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THEYRE OFF A T HAWTHORNE Tremendous Crowd Expected to Witness Revival o f Greatest Outdoor Sport Exterminator the Main Attraction Racing in Chicago. The eventful day has arrived. Chicagoans have waited patiently for many years for the opportunity the Illinois Jockey Club offers" them at Hawthorne race track this afternoon. Since 1904, with the exception of a thirteen-days meeting at Hawthorne in 1916, lovers of the turf have been compelled to travel either to the New York, Kentucky or Canadian tracks in order to witness the thoroughbred in action. In putting the Hawthorne course in condition for todays racing the Illinois Jockey Club has accomplished a real miracle, and Chicago race-goers should be thankful for the untiring efforts of the officials of that organization. Chicago also owes Mr. W. S. Kilmer a debt of gratitude for sending here his champion, the great Extermintor. to aid in tho restoration of the sport. Many prominent people from all parts of the country have arrived in Chicago, and It la expected that a crowd of about 25,000 will be present at. old Hawthorne today. The program for the inauguration does not sparkle with the highest-class horses in the country, but well-matched fields have been brought together and interesting racing should result. The feature, of course, is Exterminators race against the track record of a mile and a quarter. Late yesterday afternoon it was decided that no pacemaker would be used. Exterminator to run alone with Albert Johnson, who has ridden him in all his races thin year, in the saddle. Exterminator will carry 126 pounds. The Illinois Jockey Club, with the able assistance of Johnson Southard, has worked a miracle at Hawthorne in the last twenty-four hours. The grandstand, which yesterday, morning was nothing more than an open structure, has been completed, with the roof and all seats installed. The miracle waa accomplished by working an army of men on a twenty-four hour shift This morning finds things in far better condition than even the most enthusiastic had hoped for. The track, which a week ago was a plowed field, is this morning in as good condition as any track in the country and horsemen who have worked their charges over it seem well satisfied with its condition. BUSY DAY TOR JUDGE MURPHY. Judge Murphy spent most of Friday at the track arranging final details and before he left for his office in the Garrick Theater building he pronounced the plant in readiness for tomorrows opening. Most interest was centered around stable 19,- where the great Exterminator is kept He was galloped around the course twice Friday evening and was worked early this morning in preparation for his race against time, which will be the fifth race of the afternoon. He will run against the track record for one mile and a quarter, which is held by Dodge and made July 15, 1916 time. 2 :04. Dodge carried an impost of 126 pounds. It is expected that Exterminator will shatter this record. Transportation lines are working in conjunction with the Illinois Jockey Club, and a road for automobilists is being marked out from every direction into and out of Chicagos congested loop district The infield of the track is not as yet a spot of beauty. However, the buildings which were erected there during the time the government had charge of Hawthorne are now laid flat and the course is in plain view from every vantage point By the middle of next week everything will be hauled off the infield and the beautifying of that portion of the course will then be undertaken. KILMER PARTY ARRIVES. Willis Sharpe Kilmer, owner of Exterminator, arrived from Binghamton, N. Y., with a party of friends to witness his champion gelding race against the track record in the fifth and feature race of the afternoon. The distance will be one mile and a quarter, weight for age, which means an impost for the champion of 126 pounds. Jockey Albert Johnson arrived this morning to pilot the grand old machine. It was decided lato Friday afternoon not to send pacemakers along with Exterminator in his endeavor to beat the Hawthorne mile and a quarter record of 2:04, which was made by Dodgo July 15, 1916. R. J. MacKenzie and party arrived from Toronto and people poured in from all sections. There will be no scarcity of good riders. Among those registered with the association are F. Paul, D. Hurn, R. Bolton, J. Pecorara, J. Carroll, J. Singleton, E. Petzoldt, R. Doyle, XT. Slaughter, A. Richcreek, A. Pickens, C Miller, F. Murphy, J. Smith, N. Barrett, R. Dority, II. S. Jones, C. Dishmon, R. Jones, E. Virgo, C. Phillips, L. Hall, S. McGraw, A. Johnson, L. Gray and A. Anderson. Among the arrivals from New York Friday evening were Frank Shannon, Gene Austin and Wrilliam Ryan. Several horses were galloped around the course yesterday morning and the time made Continued on sixteenth paze. RACING IN CHICAGO TODAY Continued from first page. proved thb track to be entirely ready. De-lante worked five-eighths in 1 :10 ; Bess Welch went three-eighths in 36 ; Tip Toe Inn went five-eighths handily in 1:03. L. J. Keating sent Fernandos from Louisville, Ky. She is of the late "Lucky" Baldwins breeding, whose colors were famous in Chicago many years ago. Al Austin wired from Detroit yesterday to enter ML Rose and will arrive with his horse early Saturday morning. Johnson Southard, the track superintendent secured by the Illinois Jockey Club, is the man who prepared the course for the special race between Man o War and Sir Barton. Mr. Southard has had over twenty years experience preparing race tracks. Among those he recently put into racing condition are the Maple Heights course at Cleveland, Ohio, and the Devonshire track at Windsor, Ont E. R. Bradley wired judge Joseph A. Murphy that His horses are all on the ailing list, except a few that are entered in stakes at Latonia, and will not be able to send any of his string here for this meeting. However, Mr. Bradley has engaged a box for the season at Hawthorne and will come up to see the sport early next week. Greenland, the property of Cain and Sanford, contracted lung fever en route here from Toronto and died early yesterday morning. Former jockey George Sevain will ride the lead pony to guide the horses to the post during the meeting. POPULAR BOOKMAKER. In discussing possible individual offers to wager at the Hawthorne race meeting Judge Joseph A. Murphy, presiding judge and manager, told a story of a bookmaker known as "Carley B.," who operated at the old Denning track near Washington in the days of the "walk-around" system, when the bookie had no fixed station. In an argument with a client "Carley B." engaged in a set of fisticuffs, during which both participants were pretty well mauled. Next day the bookie appeared at the track with his head conpicuously swathed in bandages. He attracted a tremendous patronage. When one of the bettors seeking to place wagers with "Carley B." was asked why, he replied, "Well, you see, its so easy to find him after the race if you win your bet." The last regular meeting at Hawthorne conducted by the Chicago Jockey Club, with the exceplion of the ill-fated attempt to revive racing here in 191G, was held in 1904. There were fifty-three days of racing and the meeting terminated on September 19. Cigar Lighter, with W. Knapp up, won the closing day feature, the Fall Handicap. Sam Hildreth, a "wizzard" trainer even in those days and now the director-general of the powerful Rancocas establishment, provided the winner of the last race of the meeting is Sis Lee at the odds of 10 to 1, defeating Jim Arthurs Lieutenant Rice and Pat Dunnes Envoy, the latter a hot favorite. Among the owners prominent in the final meeting at Hawthorne were such as Edward Corrigan, Talbot Bros., S. C. Hildreth, M. D. Miller, T. G. Ferguson. S. W. Street, Jim Arthur, Pat Dunne, C. E. Durnell, W. Gerst, W. W. Darden, C. Knebelkamp and J. B. Respess. Many horses of excellent racing qualities were seen at one time or another under colors. Some of these were Cigarlighter, Delagoa, Bearchatcher, Bad News, Rams Horn, Ananias, Ben Chance, Prince Silver-wings, Felipe Lugo, Julia M., Gloriosa, Miss Crawford and Kurtzman. The riding colony was made up of such high-class knights of the saddle as Dave Nichols, Aubuchon, Henry L. Wilson, W. Knapp, J. Booker, Greenfield, Troxler and Mountain.
