The actions followed an IRB decision to cancel the harness races scheduled for Jan. 3-4 for failure by Suburban Downs to submit $500,000 in required surety bonds. Tony Somone, executive director of the Illinois Harness Horsemen’s Association, told the IRB his office had been contact by 66 individuals who had a total of $580,000 in bounced checks—and he said there could be more. There also was about $423,000 in stakes payments made by Illinois harness horsemen. The Thoroughbred meet at Hawthorne is scheduled to begin late March. Illinois Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association President Chris Block said it would be “catastrophic” if the situation with the Standardbred meet carried over to the Thoroughbred meet given the fact horsemen already committed to come to Chicagoland.