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. . — i — ______________________ __________ i i Here and There on the Turf ! — i Notable Openings. Derby Candidates. Illinois Conflictions. Progress of New Track. t Taking a line through the brilliant assem , blage that welcomed the thoroughbreds back at the Terminal course Saturday. New York is in store for its greatest and best turf year. The United Hunts Association is something ; different from the other associations of The Jockey Club circuit, but it was remarked that. while all of the hunting set were on hand, there was a tremendously large attendance of those who in former years invariably waited for the opening of Jamaica before going aracing. The New York racing season has had- its big opening and it was an opening that ~ M worthy of that great gathering at the picturesque course that adjoins big Belmont Park. And at Lexington there was another sue cessful beginning of the long Kentucky term of racing. The volume of entries brought eight races and that may have been excuse enough, but eight races are too many for one afternoon at any season of the year and it is to be hoped that only an opening day induced the association to put on such a cumbersome program. But the big thing is that the regular racing season is booming already and never have the prospects for any racing season been brighter. Dress Parade, Samuel D. Riddles mignificent three year old son of Man o War and the Trap Rock mare Trasher, has come back to the races a colt that bids fair to keep the best of them busy. His easy victory at Havre de Grace on Friday over a fast band of three year olds was enough to warrant the prediction that he will be a truly dangerous horse in the Preakness Stakes as well as in the Kentucky Derby, should George Conway elect to go after both of the big races. This colt is probably further advanced than any of the Riddle horses and this initial race of his 1926 campaign must have been highly gratifying to his trainer as well as Mr. Riddle. And in the meantime Pompey, the W. R. Coe champion, continues to go along in his prepara tion for the Kentucky Derby in a manner thai keeps him prominently in the limelight. He has done all that Karrick has required of him and there does not seem to be any doubt of his not making the post on May 15 at Churchill Downs. But there has come a disquieting rumor that Carlaris, winner of the Tijuana Derby and the Coffroth Handicap, in sensational fashion, is an extremely doubtful starter in the Kentucky Derby. When this good imported colt became inflicted with an infection in his off hind leg shortly after his Coffroth Handicap victory it was not thought that it amounted to much and that he would shortly be galloping again. It is reported that it develops now that the infec tion is much more serious than was at first considered and it has caused a break in his training that may make his appearance in the Kentucky Derby impossible. This is a calamity to V. T. Anderson, for his colt, by his races i at Tijuana, became the most talked of eligible to the big race. But with Carlarii out of the ■ way it may change the complexion of the field I considerably and may also change the running ; to a degree. Carlaris is a fast horse, judging ; by the speed of his Tijuana triumphs, and I with him out of the way it would afford a bet ter chance for another of near the same racing ; i ■ I ; ; I ; ability to go along in front without having such a colt as the son of Phalaris to dispute the lead with him. With racing under way in New York, Maryland and Kentucky it will be Illinois that will next come into the 1926 circuit with the opening of the meeting at Aurora. That meeting, which is to begin May 20, continues until June 19, which means a considerable conflict with the racing of the Fairmount club at Collins ville in the same state. This Fairmount club meeting extends from May 29 until July 5 Thus both of those meetings are in conflict with the racing in Kentucky. And this does not take into account the racing that is on in Ohio, where that considerable circuit has been under way for some time. Then along will come the Canadian meetings before the end of May. the first Woodbine Park meeting opening May 22 at the famous old Toronto course. The thoroughbreds op portunity has been constantly increasing and, with all the various new meetings and the rivals of old ones, there are greater demands than ever before for horses. Breeding has been expanding with the ex pansion of racing and there has also been a wonderful increase in the import a*, ions of horses of racing age. All of this makes for a healthy growth of the sport and the American turf is indeed enjoying the greatest prosperity in its history. Perhaps never in history have the builders of a race track in the winter months experienced to the track build so many handicaps as came ers in Chicago. It is there that Matt Winn is building Lincoln Fields and the Homewood track of the Illinois Jockey Club is also under course of construction. The last named track had a distinct advantage in being started long before winter, but the site for Lincoln Fields was not obtained until the winer was well on its way. Then when all was ready for the actual work there came the unprecedented cold weather that made construction impossible. But Winn made good use of the enforced idleness in construction and all that was possible to do was done. Now with the breaking of the winter Lincoln Fields is coining into being in a way that is a marvel. Already a vast amount of work ha* been accomplished and it has all been done without any broadcasting of the news. It has ever been the custom of Colonel Winn not to talk before he has something to say and thai is why so little has been said of the wonderful progress that has been made at Lincoln Fields . in the face of adverse conditions. The work is going forward at this time in a i manner that leaves no doubt of the monster r racing ground being ready when wanted and 1 it bids fair to be a finished product that will j year after year become more beautiful when 1 the proposed shrubbery and trees have had 1 a chance to fill their purpose of embellishment Just now the work is on the racing strip 3 and the stands and clubhouse. The stables s have been laid out and there is a system to it 1 all that makes for both rapid and thorough i construction. «
