Hawthorne employees test Great Bull Run

CICERO (WLS) -- On Saturday, 6,000 people will participate in The Great Bull Run at Hawthorne Racetrack.

The 40 bulls, who weigh about 1,500-pounds each, run at a clip of 35 miles per hour.

"The people are only going to run about 100 feet or so. It's kind of a misconception here in the U.S. that it's a big run and everybody runs with the bulls from one end to the other. The bulls run, the people kind of get out of the way," Rob Dickens, co-founder of The Great Bull Run, said.

It's the first time the event has come to Chicago and only the eighth time the American version of the world renowned Running of the Bulls in Spain has been held.

The Great Bull Run comes just days after a Chicagoan was gored during the running of the bulls in Pamplona, Spain. Organizers here say the horns aren't sharpened, so a goring is less likely. But there are still risks.

"The injuries we get are people getting run over, or people getting rammed. So we've had a broken pelvis, broken arm, concussions, scrapes... We've had a guy with a hoof print right on his head," Rob Dickens said.

Paramedics will be on standby.

On Friday, employees at Hawthorne participated in a test run.

"It's the thrill of it. It's once in a lifetime deal. I'm never going to get to Spain to do it. They brought it right here to Chicago. We're lucky to host it here," Christina Vitone said.

Online reservations are sold out but tickets will still be available at the gates Saturday from 11 to 1:30 p.m.