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« — — e Here and There on the Turf Opening of Arlington. Ironsides and Vito. Moving to Latonia. Jean Valjean Sailing. $ $ Chicago racing began brilliantly at Arlington Park on Monday and seldom in recent years has there been such a large and representative gathering of enthusiasts. With a program of eight races, it was indeed an abundant entertainment that was furnished and there were thrills in plenty during the running off of the card. When it had been announced, before the opening, that the actual "pay off" prices would bo displayed before, rather than after the running of a race, it was feared this would bring about an unreasonable delay before each race. That is just what happened and after the second race this scheme was abandoned as not feasible. There was an apology for the failure of this scheme, but with it came the promise that next year the Australian totalizer will be established and thus mechanically bring about what was attempted by a force of calculators. But the abandoning of the proposed innovation in no sense marred the big opening and the manner in which Chicago welcomed the thoroughbreds back leaves no doubt for the success of the Arlington meeting, as well a3 the other meetings that are to follow. Saturday next there comes the running of the American Derby, the best of all the stake races of the Arlington Park meeting, and, with most of the eligibles on hand, the interest in that event almost overshadows the daily racing. Six of the colts that started in the Fairmount Derby last Saturday are on the grounds and ready to run, while there is assurance others will come until the field will be both large and of good class horses. There was some little disappointment to George Odom when Robert L. Gerrys Ironsides was defeated easily by Royal Stranger in the mile race at the end of the Belmont Park card of Monday. Ironsides is an eligible to the Belmont Stakes, to be run Saturday, and had he shown to advantage in this mile it is more than probable that he would be sent in the mile and a half stake race. His defeat was one that would indicate his unfitness for such a gallop with Victorian and Genie, to say nothing of seme of the others, and it is hardly possible that Odom will send him to the post. He had no mishaps in the running of the mile and it was just a case of Royal Stranger proving his master, and under equal weights, at every foot of the road and in fast time. Earlier in the day, the second race, A. H. Cosdens Vito had something of a public trial for the Belmont Stakes when he finished second to Gifford A. Cochrans filly Valkyr in the Richmond Handicap at a mile and a sixteenth. In that race, which was for three-year-olds, the colt took up top weight of 125 pounds, against the 110 carried by the filly, and his racing second was a creditable performance. Whether or not it moved him up to a notch where Hirsch will try for the Belmont Stakes, Vito at least easily disposed of two others of the Belmont eligibles in Knapsack and Algernon. He gave Knapsack eleven pounds and Algernon nine pounds in that race of Monday and disposed of both of them handily. So much for the Monday performances of the Belmont eligibles. There was nothing in any one of these performances that should seriously effect the standing of Victorian, Sun Beau or Genie for the big race of Saturday. Kentucky racing has moved on to another meeting with the opening of the twenty-nine days of racing at Latonia. This meeting opened auspiciously on Tuesday and with the usual hearty welcome that is always accorded by Cincinnati. With ten stake races to be decided at Latonia there are many opportunities for the best horses of each age division, but the Latonia Derby, as usual, is the big offering. This year, with the Arlington Derby at Arlington Park run at a mile and a quarter, the Latonia Derby becomes the first of the Middle West stake races at a mile and a half. The Latonia Derby -is to be run June 23 and that date is happily chosen for the reason that it does not conflict with any of the other big three-year-old races. It comes at a time when starters in any of the big three-year-old races that have gone before will have ample time to meet the engagement at Latonia. In the one hundred and forty-two eligibles to the Latonia Derby may be found the winners of the great races already decided are in the list. Victorian, winner of the Preakness Stakes and Withers Stakes; Reigh Count, winner of the Kentucky Derby, and Misstep, which triumphed in the Fairmount Derby, are all in the Latonia Derby. Of course, there is small chance for Reigh Count keeping his engagement, but it is expected that the others will be brought together and the Latonia Derby should accomplish in Kentucky what was hoped for in the Belmont Stakes in New York. Unfortunately, many of the best ones in the Middle West are not eligible to the Belmont Stakes, while others have the conflicting engagement in the American Derby and for that reason will race at Arlington Park rather than at Belmont Park. There have been some disquieting reports of the illness of J. O. Keenes good two-year-old Jean Valjean. This son of Stefan the Great and Jeanne Bowdre was he sensation of the training hours at Churchill Downs earlier in the year and Keene shipped him to Belmont Park for his engagement in the National Stallion Stakes, to be run on Saturday at Belmont Park. This swift colt was ready to race during the Churchill Downs meeting, but Keene elected to wait for the National Stallion Stakes with him. He also refused several flattering offers for his star. Report had it that the colt had contracted a fever after his arrival at Belmont Park and it was said to be doubtful if he could be brought to the post for the engagement. Now Mr. Keene confirmed the report that his good colt was unloaded at the end of his trip to Belmont Park from Churchill Downs with a fever of 105 degrees. Since that time he said the colt had recovered so completely that he worked him a half mile down the Widencr course in forty-six seconds. Victorian continues to impress so in his preparation for the Belmont Stakes , that there is real regret in the Whitney camp that Reigh Count, winner of the Kentucky Derby, will not be in the field of Saturday. Before Reigh Count went amiss, and it was decided to rest him until the Saratoga Springs meeting, there was a like confidence in the Hertz camp and when these two good colts are brought together in an August engagement, as is hoped, it should be a great race.
