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EAGER EOE, OPENING DAY KEEN INTEREST DISPLAYED AT SPOKANE IN NEW RACING VENTURE. 1 Horsemen Now on Ground Satisfied That New Course Near Couer dAlcnc Will be Among Best in West Prospects for Meeting Excellent. Spokane. Wash., August 23. More than 100 horses are already occupying quarters at the new track of the Couer dAleue Fair and Racing Association at Alan, Idaho, in preparation for the inaugural meeting at that place, scheduled to open on Monday. September 11. Considerable accessions are expected before the week" is over from Seattle and Butte. A special horse train will be run from Anaconda when racing ends at that place September 0. Many horses are being worked over the new track daily. Horsemen now quartered there predict that the track will be one of the best to race over that the west nivides. The clay and sand top dressing, with the perfect sub-drainage system that has been installed, produces ideal conditions. The sand that is in the dressing absorbs water quickly and the drainage is so perfect that so good a judge as W. I. Maxwell, the veteran trainer of the Missouri Stable, predicts that it will be a common thing to run a mile in 1:40 one hour after a heavy downpour of rain. Mr. Maxwell bases his predictions on observations made since his arrival here from Vancouver. The entire plant is virtually completed, the finishing touches now being in progress. The betting ring, which is located beneath tho grandstand, has been equipped with a concrete lloor extending to the track itself. That part of the enclosure between the grandstand and paddock has also been surfaced with concrete. Reservations have been received for more than 000 horses and assurances liavc been given that virtually all the bookmakers and race followers who have been participating in the sport at Butte will come here at the conclusion of tho Anaconda meeting. Great interest Is being taken locally in tho venture and opening day is being eagerly awaited by the public in general. According to report, . Post Talis and Coeur dAlene ft are already beginning to feci a beneficial financial L uffccCof the meeting,, with, cottages and rooms in great demand. Idaho business men are taking such a keen Interest in the meeting that delegations from the Coeur dAlene Commercial Club and the Post Falls Chamber of Commerce made an inspection of the track a day or two ago. Associate Judge and Handicapper Frank St. D. Skinner is busy preparing the program for the opening week, which will include a 00 handicap and two ,000 stakes. Mr. Skinner is at Butte and is in close touch with the 400 horses which will journey from Montana to Idaho. Robert Hurst, a useful two-year-old, owned by G. W. Van Gorden, died here a tew days ago.
