| Arlington Park is located outside of Chicago Illinois in | | | | 1940, the race track was the first to use an electric |
| the suburb of Arlington Heights. The track first opened | | | | starting gate. The track also installed the second |
| for racing on October 13, 1927, with more than twenty | | | | largest closed circuit television in the entire sports world |
| thousand spectators on hand to watch the days | | | | in 1967. Arlington Park was also the first race track to |
| Thoroughbred races. Arlington Park has had many | | | | introduce trifecta wagering in 1971. |
| firsts throughout its long history. | | | | One of the largest milestones of the race track came |
| One of the most popular features at horse racing | | | | in 1981, when Arlington Park became the first race |
| tracks is the public address system that will give | | | | track to ever host a race with a purse of one million |
| spectators the chance to hear how their betting | | | | dollars. A horse by the name of John Henry won the |
| favorites are doing in the race, even when the horses | | | | coveted race and is immortalized in bronze at the top |
| are on the far side of the track and cannot be seen. | | | | of the Arlington Park saddling paddock. Through all of |
| Arlington Park was the first racetrack in the country to | | | | the innovations, the track also has faced great |
| install a public address system and the first to hire an | | | | adversity. |
| announcer to call the action of each race. | | | | On July 31, 1985, a fire quickly spread through the |
| Another first that was employed at Arlington Park | | | | grandstands of the race track, which completely |
| was the installation of an electronic totalizator. This | | | | destroyed the grandstands and the jockey's club; |
| allowed the track to use a creditable tote board and it | | | | however, the owners of the track ensured the |
| also decreased the amount of time between each | | | | horsemen that the Arlington Million would still be held at |
| race. This device was first installed in 1933. Just a few | | | | the track. On August 25, 1985, temporary bleachers |
| years later, in 1936, Arlington Park became the first | | | | were erected and the race was run. The track fully |
| race track to install a photo finish camera at the finish | | | | reopened in 1989 and even hosted the Breeders' Cup |
| line, which made it possible to easily determine the | | | | races in 2002. |
| winner of a race, regardless of the margin of victory. In | | | | |