The labor intensive and time consuming task of converting Hawthorne Race Course from the thick blanket of dirt to the firmer crushed limestone to conduct harness racing immediately after racing concluded on January 2nd.

Jim Miller, Hawthorne track analyst and fill in track announcer, tweeted this photo shortly after final post yesterday.

Hawthorne’s harness meet will begin on January 8th and continue five days a week, Wednesday through Sunday, until February 6.  Post time for racing will be 7:20 PM Central Time.

Several late closer racing series will be conducted throughout the short winter meet for pacers and trotters including the $30,000+ Suburban Downs Pacing Series and the $28,500+ Dygert Trotting Series.

At the conclusion of the harness schedule, the track will be converted back over for the spring Thoroughbred meet which will be conducted from March 11 to April 30, 2016 and will include the Grade III Illinois Derby.  The track will again host harness racing throughout the summer from May 6 though September 25 and conduct it’s traditional fall/winter Thoroughbred meet beginning on October 7.