The Harsas are on the Track!
Existing since 1925 Fairmount Park was envisioned as a mini Churchill Downs. Built across the river from St. Louis it is the only non Chicago area track in existence in Illinois. It once split seasons with neighboring Cahokia Downs starting in 1954, it also had hosted a harness meet for many years. Both Cahokia and the sulkys are gone as Fairmont Park fights to survive, competing against riverboat casinos across the Mississippi River in Missouri.
There are many things that make each track unique or a certain thing that sticks in your head, at Fairmount Park it was how the announcer pronounced horses as harsas when they entered the track. Fairmont Park was listed as a purse value of 4 and has probably gone down in recent years. Fairmount Park was the first mile track to run under the lights back in 1947. In 1974 Fairmount Park joined the list of Illinois tracks that were destroyed by fire.
In 2011 Fairmount Park continued to run live racing and simulcasting with still no sign of racinos being legalized in Illinois. More good news Fairmount Park has announced it will be back in 2012.
Racing returned in 2012, and maybe some good news as legislators in Illinois seem ready to approve Racino style wagering. Back on the track Rafael Hernandez was atop the jockeys standings.
Fairmount Park is planning for a casino and sports wagering, but it looks like that's not going to be available until the 2021 season. The 2020 season got underway early with Hawthorne Race Course cancelling their spring meet. The early start didn't matter as the COVID-19 epidemic shut the track down soon after it opened.