Illinois Derby highlights Hawthorne meet

The National Jockey Club begins its 2006 meet at Hawthorne Race Course on

Friday. The 49-day meet continues through May 2. Wednesdays and Thursdays will

be dark along with April 16, Easter Sunday. Post time is 1:10 p.m. (CT).

The 49th running of the $500,000 Illinois Derby (G2) on April 8 highlights

the stakes schedule, which is worth approximately $1.8 million. Recent winners

of the nine-furlong event include War Emblem (2002), who went on to capture the

Kentucky Derby (G1) and Preakness S. (G1); Ten Most Wanted (2003), who finished

a fast-closing second in the Belmont S. (G1) before scoring in the Travers S.

(G1) at Saratoga; and Pollard's Vision (2004), who returned to win the National

Jockey Club H. (G3) last year.

On the same day as the Illinois Derby, a pair of $100,000 six-furlong sprints

for three-year-olds will be carded -- the Lost Code Breeders' Cup S. and the

Meafara Breeders' Cup S. for fillies.

This year the Illinois Derby will be included in the Magna Pick 5 and

televised on ABC.

Other important races are the $250,000 National Jockey Club H. (G3) as well

as its filly and mare counterpart, the $250,000 Sixty Sails H. (G3). Both races will be

decided at nine furlongs on April 22. Illinois Day, which features six $100,000 stakes races for state-breds, is

set for April 29.

Most of the top 10 riders from last season will be returning, including Chris

Emigh and Shane Laviolette, who battled for top honors until the final day.

Grant Hofmans, a prominent Kentucky trainer, will have a string of horses

stabled at Hawthorne for the first time.