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FAIRMOUNT PARK OPENING » 9 Fourth Annual Spring Meeting at Track Near St. Louis » Fast Sprinters Carded to Meet in ,000 Addtad Collinsville Handicap Stake Attraction of Opening Program ♦ COLLINSVILLE, 111., May 24. — The fourth annual spring meeting at Fairmount Park will be inaugurated Saturday under the most favorable auspices, with the prospects bright for the best racing ever conducted over the Southern Illinois course. For the first time since racing was established here, all stable space has been filled and the occupants are of a quality vastly superior in the aggregate than formerly. There is also a greater number of individual stars. Unlike former years, only one race meeting will be held here in 1929. Ther« will be continuous racing until July 6. This makes a period of 37 days. There will be no fall racing. It marks the first time that no autumn meeting has been I conducted. Local interest in the impending opening appears greater and club house reservations for the season more numerous. Among those who have secured choice accommodations are the elite of the St Louis social set. Nothing has been left undone by general manager C. Bruce Head that would contribute towards the success of the opening or the remainder of the meeting. He has given detail matters his personal attention for some time with the result that everything is in thorough readiness. The high floods of nearby sections have not caused any damage to the plant, the higher ground on which the track and stables are built has eliminated any chance of the flood-waters reaching the course. There may be some deflections from the expected crowds in the earlier stages of the meeting because of the necessity to detour on the main highways leading from St. Louis to the track because of the flooded condition of some parts of the road on a lower level. There are numerous other roads for automobiles leading to the course. INTRODUCTORY PROGRAM. The introductory program is one of the best ever offered here. It comprises seven well-filled races featured by the Collinsville Handicap of ,000 added, at three-quarters, and brings together a crack band of sprinters including Bobashela, Fair Ship, Blackwood Judge Murphy and False Pride. The latter is the five and a half furlongs record-holder over this track. In addition to the above named Shasta Lad, winner of last years Collinsville Handicap, will try to duplicate his feat of last year, and Greenock, McTinkle and Nichelson are other troublesome contenders. Large, but well-balanced fields comprise six of the races, the exception being the mile and an eighth contest in which eight are carded. In the entries are many which will be campaigning here for the first time, being recent arrivals from eastern and Maryland courses. Only one two-year-old race is programmed. It has among its starters several that have shown some excellent trials over the course, including the supposed crack Meltelian, recently claimed for a big price. The dozen in the second race are also well matched and include the muchly claimed little Asbestos, a frequent winner at Aurora. Busy scenes were the order all during the day at Fairmount Park, arrivals of horses being numerous. Among the late comers hero were consignments from Kentucky, including those that will carry the colors of J. C. Milam.
