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KENTUCKY . RACING SEASON OPENS TODAY ■ CJ4 r ■ Everything Ready for Inauguration of Great Meeting at Lexington i Fine Field for Ashland Oaks, the Main Attraction of Excellent Program — Derby Candidates Among Entries on Initial Days Card * LEXINGTON, Ky., April 24. — With more good horses in fit racing fettle here, splendid track conditions and an unusual brand of fine weather, the old Kentucky Association is about to usher in its 1925 racing season, which incidentally marks the formal inauguration, of the sport in Kentucky, under conditions more promising than in previous years. In keeping with the other splendid prevailing conditions is the great interest in the coming meeting. Not alone is this interest confined locally, but it has extended to a distant radius and post time Saturday will find at the track large delegations from Louisville, Cincinnati and adjacent points. The mild weather that has been the rule in these parts has served trainers to "prep" their charges to the top notch and enable these crack racers to be ready for the fray with the commencement of the Kentucky season. A reflection of this is had from the opening card presented by secretary Will Shelley. The opening days offering embraces a list containing the names of some illustrious performers and includes several Kentucky Derby eligibles that at present figure extensivly in the public mind. The outstanding feature is the Ashland Oaks, which brings to the post the most highly • regarded fillies in the three-year-old division. In the period of thirty -one years that the race has been run many crack fillies have striven to score honors in it and history records many notable duels between the contenders, including a dead heat in 18S6 by Pure Rye and Mary Ann, respectively owned by the Melbourne Stable and G D. Wilson. There is every indication that this year will also find the winner forced to battle valiantly for the prize as the composition of the starters is of most even caliber. The inaugural race finds a small but select field entered. Some popular favorites are named and they will receive considerable interest. In the list of starters is named Desha Breckinridges Kentucky Cardinal, a potential candidate for Kentucky Derby honors. The Phoenix Hotel handicap, the secondary attraction, has brought to the post an aggregation that would do credit to one of the 0,000 features that is scheduled for midseason. The remainder of the seven -race program is in keeping with the banner conditions and it is on the whole one of the best racing offerings for an opener staged here. The setting for the opening could not be improved on. Everything is in complete atune and in shipshape order. Several improvements that have been instituted during the winter by manager T. C. Bradley will add to the comfort of racing patrons here. Every available stall at the track has been filled and the overflow on the outside is quite large. There has never been so many good horses in these parts in fit racing condition and the outlook is most encouraging for a record meeting. Commentng on the coming meeting general manager T. C. Bradley said: "Ive never found local interest in our meeting keener. There has never been more good horses in such excellent racing fettle, ready for a spring meeting, and every indication points to highly successful racing." Opening day will find in the big crowd some of Kentuckys most prominent racing representatives. The Louisville delegation will be particularly notable. The highways and byways to the Falls City are in excellent condition and will be congested with automobiles in this direction. «
