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Here and There on the Turf Belmonts Big Opening Illinois Bacing Victory Opportunities in June Beal Derby Month It was unfortunate that the opening of the Westchester Racing Association meeting at Belmont Park was not blessed with more favorable weather but it was nevertheless a wonderful opening Jo ¬ seph E Widener each year has added to the beauty and comfort of the monster course until now it seems that he has done almost everything that can be done in adornment adornmentFrom From the time of the opening of the big Nassau County racing ground it was so vast that the long bare stretches seemed impossible of beautifying There was too much of it That was the fault that was found and that was one reason why Belmont Park was not as popular as Saratoga SaratogaNow Now that has all been changed since Joseph E Widener has given his per ¬ sonal attention to the dressing up of the vast property The Widener Course came into being last year and it was the most important change that has been made It did away with the old straight ¬ away that offered the patrons no chance to see the contest clearly except through the final sixteenth It remained a straightaway but being built diagonally through the infield affords patrons in the stands and on the lawns an excellent view of the running runningThere There was the erection of a commo ¬ dious and ornate administration build ¬ ing There came many changes and re ¬ finements in the stands and throughout the grounds there have been countless changes made in the laying out of walks and the planting of trees and shrubs until all is one great big glorious park parkBut But all of this would not amount to much had it not been that under the ad ¬ ministration of Mr Widener the racing has gone forward with a more liberal distribution of money and changes in values that give the famous old races an award in keeping with their sporting im ¬ portance portanceIt It is no wonder that such a course and such racing is popular and it is no wonder that in spite of disagreeable weather conditions that Thursdays opening was such a success i Illinois scored a notable turf victory victoryon on Wednesday at Springfield when the racing bill passed the senate by a nar row majority It had already passed the lower house and the victory in both branches of the legislature gives convinc ¬ ing proof of the will of the lawmakers in relation to the thoroughbred sport sportRacing Racing has been conducted in Illinois within the law without the passage of the Lager bill but different officers might readily put a different construc ¬ tion on the law and there was always the danger that there might be an at ¬ tempted interruption of the sport With this specific law that sets forth clearly just what may and may not be done on a race course in the line of wagering there can be no divided opinion as to the intents and purposes of the law It is a measure that was carefully prepared and the legalizing of the pari mutuel system of wagering at once re ¬ moves every element of controversy over the meaning of the law cjt is all set down plainly so that it is no longer a question of interpretation of what Ms lawful and what is unlawful That means for the progress of the American turf in Illinois since the coming in of Lincoln Fields and the Illinois Jockey Club has come to a great importance in the turf scheme of the country countryIf If governor Small permits the bill passed to become a law thus safe ¬ guarded there is bound to be progress for the associations may readily formu ¬ late more ambitious plans and build with a feeling of security that undoubtedly will give Chicago as well as other rac ¬ ing points in the state the best racing to be had anywhere in this country countryMayor Mayor Thompson of Chicago when he was the guest of the Kentucky Jockey Club to view the running of the Ken ¬ tucky Derby and after he had presented the cup to Fred Hopkins who repre ¬ sented H P Whitney told of just where he stood on the question of racing and he expressed the hope that Chicago could have just such a glorious race And all of that might readily be brought about now with the probable legalizing of rac ¬ ing and legalizing along lines that can ¬ not fail to give the turf a standing in the state that will make for permanency A legalizing that will show the racing in its best guise and make Illinois a bul ¬ wark of strength for the whole fabric fabricJune June is truly a month of opportunity for the threeyearolds with no fewer than four stake races with 25000 added to each down for decision The first of these is the Fairmount Derby at a mile and a quarter to be run June 4 The Belmont Stakes at a mile and a half is to be run at Belmont Park June 11 and the third is the American Derby of the Illinois Jockey Club to be run at the Washington Park course in Chicago June 18 It is also at a mile and a half The Latonia Derby the third of the mile and a half races is down for deyision on June 26 It will be seen that the ar ¬ rangement of these dates of running affords time between each engagement for the movement of a candidate from one scene of endeavor to another It would be possible if there was such a colt to have him meet each one of the dates but that of course is out of the question for three races of a mile and a half and another of a mile and a quarter is a tremendously big contract even when spread over a period from June 4 to June 26 but several candidates for each of these races will surely keep two or possibly three of the engagements engagementsThe The running of both the Preakness Stakes and the Kentucky Derby offered a line on the threeyearolds that has caused several turfmen to take heart Before either one of these races was de ¬ cided many trainers were frightened away by the promised prowess of some of the most widely advertised eligibles The races themselves indicated that the prowess was not there and as a result it is natural to expect that each of the 25000 races will have large and well matched fields fieldsThe The fact that the threeyearolds thus far uncovered have shown nothing like the high class that was expected will make for better contests That is to say with no outstanding threeyearolds after the last of the June fixtures has been decided there should be a different tale to tell of the threeyearolds threeyearoldsThe The opening of the first 1927 meeting of the Ontario Jockey Club at Woodbine Park makes Saturday a big day not only in Toronto but all through Canada The Ontario Jockey Club has ever been one of the greatest racing organizations on this continent and its racing has al ¬ ways had a tremendous appeal It is a club that has carried on without a miss all through the hard times that came to the turf and while some others were closed by reason of the excessive taxa ¬ tion Woodbine Park continued to carry on bravely bravelyWith With the reduction in the Ontario tax Woodbine will reap some reward for the way it has steadfastly maintained its racing Every indication points to a glorious opening and the number and class of horses on hand for the meeting leaves no doubt of the nature of the racing that will be offered Many of the important stables have been shipped to Woodbine Park for the meeting and the stake races for the seven days are of a value that naturally attracts the best Then there are several new turfmen who have also been attracted With the re ¬ duction of the tax every condition is ideal for a great meeting
