s premier track, has not been rebuilt following the fire last July 31. The 1986 Arlington meeting will be limited to a two-week ”Festival of Thoroughbred Racing” in a country fair setting in late summer.
The one similarity between this year`s schedule and last: Sportsman`s meeting is Feb. 24 to May 26. After the Sportsman`s meeting, Hawthorne will take over the prime-time slot that formerly was Arlington`s domain. Hawthorne`s meeting, which runs until Oct. 11, will recess for Arlington`s Aug. 18-Sept. 1 festival.
Balmoral, a satellite track since resuming thoroughbred racing in the mid-1970s, will conclude the Chicago season with an Oct. 1-Dec. 20 meeting.
The last time Chicago had a thoroughbred schedule that broke this much with tradition was in 1964, when Marje Everett transplanted Washington Park`s traditional summer meeting to Arlington.
Sportsman`s usually serves as Chicago thoroughbred racing`s leadoff track. The maiden and claiming race pots are hefty, and the stakes schedule is unrivaled by any five-eighths mile track in North America.
Three of Sportsman`s stakes again have prestigious Grade III classification: the National Jockey Club for older horses on May 3, the Sixty Sails for fillies and mares on May 24 and the $275,000-added Illinois Derby for 3-year-olds on May 26.
All 13 of the other stakes are $50,000-added affairs, the first of which will be Saturday`s Color Me Blue for 3-year-old fillies.
Racing secretary Tommy Scott reports the addition of two new stables:
Trainer Carl Nafzger is opening a 15-horse branch office and Bert Sonnier is sending in nine horses. Both were among Arlington`s top trainers.
Stormy Bidwill, president of thoroughbred racing at Sportsman`s, is giving bettors who like gimmicks several options.
There will be daily doubles on both the first and second and the seventh and eighth races. There will be quinellas and perfectas on the second, fourth, fifth, sixth and ninth, and trifectas on the third and seventh. All gimmick bets will be $2.
There will also be a discount season-ticket plan for senior citizens. Customers over 65 who have season tickets will be admitted daily for $1. Men and women who are 65 or older have two more days in which to apply for season tickets, Monday and Tuesday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. They must bring proof of age to the track.
