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DOUGLAS PARKS GREATEST MEETING Wonderful Seacon of Sport in Prospect, with the Kentucky Handicap as Principal Attraction. Louisville, Ky.. May 18.— The Kentucky racing season has now progressed to the ix.iiit where it is IKissible to declare with assurance that it will lie a record-breaker in all of its important aspects. The Lexington meeting set a new standard for patronage for that locality, lxith iu resect to the attendance and the volume of pari in nt ml speculation. And the showing which lias been made at Churchill Downs during the seven days of the mcet-_ ing that have become a matter of history, is simply wonderful. All previous records have been left far bchinl. And there is no reason to doubt that the same conditions will apply to the Douglas Park meeting, which is scheduled to open on Monday, May 27. and continue until and including Tuesday. June 11. As for L-itniiia. where there will lie twenty-six days of racing beginning June 14, following the dose of the IHuiglus Park meeting. It is on everybodys lips that there is no telling what records miiv be made there. It is agreed on all sides that tlie climax of the Kentucky season will be reached at Latonia. Thinking men who have the interest of the red-blooded sM rt of racing at heart, have never lieon so keenlv sensible of the beneficent effects of the Kentucky State Racing Commissions wist? policies iu carrying out the control of the sport vested in it by legislative mandate as just now. These iwlicies have instilled in the public a confidence in the integrity of the siiort. that is reflected in the wonderful gatherings that are featuring Kentucky mc ing this year. Those who patronise racing in Ken tucky. know that under the wise and far-reaching suiter vision of the racing commission, their interests are absolutely protected iu every vital way. And it is because of this confidence that the sport is thriv ing and expanding as it is today. No s|»ort hereabouts arouses keener interest nor enjoys greater is.pularitv nowadavs than racing. In fact, it is almost inoiiopnlir.iiig public attention so far as sport is concerned. When the gates at Douglas Park are thrown open for the inauguration of the meeting at that beautiful course one week from next Monday, it will lie to usher in what gives every promise of lieing the finest season of racing since this property was con verted to its present uses. Resides the horses that have lieen making turf history at Churchill Downs, the Douglas Park programs will lie embellished and made additionally attractive by the inclusion of horses that are only now coming to hand after the winter respite from training. In addition, there will be arrivals of horses, jockeys, owners and other patrons of the s|tort. from the east for the Douglas Park meeting, as a natural consequence of the termination of the Maryland racing season. ONLY TRACK OPERATING WITH MUTUELS. During the period covered by the Douglas Park and I.atonia meetings, there will lie no racing with the pari iiiutiicl adjunct elsewhere and this will help to swell the patronage of both tracks materially. A large percentage of those who make racing their recreation in America, are devoted adherents of the pari inutuel system of speculation awl naturally they will go where they call indulge their tastes. T!ie big race in connection with t!ie Douglas Park racing will be the 5,000 Kentucky Handicap, scheduled to be run on Saturday, June 1. Widespread interest is already being manifested all over the country in the approaching running of this most valuable of all American races for the mature horses. Parties are lieing made no to come from distant points to see the race, and Douglas Park will on that day be the gathering place of the largest crowd in its history, if indications count for anything. The field for the mile and one-quarter event is shaping up in a gratifying manner. It has been definitely announced that the mighty Cudgel is to be shipped here from the east to take part in the race and other possibilities from the same quarter include Omar Khayyam. Westy Ho-gan and Roamer. Such stars of the turf as Escoha, King Gorin. Rancher. Sewell Combs, Royal It., Ilollister. Manager Waite, Midway, Jas. T. Clark, Solly. Capt. Rees. Arriet. Buford. Hollinger and Opportunity are among the western horses from which the field will be recruited. All told, there are forty-five eligibles and a dozen starters are looked fiir. The weights are due six days befqre the running of the race. Resides the Kentucky Handicap, the Speculation Stakes of ,500 added, the Memorial Handicap of Pjgjtm added, and the Spring Trial Stakes of ,500 added, will l»e decided during the Douglas Park meeting. The Speculation Stakes, one mile and one-sixteenth, for* three-year-olds and over, will lie the opening day attraction. There are seventy-two eligibles for this popular race and it will serve as a fine feature around which Racing Secretary Campbell will build a high-class card.
