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• HAWTHORNE NEXT. The well patronized and well conducted two weeks meeting at Lakeside having terminated, the scene of local racing shifts to Hawthorne, where two weeks of high-class sport seems assured. Many improvements have been made at Hawthorne this spring, over 0,000 having been expended on the grounds and buildings. The track has been worked over until it is in fine racing shape, the infield has been put in good condition for steeplechasing, which is to be a feature of the Hawthorne programs, and the buildings have been thoroughly repaired and repainted. As it stands today the course is one of the handsomest in America. As previously announced, the betting ring ■ will be open, arrangements having been made , to lease the privileges to bookmakers at 00 1 per day each, irrespective of membership in the i Western Turf Association. This does away ■ with any chance of a syndicate book, and will insure more liberal prices for the betting public. No discrimination will be made against Western Turf Association men, but they will be ; treated with as individuals and not as a body, , should any of them desire to draw in for business. Most of the booking, however, will probably ■ be done by new men, some twenty pen-cillers . , who have been operating in the East and South having applied for the right to lay odds 5 on the races. The crusade against touts and tipsters is also attracting wide attention, as it is the first time i a concerted effort has ever been made in this 3 direction by the racetrack officials and the railways. If the plans of the Chicago Jockey Club are carried out, and Manager McEvoy says 5 they will be if it takes every man Pinkerton can i supply, the touts will be driven from Hawthorne. Charley Hughes sent his horses to Hawthorne J yesterday in charge of his foreman, he staying ? at Cincinnati himself with Lieutenant Gibson ! who is to start in the Latonia Derby Monday. ■ Immediately after the Derby is run Gibson will 1 be shipped to Chicago and will reach Hawthorne early Tuesday morning in time to get a rest before starting in the Turf Congress Handicap on Wednesday. As the handicap is worth , ,000 this year it is too big a prize to miss. Another big bit of turf news developed yesterday - when the Hawthorne management received 1 notice from Trainer McDaniels, who handles George Bennetts horses, that he would ship the 6 string, including Miss Bennett, to Hawthorne - this week. This makes it almost certain that 1 the two greatest fillies of the year will be seen n here in a race, as Sofala is heavily engaged and d will be sent to Hawthorne by Barney Schreiber. . • An effort is to be made to get rid of poor r horses by weeding out the entry lists. Twelve e horses will be the limit in all races at Hawthorne - . this summer, except in stake events. i. If more than twelve are named in a purse race e Secretary Letcher will throw out the "dogs" and allow only the best of the lot to start. Local transportation lines have arranged for ir an increase in the special train service to the track, and through express trains will be run n on the Illinois Central and Burlington, the e Metropolitan and Lake street "Ls" and the e connecting trolley lines.
