Today, Benjamin Harrison is long gone, we have 50 states, and Chicagoland's last and oldest horse race track is closed. For 135 years, Hawthorne Race Course in Stickney wasn't just a place to bet on horses. The track also became unique in American racing by hosting both thoroughbred and standardbred (harness) racing. Hawthorne's closure leaves Illinois with just one active horse racing venue, Fairmount Park Racetrack, near St. Louis. For a state that once boasted several major tracks, including Arlington Park, Sportsman's Park, Washington Park, and Balmoral Park, that's a pretty remarkable change.