A report by the Chicago Tribune explains that Illinois’ Hawthorne Race Course for thoroughbreds is in the unusual position of leading off horse racing season in the state due to the impasse between the Illinois Harness Horsemen's Association and the operators of Balmoral and Maywood Park.

As the article explains, the racing season will kick off tonight (Friday, Feb. 21) with a nine-dash card of live racing at Hawthorne.

The 2014 standardbred season in Illinois was scheduled to kick off two weeks ago, but the collective bargaining impasse between the IHHA and the track operators has delayed the opener.

The report states that the issue centres roughly $5 million in purses, which the track operators want to spread over the next two years. The IHHA has said that the purse account doesn’t generate enough to spread the $5 million over a two-year period.

Another issue that the IHHA is finding with the proposed two-year plan is that race dates for 2015 have yet to be determined.

IHHA President Dave McCaffrey stated Thursday (Feb. 20) that his organization has submitted a one-year proposal which would see a 10 per cent purse decrease for most of 2014.

(With files from the Chicago Tribune)