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Here and There on the Turf Expansion of the Turf TurfDanger Danger in Illinois IllinoisStakes Stakes for Lincoln Fields FieldsFitzsimmons Fitzsimmons Good Juveniles t A One really has to visit the various courses of the Middle West to obtain any ¬ thing like a comprehensive idea of how the American turf has expanded in that section The big time racing had been confined for so long to New York Ken ¬ tucky and Maryland that many have no conception of the importance of racing in Illinois New York Kentucky and Mary ¬ land have lost none of their importance but Illinois is rapidly coming to a like importance which demonstrates the healthy expansion of the sport sportWhen When racing was brought back to Illinois and when the Hawthorne course was reopened in Chicago and the Aurora meeting came into being it was the open ¬ ing wedge for a glorious revival in Illinois The building of Washington Park and Lincoln Fields last year brought Chicago into its own and the long Chicago racing season is now fairly under way with the racing of the Illinois Jockey Club at the Washington Park course courseThen Then there is Fairmount that is al ¬ ready an important racing institution that furnishes St Louis with its racing This beautiful racing ground is at Col linsville within easy distance of St Louis though in Illinois and from its initial meeting it has met with satisfying success The monster crowd out for the second running of the Fairmount Derby on Saturday told eloquently of the popularity of the track and of the sport furnished furnishedAnd And there are still other promises for Chicago H D Curly Brown has made announcement of plans for the construc ¬ tion of an elaborate course at Arlington Heights just about twentytwo miles from the center of the city on the North ¬ western railroad This is far removed from both South Side courses Lincoln Fields which is at Crete and Washing ¬ ton Park located at Homewood but it is a site easy of access and the plans contemplate a truly magnificent racing property which will occupy 400 acres al ¬ ready acquired while an option is held on 500 additional acres adjoining this tract tractMr Mr Brown has had a long experience in race track construction and he has promised that he will give Chicago one of the most magnificent courses in the country with a stand of 18000 capacity capacityThis This is the condition of the turf in Illinois and the only apparent dange now is the danger that comes with suc ¬ cess Too often prosperous days for racing have attracted unscrupulous pro ¬ moters who have invariably brought the sport into evil ways There are always those who while unwilling to pioneer in the sport watch for opportunities such as appear in Illinois at this time They wait until turfmen of wealth courage and integrity give racing a strong foot ¬ hold and then they endeavor to profit from what has been brought about aboutIt It was through the efforts of the es ¬ tablished racing associations of Illinois and the excellent racing they conducted that it became possible to pass the Lager racing bill through both houses of the Illinois legislature Then right on the heels of the passage of the bill there came announcement of new racing ven ¬ tures in the state stateThere There would have been little chance for these announcements had the bill failed and while the new tracks that have been announced may not come under the head of merely business enter ¬ prises of promoters it is readily seen that others may come along that will do the turf great harm harmThe The new bill was enacted to preserve racing in the state rather than open the way for any getrichquick enterprises and it is devoutly to be hoped that the law will not fail in its purpose after it becomes effective Racing must be kept a sport and that is a lesson that has bsen dearly bought in many sections Florida right now is going through a battle that was largely brought on by the horde of promoters that invaded and threatened to invade the state with race tracks Ohio can blame most of its racing troubles on too many tracks and too little harmony and many other instances could be cited where the putting of business above sport in racing brought about disaster disasterJust Just now with Illinois enjoying such turf prosperity there must be a con ¬ stant vigilance to see to it that it is kept a sport and above reproach Horsemen are reminded that the various stakes of the Lincoln Fields Jockey Club are to close today at the offices of the club Crete near Chicago These are special features to be run during the meeting which is to open July 2 and continue until August 13 and they are decidedly attractive The big event of the meeting will be the Lincoln Handicap at a mile and a quarter for threeyearolds and over to which 25000 is added This value as well as the dis ¬ tance gives it a place among the big handicaps of the year and nominations that have already been received promise that it will bring together the best of the handicap division from all sections The La Salle Handicap is another of the big events It is also for threeyearolds and over and is at a mile and three six ¬ teenths with 10000 added addedThere There are three of the specials for twoyearolds with 5000 added to each and the other stakes for older horses are the Steger Crete and Marquette Han ¬ dicaps each with 5000 added and for threeyearolds and over No special has been announced exclusively for the threeyearolds but there is ample oppor ¬ tunity for them among the older horses in the five valuable handicaps handicapsMuch Much has been done since last year the initial race meeting at Lincoln Fields and Colonel Matt Winn is rapidly bringing the big racing grounds to what he prom ¬ ised from the beginning one of the most elaborate and complete race courses in the country James Fitzsimmons continues to meet with remarkable success in the twoyear old races and the horses he has cam ¬ paigned for the Wheatley Stable of Mrs H C Phipps and her brother Ogden Mills have cut a truly important figure in New York racing racingDice Dice the swiftrunning son of Dom ¬ inant Frumpery has proven his high class by his victories in the Keene Mem ¬ orial Stakes and the Juvenile Stakes while the good Chicle colt Distraction is also carrying on successfully for the popular racing confederacy confederacyWhen When Distraction ran fiveeighths through the Widener course on Saturday in 56 seconds under a burden of 125 pounds he told of his excellence The best previous time for the distance over the same course was hung out by Joseph E Wideners Chance Shot last year when he raced in 58 Last year was the first time the Widener course was used and the only other faster time for a straight fiveeighths in this country was when in 1918 the filly Pen Rose ran through the old straight course at Bel mont Park in 55 The English time for the straight fiveeighths equals that of Pen Rose but Pen Rose only carried 110 pounds in her recordmaking race while Chance Shot had 122 pounds up when he established the course record of last year yearFitzsimmons Fitzsimmons fitted his horses at Aque ¬ duct and made an excellent job of it as the results have demonstrated He had excellent material to begin with but he has shown rare skill in bringing his young racers up to the form that has given the stable such becoming prom ¬ inence
