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KENTUCKY OAKS NEXT SATURDAY Valuable Race for Fillies Will Be Churchill Downs Closing Day Feature. Louisville. Ky.. May 21.— Now that the forty fourth Kentucky Derby is a mutter of history, the local turf world is turning its attention to the Kentucky Daks, next in importance to the Derby on the Churchill Downs spring seasons program, and which will have its forty-fourth running on next Saturday, which is the closing day of the Downs meeting. Historically the Oaks is on a par with the Derby in length of existence and, while its annual running is not attended with the eclat attaching to the decision of the Derby, it is much sought after by owners, and is nearly as important in public estimation. The Daks was first run in ]s7."i. the same year as the Derby was instituted and. like that famous race. has Ihcii run continuously each year since. Among the list of its winners are the names of many heroines of the turf, which afterwards further enhanced the fame of their deeds on the track by success in the stud. This year the race received forty-three entries, embracing nearly all of the good western two-year-old fillies of last year. Among the probable start ers are Violet Bonnie. Viva America. Plum, Olive Wood. Gipsv Queen, Atalanta. Mistress Polly, Itahti. Tally. Melus. Fern Ilaiidley and Silk Lady. This list will furnish one of the best fields that ever started in tie- MOB, Last year the stake went to A. K. Macombers Sunbonnet. while George J. Longs Kathleen scored in the year previous. There is probably no form of activity, nor any industry anywhere in the Inited States today that is contributing to the Ited Cross funds with the same lilierality and the same absence of solicitation as the Kentucky breeding and racing interests. To iHgin with they pledged a minimum sum of 00,000 anil that pledge bring made, they proceeded to allot that amount as to distribute the burden equitably and to make certain that the pledge would lie met. From every single employe ten is-r cent of his salary-is collected and placed to the credit of the fund, lint, where the salary is $." a day or less, the ten par cent offering is met by the association itself and the employe gets his full pay envelope. TEN FEE CENT TO EED CROSS. Next, the gross receipts of every description at Churchill Downs are sliced ten per cent by the management and this example, which by the way. was inaugurated at the Lexington meeting, will lie followed throughout the year on the four Kentucky tracks — Churchill Downs. Douglas Iark, Latouia and Lcxiugt n, with every prosiioct that a handsome increment will be forthcoming to the amount voluntarily promised. Giving of this kind, that is business-like and automatic and that requires no campaign exertion on the part of the Ited Cross officials, is the liest giving of all. It frees the energies of the Ited Cross management for the big effort t.l oii which they are embarked and encourages them with a nest egg substantial and certain. It is specially to lie noted that every branch of the racing industry bears its share without com plaint, or kick of any kind. The owners find the purses reilii-ed by the regular ten par cent — an 00 purse for example is really a 20 purse. The breeders, from whom in the nature of tilings there could be no ten per cent deduction, have clubbed together and guarantee 0,000 of the entire amount. The associations themselves, in spite of what out wardly hears all the appearance of a prosperous season will, nevertheless, find this ten per cent a heavy tax burden on them, more especially when it is added, as it must be, to all the other war burdens. Hut they, likewise, are uncomplaining and it is noteworthy how singularly cheerful and generous is the contribution of Kentuckys sportsmen. The* have set an example that others might follow with honor and credit to themselves.
