US Racing Track Guide: Hawthorne

Betfair now offers Exchange markets on a whole host of tracks in the United States. In his latest in-depth guide, US racing handicapper Dean Keppler takes a look at Hawthorne...

Hawthorne Race Course

Track Website

What kind of racecourse is it?

• The track has a one-mile dirt oval and a seven-furlong turf oval. The main track home stretch is 1,320 feet, the second longest in the country behind Los Alamitos.

Tell me something I don't know about this track

• Hawthorne Racecourse is the oldest family owned, continually run, racetrack in North America. Edward Corrigan built Hawthorne Race Course and was one of the most powerful and controversial figures of the turf in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. By the 1890s, he owned or leased more than 100 Thoroughbreds. His bay colt Riley won the 1890 Kentucky Derby.

When do they race?

(Thoroughbreds) Mainly Wednesday through Saturday afternoons October Through December & March and April - starting at 20:20 p.m. GMT. (Harness) Mainly May Through September ¬¬-- starting at 1:35 a.m. GMT

Best Ever Race

Hawthorne Race #8 October 23, 2008. In one of the most exciting non-stakes races in Hawthorne history, Donnaguska, a first time starter, who was trained by Joe Woodard and ridden by Israel Ocampo came from almost 25 lengths behind at the top of the stretch to win. She ran the final quarter-mile in an estimated 0:21:20 to win the race.

Most Popular Jockeys

Santo, Sanjur
Felix, Julio E.
Perez, Edgar
Most Popular Trainers
Becker, Scott
Manley, Steve
Reavis, Michael L.

How to find winners at Hawthorne.... Despite the long stretch, speed horses on the rail in sprint races are at a clear-cut advantage. Trainer Roger Brueggemann's horses get a leg up at nearby Arlington Park and Indiana Downs, but do exceptionally well when shipping into Hawthorne. Anthony Mitchell is deadly on the Hawthorne turf course winning nearly 30% of all his starts over the green.

Draw Positions

Post 1 and the rail in sprint races has been the place to be in recent meets at Hawthorne racecourse winning close to 25% of the assigned races. Posts four through seven have done well in sprints, too, all averaging over an 11% win clip. In distance races, there's been no clearly established draw bias and each post has an equal chance. On the turf course post one and two have done well as has post four through six. The outside (post seven through 12) are not the best draw positions on the grass and should be avoided.

Running Styles

In five-and-a-half and six-furlong races on the main dirt track early speed types on the rail do remarkably well. Closers or horses that traditionally come from behind can win at 1 Mile 70 yard carded races from a variety of post positions. In both turf sprint and routes, horses that have good early speed or can press the pace have the best advantage.

When betting Hawthorne look out for...

Speed horses breaking from the rail in sprint races. The jockey/trainer combos of Carlos Marquez Jr./Steve Manley and Sebastian Saez and Larry Rivelli are potent. Trainer Michael Reavis does extremely well with new barn purchases. His first, second, third and even fourth off the claim runners win at a high percentage and should be followed especially when combined with a class, surface, equipment or jockey change. Trainer Scott Becker does well with layoff runners and when teamed up with owner William Stiritz.