The below report from NBC Chicago focuses on Hawthorne Race Course’s ongoing financial problems (e.g., bounced checks) and, relatedly, its failure to build a racino years after one was first approved by the state. Obviously, the racing people are growing increasingly desperate (because without taxpayer-subsidization in the form of casino gaming Illinois racing – especially the harness variety – will surely disappear). While watching, however, I’d like you to pay particular attention to the “third-generation horseman” the station interviewed (the second interview in the piece):
“You can imagine to have a place for 50 years and having to decide on the spot right now that you’re going to have to go somewhere else or sell all your horses.”
Does your heart ache for this man? Well. This man is one Casey Leonard, and here is a post of ours on him in 2024:
“Casey Leonard is hereby issued a civil penalty of $400 for causing visible injury with the whip (welts) while driving the horse Bombay Parkway at Hawthorne on Dec 18. This constitutes the second whipping violation of the meet for Leonard.” When was the first left-welts “violation” for Leonard? 15 days prior: “Driver Casey Leonard is hereby issued a civil penalty of $200 for causing visible injury with the whip (welts) while driving the horse Mazin Blazin.” Yes, that’s right, this piece of scum whipped-to-welts twice, at the same track, in two weeks – and is not even suspended.
Here’s to your three-generation “business” going bankrupt, Mr. Leonard, and with it, a fervent hope that your “relationship” with horses is forever ended.
Hawthorne was granted the authority to build a racino in 2019. Nothing has happened since. The Carey family has owned Hawthorne through 4 generations but apparently can’t get either banks to lend them money or partners willing to invest but still allow the family to run the track. It seems to be over for the family one way or another.
Maywood Park seemed to be the more stable harness track running almost all year round, but it went bankrupt in 2015 and practically no one in Chicago took notice at the time. The land is now at least partly used for — you guessed it, an Amazon distribution center.
When the drivers at Hawthorne are fined for whip violations, the money goes to the Illinois Racing Board. This money could be distributed in different ways and one of the ways is being added to the purse money. The way I see it, being fined whatever amount of money by the racing stewards just perpetuates this abusive exploitation of horses for racing and gambling. It is a cycle that really does not stop the abuse at all.
We once in the mid 1980`s hauled horses to Woodstock Illinois & thought of relocating to the area. Even way back then we could see the equine industry going to have future economic problems with all the weather related costs. That man`s barn is the WORST barn we have ever seen for horses to stay in!! End all subsidies everywhere! Those poor horses having such abysmal living conditions! Elizabeth we agree 100% with what you have written. That man should have disciplined by the horses he left welts on! We have taught many horses of several breeds to be ridden & NEVER used a whip or heavy stock saddle to teach them to be ridden. We have a Thoroughbred herd who would administer discipline quickly & severely if they were ever whipped causing welts. Appreciate the videos. Nothing beats seeing how these people obscure & hide the facts.
Seeing the horses locked up in a dark stable and held there like prisoners is depressing!!!!! It is part of the abuse that has been “normalized”. It is not healthy for the horses to be kept confined in a dark dank area. It goes completely against the nature of horses and what they need for optimum health and well-being.
This man, Casey Leonard, is completely oblivious to this fact and obviously couldn’t care less what’s best for the horses. He has no empathy for his victims.
Thank you, Elizabeth, for articulating the point so well!!!!!
Does this man seriously expect sympathy from the public while he is scamming people by writing bad checks AND while he perpetrates, promotes, and perpetuates abuse, brutality, and cruelty against the horses?
He uses the horses as tools for his own perverted pleasure while the horses suffer and are eventually discarded with a complete lack of empathy by this man and his family and associates.
What kind of a society are we if we throw money/ subsidies at this Animal Cruelty in the form of horseracing?
What kind of a society supports sociopathic greed by supporting horse racing and Pari-mutuel gambling that is inherently inhumane to the core?
Sociopaths as well as psychopaths should seriously be locked up and studied by the mental health community of professional psychologists.
It’s hard to summon sympathy when the man being held up as a victim is also someone who repeatedly beats horses badly enough to leave visible welts twice in two weeks and faced nothing more than pocket-change fines. That’s not “love of the sport” or “three generations of tradition.” That’s abuse being normalized and protected by a corrupt system.
The real tragedy here isn’t that Hawthorne might close or that some participants might have to move on. The tragedy is that for decades this industry has survived by exploiting animals, demanding public subsidies, and then playing the victim when the money dries up. The NBC piece frames this as a story about livelihoods. It should be framed as a story about accountability. Mr. Leonard’s “relationship” with horses, one that involves whipping them until they’re visibly injured, is exactly what’s wrong with this industry. The fact that he wasn’t even suspended tells you everything you need to know about how broken the system is. So no, my heart doesn’t ache for him. My heart aches for the horses who don’t get a choice, who take the hits, and who are discarded when they’re no longer profitable. If this “three-generation business” is finally collapsing under the weight of its own cruelty and dependence on handouts, that’s not a tragedy. That’s long-overdue consequences.
Sympathy? Not one iota. In fact, turn the last line of your post into a prayer.