I liked SPK in both ways. The 5/8 bull ring was always fun for the thoroughbreds.

Spencer had a drinking problem and his career was basically over when he chose to ride a horse for 3 horse barn instead of keeping the mount on a Vanier horse. Vanier never used him again after that. Spencer did win that race.

only 4 days of racing at Springfield and I think 2 at DuQuoin

I am in the urination, puking, drunk, yelling zone.

I once jerked in a chicken truck, so I have that going for me.

Supposedly it shuts down around Oct 4 of this year and supposedly there already is a buyer in place to purchase the land.
Racing at Hawthorne next year

I am in the urination, puking, drunk, yelling zone.

I once jerked in a chicken truck, so I have that going for me.

JORR- Have you heard that Balmoral might be closing?

They already are switching to Friday live racing instead of Sunday, also heard that they might close at the end of the year. Lookin' for a new 2nd gig already.

Yeah, the rumor I've heard is early October. I think the dates hearing is within the next two weeks. It looks like the Hawthorne/Arlington plan may be adopted which would leave Balmoral with no dates for 2016.

I am in the urination, puking, drunk, yelling zone.

I once jerked in a chicken truck, so I have that going for me.

As far as I know from higher authorities, Balmoral will race until the end of the year and that Maywood is the track closing October 4th.

Maywood is for sure closing in October. In what will probably be the Johnston's last trick, they got the IRB lawyer to disallow Kathy Byrne's vote because she wasn't physically present in spite of the fact that many previous votes had been taken over the phone.

There are rumors that Balmoral will close down in October as well. The contract with the IHHA expires on October 4. If Hawthorne gets all the 2016 dates, either or both sides may just say "fuck it".

I am in the urination, puking, drunk, yelling zone.

I once jerked in a chicken truck, so I have that going for me.

It's sad what has become of Illinois racing. To see 8 races at Arlington is a joke. The purses in harness are comical as well. I can't see how the owners keep racing them and pay the bills with pursesunder 3K.

The victims are the American People and the Republic itself.

So horse racing will die all over the US then?

At today's Illinois Racing Board meeting, racing dates for 2016 were awarded. Hawthorne Racecourse was awarded all of the harness dates. Maywood/Balmoral was not granted any dates.

The schedule for harness horsemen will be as follows:
Racing five days a week (Wed-Sun) from Jan. 6 through Feb. 6. 24 days.
Racing five days a week (Wed-Sun) from May 6 through Sept. 25. 92 days.
Racing on Monday, July 4. 1 day.
128 total days if the state fairs do not race. 117 if they do.

I rarely troll.