The Mother’s Day three-day weekend season opener of Arlington International Racecourse drew 60,000 people, with Sunday bringing out a banner crowd in Arlington Heights.
“Well, Mother Nature took care of us today,” said Tony Petrillo of Arlington International general manager.
“It’s a tradition; Mother’s Day has always been one of our largest days,” said Richard L. “Dick” Duchossois, chairman of Arlington International.
“It’s a wonderful feeling to see the families out there,” Duchossois said.
Folks enjoyed picnics on the lawn, many bringing homemade Mother’s Day heirloom dishes such as fried chicken or signature salads. Or, they could dine on park fare while checking out the race action with exotic animal racing, such as zebras, offering entertainment.
An estimated 5,000 long-stemmed Mother’s Day red roses were presented to ladies of all ages Sunday.
“I love horses, this is my first time here,” said Elizabeth Paczosa of Gurnee, who brought her daughter, McKenzie, 2.
Jockey Mitchell Murrill of Arlington Heights and of Mobile, Ala., presented a rose to McKenzie’s mother and then to McKenzie with her mother’s approval.
While crowds of spectators enjoyed opening weekend at Arlington, many likely never realized how close the season came to not even starting as scheduled. Only days earlier, at the end of April, the track and the Illinois Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association reached an agreement on a new contract, allowing the season to start as planned. Some 1,700 horses were moved in at the track between April 29 and May 6.
Karie Angell Luc is a freelance photographer and reporter for Pioneer Press.
