Arlington Park, famous horse racing track in Chicago
Chicago the biggest city of the most popular state Illinois, in United States of America, is famous among the horse racing sport lovers, because of the Arlington Park.
This popular race track is situated in the Chicago suburbs, of Arlington Heights, near the Illinois Route 53.
In 1830’s this was the only sport well known in Chicago city, there was no other area in the city that brought attraction for the citizens, apart from horse racing tracks. At that time the city had six racing tracks.
In 1981, Arlington Racing track was the first one to introduce a $1million purse in the thoroughbred races.
The track is owned by Churchill Downs Incorporated, a famous company which owns quite a lot of standard bred and thoroughbred race tracks.
This famous racetrack was initiated by a business man Harry D. Curly Brown from Chicago. He was later made the president of the Oriental Park Race track in Havana, Cuba.
The first time Arlington Park was opened for the spectators was on the 13th October, 1927.
The race made jockey Joe Bollero the winner. The victorious jockey’s stallion, Luxembourg, gave a hit with a tremendous performance.
In 1940 the control of the park was in Benjamin F. Lindheimer’s hands, who owned the race track.
In 1955, match race was introduced by him in which two champion had a head to head competition, one was the famous Preakness and Belmont Stakes' winner, Nashua and the Kentucky Derby winner Swaps.
Benjamin passed away in 1960, so his adopted daughter, Marjorie Lindheimer Everett, who was involved in the business with her father for a long time, took the control.
Although the financial conditions of the track went worse after Benjamin’s death, his daughter managed really well and saved the property.
Arlington Park has the honour of being the first racing track which introduced an electronic amplification system with a mixer, amplifier and loudspeakers in 1933.
Clem McCarthy was the first sportscaster at Arlington Park, this technology helped in registering bets and dividing the total among the winners, it also assisted in decreasing the time which was wasted while starting the next race.
The taste of technology didn’t end here it continued, when in 1936 a photo finisher camera was introduced.
Then in 1940, the very first electric gate was made known, after twenty seven years the largest closed circuit television was introduced.
In 1981, Arlington was the first race track which scheduled a race which had a purse of $ 1 million, the name of the race is Arlington Million.
Jockey Bill Shoemaker’s John Henry gave a hit with his out class performance and won the purse of $ 1 million.
After few years Richard L. Duchossois purchased the property, the new owner promised that he will take good care of the property, but he couldn’t keep his oath when on the 31st of July, 1985, a fire was spread and destroyed the club house and
grandstand.
After this tragedy, the prestigious event, Arlington Million was again held on the 25th of August, 1985, with temporary grandstand.
Later on in 1989 the track was fully opened.
In September 2000, Churchill Downs Incorporated purchased the track completely. Later on in 2002, Breeder’s Cup World Thoroughbred Championship was held at Arlington Park.
This park is also famous due to the fact that Lee Dewyze, a renowned participant of American Idol performed in a concert here, on the 14th
0f May, 2010, approximately 41,000 fans were there to enjoy his performance.
One year later on the same day, Haley Reinhart who was in the top three finalists, also performed in the concert.
Now in present time there are numerous of events which take place in this park, along with the Arlington Million, Beverly D.Stakes and Secretariat Stakes are the Grade 1 races which are scheduled here.
Grade 2 American Derby is held here and the 13 Grade 3 race are scheduled for the viewers, Arlington Classic Stakes, Arlington Handicap, Arlington Matron Handicap, Arlington Oaks, Arlington-Washington Futurity Stakes and Arlington-Washington Lassie Stakes
are few Grade 3 races that takes place on this track.
The most notable races held in this park are Grade 1 Arlington Million, Grade 1 Beverly D. Stakes, Grade 1 Secretariat Stakes and Grade 2 American Derby.
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