O’Donnell: Four years after Duchossois, Chicago racing needs a miracle — Bears too
DICK DUCHOSSOIS DIED FOUR YEARS AGO this week at age 100.
It wasn't a foregone conclusion that he'd take Arlington Park with him. But he did.
The frozen, empty acres at Euclid and Wilke now speak to the growing disparity in the competencies of the football side of the Bears (laudable) and the team's business end (inert).
But few would have predicted that Duchossois' earthly departure would also presage an era when all horse racing in the Chicago area would gallop along the edge of extinction.
THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING ON as West suburban Hawthorne Race Course continues to limp toward a finished line.
At a melodramatic meeting of the Illinois Racing Board Wednesday, Hawthorne representatives offered no defense after the track's license to complete its winter harness meet was yanked over ongoing failures to pay obligations to horsemen and others.
Left twisting in the wind was whether Hawthorne president Tim Carey and associates can right their financial slip in time to open a spring-summer thoroughbred meeting on March 29.
If they don't, live horse racing in Chicago — one of the most rabid gambling markets on the planet — will be dead.
CAREY WAS A NO-SHOW at the IRB session. Sacrificial staffers John Walsh and Jim Miller appeared.
Walsh told commissioners that Hawthorne is working “with a new partner” to regain financial traction.
Chris Block, president of the Illinois Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, expressed skepticism, telling the Daily Herald:
“We'd love to believe that a solution is at hand, but how can we? We spent years working and lobbying for legislation to enable the Chicago tracks to get casino licenses. Once we did (in 2019), look what happened — Churchill Downs (Inc.) closed Arlington and Hawthorne never finished building its casino.
“We're left in the lurch at the worst possible time. The track surface should be 'flipped' from harness to thoroughbred no later than Feb. 20 so that we can begin training and give our clients assurances about a stable meet at Hawthorne.
“Instead, we're in a very bad spot.”
THE HAWTHORNE FIASCO is a departure in business practices by the Careys, a family now encompassing six generations. The clan began oversight of the Stickney spa in the 1920s.
When Arlington was shuttered in 2021, Hawthorne was expected to flourish, especially as the only “racino” in Chicago and suburbs.
INSTEAD, THE TRACK HAS steadily sloped downward. A bank that had been extending credit reportedly cut the tab at $15M late last year and will now front only utilities and salaries of a skeletal staff.
Potential partners and purchasers have been circling. But Tim Carey has been returning few inquiries.
ONE GROUP WAS HEADED by Mike Repole, the New York-based “vitamin water” billionaire. He's prominent in both thoroughbred circles and as the principal NIL benefactor of Rick Pitino's try at a men's basketball revival with St. John's.
Repole wanted to reframe the Hawthorne operation along the lines of Parx, the suburban Philadelphia racino. There, 95% of horse racing costs are generated by the casino and 5% from live racing. Faced with obstacles in Illinois, Repole backed off.
SAID BLOCK: “Prior to Wednesday's meeting, I'd say the chances of us racing thoroughbreds at Hawthorne this year were about 30%. Now, again extending some degree of good faith, I'd put it at 50-50.
“Neither number is really all that encouraging.”
SOMEWHERE, DICK DUCHOSSOIS is watching.
And undoubtedly not adverse to being remembered as the majestic baron responsible for the last golden age of horse racing in Chicago.
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SCOTT TOLZIEN IS IN THE MIDST of an active week.
The Fremd High grad ('06) served as offensive coordinator for the American team in Saturday's Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, a high-profile NFL showcase.
(Among those under his guidance was Illinois QB Luke Altmyer.)
From there, Tolzien, 38, was to fly to Pittsburgh to interviews for the OC job in the fresh regime of Mike McCarthy, the new Steelers head coach.
MCCARTHY HAS BEEN A PATRON of Tolzien's career since the former Wisconsin quarterback served as one of Aaron Rodgers' backups with the Packers (2013-15).
McCarthy was HC in Green Bay from 2006-18, including a 31-25 victory in Super Bowl 45 over Pittsburgh.
After that, when McCarthy took over the Cowboys, he hired Tolzien as an offensive assistant (2020-22) before promoting him to QB coach (2023-24).
Tolzien spent the past season as quarterbacks coach of the Saints.
ON SATURDAY, HIS DUTIES at the Senior Bowl precluded him from attending the funeral of his grandmother — Mrs. Marie Pope — who died at age 109 Tuesday.
Services for Mrs. Pope — “the tennis and beer pong queen,” according to daughter Ginny, Scott's mom — were scheduled at St. Thomas Becket Church in Mount Prospect.
Jim O'Donnell's Sports and Media column appears each week on Sunday and Wednesday. Reach him at jimodonnelldh@yahoo.com. All communications may be considered for publication.