Hawthorne Race Course

Hawthorne Race Course has run horses on Laramie Avenue since 1891, which the track says makes Hawthorne the oldest sporting venue in Illinois. The fourth-generation family business bills itself as Chicago’s hometown track and has hosted both thoroughbred and standardbred racing, along with a sportsbook on site and off-track betting bars across the suburbs. The grandstand sits at 3501 S Laramie Ave, on the line between Cicero and Stickney, a few blocks south of the Pink Line’s 54th/Cermak terminal. The 2026 thoroughbred season opened April 19 and runs through November 1, with live racing on Sundays and Thursdays, per Horse Racing Nation.

What to know

• The track was founded in 1891 and is owned by the fourth generation of the same family.
• Live thoroughbred racing in 2026 runs Sundays and Thursdays through November 1, per Horse Racing Nation.
• Horse Racing Nation reported in April 2026 that the track was operating under federal bankruptcy protection and that the Illinois Racing Board suspended its harness license in January 2026.
• A sportsbook operates at the track, and Hawthorne runs off-track betting bars in Crestwood, Prospect Heights and Villa Park.
• The track’s own contact page lists the address as Stickney; the ZIP code 60804 is shared with Cicero.