Richard L. Duchossois

Richard Louis Duchossois (; October 7, 1921 – January 28, 2022) was an American businessman and racehorse owner. He was the founder and chairman of The Duchossois Group, Inc., a family-owned company headquartered in Elmhurst, Illinois that had ownership stakes in Arlington Park and Churchill Downs race tracks, and did rail car and defense manufacturing.

Early life and education Duchossois was the son of Ernestine (Hoessler) and Alphonse Duchossois. He graduated from Morgan Park Military Academy and attended Washington and Lee University, before starting active military service during World War II.

Military career He served in five European campaigns, including Normandy where he was a commander with the 610th Tank Destroyer Battalion of the United States Army. He received a Purple Heart for his injuries in combat at the Moselle River.

In 1983, as Chairman of renamed Duchossois Industries (DII), he purchased Arlington Park Race Track.

He also owned Des Moines TV Station KDSM-TV (formerly KCBR-TV) from 1983 to 1991.

He served as a director of TCMC, Inc., the Emirates World Series of Racing, and the Thoroughbred Racing Association.

The Chamberlain Group was divested to Blackstone Inc in 2021.

Personal life and death He married his high school sweetheart, Beverly Thrall.

Awards and honors He received a Purple Heart and two Bronze Stars for his military service in World War II.

His awards include the 1986 American Jockey Club's Gold Medal, the 1988 Special Sovereign Award from the Jockey Club of Canada, and Lord Derby Award from the Horserace Writers and Reporters Association of Great Britain, the Joe Palmer Award for Meritorious Service to Racing from the National Turf Writers Association, the 2003 Eclipse Award of Merit, and in 2019 inducted into the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame. That same year, Duchossois was voted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame as one of its esteemed Pillars of the Turf.

He received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Washington and Lee. In 2015, Washington and Lee University honored him with the Washington Award.