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KENTUCKY RACING SEASON OF 1924 BEGINS TODA Y s 9 _ LEXINGTON READY FOR INAUGURAL » Ashland Oaks Outstanding Attraction of Opening Day — Plenty Horses of Quality and Good Riders on Hand for the Meeting • LEXINGTON, Ky.. April 25. — Tomorrow Kentucky ushers in its spring racing season and if the present barometer is not misleading 1924 will witness the zenith of racing in the* Bh:e Grass region. All that goes to make for success of the sport is apparent. Good horses, stellar jockeys, marked enthusiasm, a co-operative aspect and eagerness to prove to detractors of racing that in spite of attacks, fanatical or sincere, that it is still pre-eminent in the affections of the masses in the field of sport. Kentucky racing has always enjoyed unbounded confidence of the public. It will attain to greater heights this year, for nothing has been l?ft undone by the various truck manage- andments that would in any way contribute to the further enhancement of ttie sport or the comfort of the racing patrons. The I exington track management has be- u particularly alert to provide racing of taa first magnitude and are amply rewarded by the immense interest, local and foreign, that is being manifested in the ten days meeting, which begins tomorrow. Owners of e-ountry-wide prominence will have representation daring the meeting. Its presentation embraces some of the outstanding stars now in racing. A total of nearly seven hundred horses iuarter d at the course* will furnish ample material for secretary Shelley to build attractive daily racing cards. What applies to horses, also holds good in the matter of jockeys. There are nearly 75 riders registered in the secretarys office, available to take mounts. The list headed by Ivan Parke, champion of last year and now enjoying an outstanding lead over the others. The track for the opening days sport is in exceUeat condition. The steady rain for a period this morning had a beneficial effect to solidify the going and settle the heavy layer of dust. The inaugural card compares favorably with the best that has been presented to race goers here. The chief fixture of the srv.n races carded is the Ashland Oaks, bringing together three-year-old fillies exclusively. It has mustered »i field of tin regarded outstanding ones in their division j and should furnish a rousing battle to d--I cide the winner of the ,000 added that is : offered by the Kentucky Association to the victress. Among the starters in the race is the Greentree Stables Ilinkey, which will le I ridden by Ivan Parke and for that reason enjoy added support. til VCOLKT A ST AKTKR. While the Ashlanel Oaks is the outstand-! ing attraction, the Phoenix Hotel Handicap anil the W. S. Dai ace Memorial are also coming in for a fair share of attention on account of the good starters engaged to contest for the rich purses. Chaeolet, victress i of the 150,000 l.atonia Special, is schedul. d i to start in the Phoenix Hotel Handicap and will be piloted by Mack Garner. She will be erne of the favorites. The W. S. Barnes Memorial at three-quarters, brings to the post a splendid band of sprinters. The juvenile dashes of which there are two carded has alwajs contained an element of interest and the performances at several highly regareled ones, will engage attention of their followers. There are rearly 300 youngsters at the Lexington track. They have shown splendid preliminaries anel close observers give their opinion that they exe-el by far the crop of youngsters that have been uncovered in many years. A new feature ince rporated by the Ken-, tucky Association is that post positions of all starters in the various races here, correspond to the order in which the original entries are sent out. Altawood, the colt that Ham Keene is pre-: paring for the Kentucky Derby, arriveel this ! mcrning from Louisville accompanied by Flowers of Leva and Alice Blue Gown. Will Pel kins has eagaged Newton Barrett j to ride for his stable this spring. Perkins i will also command the services of jockey R. Harrington. Jockey A. Gantner has been engaged to ride for the stable that T. L. Pierce has in charge here. The opening will be marked by the presence here of many neited persons in the rae-ing world, including Matt .1. Winn, general manager e f the Kentucky Jockey Club; Chas. V. Price and Dan E. OSullivan. associate general aiaaageta of the Kentucky Jockey Club; Andrew S. Ycnnie. resident manager, Churchill Downs track. The entire membership of the Kentucky State ltacing Commission, George M. BeaeMe of the Windsor track anel a host of owners from Maryland and New York also will be present. A cons.derable del. nation of spejrtsmen from the Crescent City came this morning | and will remain in Kentuiky until after th© I decision of the Jubilee Kentucky Derby, on May 17.
