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GREAT CROWD EXPECTED AT LATONIA. The Decision of the Merchants Stakes the Principal Magnet for the Occasion. Latonia. Ky.. June 22.— r Another of Latonias old and established stakes will be run tomorrow, the Merchants- Stakes, with , .".00 added, at one mile for three -year olds and over and. although it is run under selling coiidil i..ns. it has alaraja brought out a field of horses which have frequently contested in handicaps. This Tear the stake closed with aiaet] two aosalaatieaa, which will give it ■ net value in excess of 32,888. The Merchants Stakes was first run in lss4. the year after the Latonia track was opened and from that time until 1880 inclusive, with the ex-ceptloa of 1888 it was run twice a fear ami its distance was at one mile and au eighth with a few exceptions, when it was made one and onc- qaarter settee. Then it was reduced to a mile, hut upon several occasions it again was shifted to one aiid one eighth and one and one quarter miles. It was discontinued from ls 7 to P.Hll and when it was re lived again in 1002 it was made a mile, at which distance it has remained. Lady Botha accounted for the Merchants Stakes last year and previous to that Major Thomas C. McDowells g 1 Ogdeu Star Cat mare Star Jasmine won it two years in a row. During the Bast ten years it has been inn in better than 1:10 no less than seven times and upon four occasions it was run iu better than 1:30. Rcnanct. which was owned by E. R. Bradley, holds the record for this stake, she having won it in 1013 and, iu so doing, she ran tiie mile iu 1:38. There are only two selling stakes on Latonias rost.r. the Me reheats and the Vnlunthn. tin- latter for taw-year olds at five ami a half furlongs and it will be run on Monday. Ceneral Manager John 11. llachim ister is making arrangements to entertain another enormous half-holiday crowd, as the low rates offered by the rari us railroads in this section on stake days, draw many out of-towu turf followers to tin- Mill-dale coarse. Thus far at Latonia the attendance, not only on stake days, but every day. has shown an Uteres ••■ over the corresponding day last year and the volume of speculation has shown an increase accordingly.
