view raw text
ILLINOIS RACING BEGINS TODAY --« ♦ ♦ INAUGURAL AT AURORA ♦- All Roads Lead to Beautiful Fox River Valley Course. » Exposition Park Is Ready for Record-Breaking Opening-Day Attendance. » — . — s =» AURORA, 111., April 30.— Twelve are named for the ,500 Inaugural Handicap, at one mile, the feature of tomorrows opening program at Exposition Park. The field follows, together with probable riders : Horse. Wt. Rider. Sixty 114 W. Noel Serajevo 96 Quibbler 107 J. Leylund Bill Seth 94 J. Cavens Bonnie Omar 105 R. Jones Anaconda 109 M . Meyer Flora M 107 C. E. Allen Pat 104 P. Rennie Shasta Gold 100 J. Inzelone Rip Rap 118 Sun Altos 114 S. Steele Pandy 100 £ AURORA, 111., April 30. — Aurora racing, the prelude to the Chicago 1928 racing season, will be inaugurated tomorrow, for a period of twenty-nine days to terminate June 2, under more favorable auspices than have prevailed in former years. Better horses owned by more representative owners will take part this year. They have concentrated from various parts of the country and will, in addition to being campaigned during the current meeting, take part in those to follow at Arlington Park, Lincoln Fields and Hawthorne. There are at present in excess of 800 horses at the Exposition Park grounds and more arrivals are expected daily. It is the inaugural racing for Aurora under the Lager law, the bill making racing in Illinois legal having been passed last year by the legislature after the Aurora racing had terminated. It is expected that under the legal form of racing, Aurora will benefit extensively. TRACK IN FINE CONDITION. Another factor that is expected to work a big improvement in the sport is the perfection of the track. Heretofore there has been much dissatisfaction over the condition of the racing strip. Since the termination of the last meeting, a good deal of effort has been concentrated by general manager Trimble to making the course perfect and he has attained his objective in a greater measure than expected. The racing course is now uniform and solid and suitable to all degrees of racers. With the fine weather for the opening, it is expected that a record attendance will be on hand to witness the racing season ushered in. General manager Trimble has made every provision to handle the big crowd with dispatch and comfort to the racing patrons. Three special trains from Chicago will run direct to the track on an hour and five minutes schedule. The first train will leave Chicago at -12 :20 daylight saving time and will be followed by the other trains at ten minute intervals. For the opening day a card of seven races with the Aurora Inaugural Handicap at one mile endowed with ?1,500 as the principal offering. An evenly balanced band of twelve starters comprises the entry list, and it should furnish an excellent appetizer in the way of sport. The fourth, sixth and seventh races also have some good ones that have performed impressively and raced with success at other tracks. The mutuel department is expected to function without hitch or trouble as experienced employes have been selected. LOUD SPEAKER SYSTEM. The loud speaker system will again be in use and the racing patrons will be afforded a description of the running of each race by a competent announcer. The Aurora track is the pioneer among the tracks to use the broadcasting system. The administration offices of the Aurora track were kept open all during the day, it being imperative for all the officials to give attention to the numerous matters that develop prior to an opening of racing. Martin Xathanson, who is a member of the license committee of the Illinois Turf Association, was particularly busy scanning the applications of numerous trainers and jockeys for licenses. The first race daily "ill be at 2 :15, daylight saving time, and it is expected to conclude the racing every afternoon in ample Continued ou twentieth page. INAUGURAL AT AURORA Continued from first page. time for Chicagoans to be back in the city before 6 p. m. The officials who will have charge of the meeting have been on hand for some time marking time for the opening and everything is in complete readiness for the beginning of the sport. The stewards in charge will comprise Martin Nathanson, Charles F. Henry and Charles L. Trimble. The placing judges will consist of R. A. Leigh, C. C. Campau and Francis Dunne. Harry Morrissey will do the starting. Charles Kennedy has been designated as the state inspector to supervise the mutuel department and represent the State Agricultural Department. J. C. Milams string of four and Pat Dunnes shipment of five were among the newcomers from Lexington,
