The inaugural running of the race took place at Hawthorne in 1923 and was won by In Memoriam, the 3-year-old champion with Zev that year.
Before 2000, the race was run between the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes thus competing with the second leg of the Triple Crown for good runners.
War Emblem went on to become a "Dual Classic Winner" by winning the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes.
War Emblem helped elevate the prestige of the Illinois Derby by displaying that a race winner could go on to even bigger glory.
In 1997, at Sportsman's Park, Wild Rush set the record for the fastest time in the Illinois Derby at 1:47.51.