view raw text
VISITING AT AURORA ♦ Many Devotees of the Sport Look Over Exposition Park. ♦ Division of W. S. Kilmers Horses Arrives from East — Judge C. F. Price an Arrival. ♦ AURORA, 111.. April 18.— Easter Sunday, a bright, warm sun. enough breeze to temper the suddenly rising temperature, the first real day of spring in these parts, were the contributing fax-tors in crowding all the roads that lead hither and thither in this delightful Fox River Valley. Many who helped congest these roads had no definite destination in mind. There were many, however, in the vast throng who guided their means of conveyance to the portals of Exposition Park, where the majestic thoroughbred will enter upon his rule over his devoted followers next Thursday, when the spring race meeting will be inaugurated before thousands of his admiring subjects. Exposition Park presented a scene of animated beauty, with everything practically in thorough readiness for the opening. Horses continued to arrive and there was as much interest in looking over the newcomers as was manifested in the inspection of the thoroughbreds that have been on the grounds for some time. To the casual observer the majority of the horses, and it is said that there are over 1000 available, quartered at Exposition Park and on the outside, are in racing condition. I.KKNSE COMMITTEE. A distinguished visitor at Exposition Park Monday was judge Charles F. Price, who. In addition to being officially connected with Kentucky racing and at Lincoln Fields, is a memlNT of the license committee of the Illinois Turf Association, which will have jurisdiction over turf matters in Illinois this year. Judge Price was here to confer with the Aurora officials relative to the granting of trainer and jockey licenses for the meeting opening Thursday. One of the most important arrivals at Exposition Park, was the stable of Willis Sharpe Kilmer, owner and breeder of Bing-hamton. New York. It will be the first time the colors of this sportsman nave been shown on the Aurora track, but it will not be the first time Chicagoans have seen them In action. Back in the days of the racing revival, when Hawthorne was the only semblance of a race track, Mr. Kilmer sent the beloved Exterminator to Hawthorne to help the cause along and the presence of this great gelding created much interest An even dozen sons and daughters of the mighty Sun Briar, the English-bred colt. Which swept everything before him in 1918, and was one of the fastest horses seen on the turf, will carry the Kilmer colors at Aurora. This string was shipped from Pimlico. Maryland and included eight two-year-olds. The remainder of the Aurora division is made up of three-year-olds. The strins: was in charge of trainer C. W. Carroll, while the veteran Eddie Taplin. who has been riding about twenty years in all. accompanied trainer Carroll and will pilot the Kilmer horses. More horses are expected daily from Maryland, the latest to signify his intention of shipping to Exposition Park being Preston Burch. trainer of the big Nevada Stock Farm Stable. Mr. Burch sent word that twelve of the Nevada Stock Farm horses would probably arrive Wednesday morning. TIKRCKL FINE LOOKER, One of the most Impressive looking individuals stabled on the grounds is C. Gar-rigans Tiercel, the English-bred horse which holds the one mile and a quarter record at Miami. Without a doubt it would take a Ioiik search to discover a more striking looking or more symetrical built thoroughbred than this five-year-old gelded son of Cylgad. Another .and probably more well known that Tiercel in the Garrigan string is Silver Song, also an English-bred. This pair is expected to play an important part in the Aurora ra ing. Among the officials who are on the ground and taking an active part in the preliminary Work for the forthcoming meeting are C. C. Campau. A. E. F.lanchard and Frances Dunne. Mr. Campeau acted in an official capacity at tin- recent meeting at Oriental Park. Havana. Cuba, while A. E. Blanchard, .Who arrived at Chicago from New Orleans. Spent considerable time at Washington Park, assisting in preparing the stake book for the meeting of the Illinois Joe-key Club. Francis I»unne is a recent addition to the ranks of the benedicts and has been on his honeyn n. He Is a capable official and a son of Pat I unne, famous years back as one of the best trainers in America-Workmen are active throughout the grounds, giving the finishing touches to the plant, now ranked with the l est in the State. Starting out whith a half mile track, J£xfMi.sitimi Park has been enlarged upon and improved with each succeeding meeting until there is little that can be done to make it more convenient, either for the patrons or for the thoroughbreds themselves. The officials who will be in actual charge of the racing are Martin Nathanson, C. F. Henry and C. L. Trimble, stewards. R. A. Leigh, Francis Dunne and C. C. Campeau, judges. Harry Morrisey, starter. C. F. Henry, racing secretary. A. E. Blanchard, besides acting as a paddock judge, will also act as a patrol judge, the others being William Martin and George Cray. Francis Dunne will act as clerk of the scales.
