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Churchill Downs Brilliant Opening Program w ♦ ■ TEMPTING TURF FEAST * Offered for Patrons of Louisvilles Famous Race Course. ♦ Splendid Fields Named for Clark Handicap and Seelbach Hotel Purse, Principal Features. ♦ LOUISVILLE, Ky., May 1.— Churchill Downs, since 1875 among the nations leading race courses and home of the Kentucky Derby, Americas greatest and most prized race, opens tomorrow for the annual spring meeting with one of the most brilliant inaugural programs in many years. The annual renewal of the 0,000 added Clark Handicap, which like the Kentucky Derby had its inception in 1875, is the attraction on the exceptional initial offering, and a meeting of some of the leading western owned candidates for the Derby coming up on Saturday, May 16, provides a strong companion feature. Threatening weather today did not reduce keen anticipation with which the inaugural is awaited and, barring too severe weather, officials are confident that the season will open with one of the largest first-day crowds in the record of the track. The far flung interest reflected in requests for season accommodations and Derby day reservations, and the intense enthusiasm of local devotees is accepted as assurance that Churchill Downs continues to make new friends with each season. A complete sell-out of boxes and reservations for Derby day was reported at the track offices. MEETING ENDS MAY 23. The racing during the meeting concluding on Saturday, May 23, will engage the horses of an unusually large number of the prominently owned and most formidable stables and in addition to the 0,000 added Derby and 0,000 added Clark Handicap, such other rich fixtures as the 0,000 added Grainger Memorial Handicap, 0,000 added Kentucky Oaks. ,000 added Debutante Stakes and ,000 added Bashford Manor Stakes, will be renewed. Among owners whose colors will be seen during the season are: Mrs. Payne Whitney, Mrs. John Hay Whitney, William Woodward, Arthur B. Hancock, R. S. Clark, Thomas D. Taggart, William Dupont. Jr., Madden Bros., B. B. Jones, C. V. Whitney, Mrs. H. H. Cotto, Charles T. Fisher, Edward R. Bradley, H. P. Headley, Mrs. K. E. Hitt, C. W. Hay, Joseph Leiter, H. C. Hatch, John Marsch, C. B. Shaffer, Silas B. Mason, Arnold Hanger, William Ziegler, Jr., Willis Sharpe Kilmer, Mrs. Charles M. Amory, T. E. Mueller, W. E. Smith. F. M. Grabner, Walter J. Salmon, H. M. VVoolf, W. T. Waggoner and Sons, R. J. Nash, P. A. Nash, Mrs. H. C. Phipps, Griffin Watkins, Harry F. Sinclair, Edward Beale McLean, W. H. Whitehouse, J. B. Respess, Sewell Combs, Allan Gallaher, Mrs. Baylor Hickman, W. E. Hupp, C. C. Van Meter, J. W. Parrish, Jouett Shouse, Desha Breckinridge, John O. Keene, A. C. Bostwick, Charles Bacharach, W. C. and E. W. Reichert, Thomas Pendergast, J. G. Lang, among others. BRILLIANT FIELD FOR DERBY. The Derby, to be decided over the testing one mile and one-quarter distance, is expected to engage a score or more of the years bumper crop of sterling three-year-olds, the list of probably starters at this time including Equipoise, Mate, Twenty Grand. Anchors Aweigh, Surf Board, Sweep All, Ormesby, Bar Hunter, Barometer, Don Leon, Bosafabo, Boys Howdy, Sun Meadow, Spanish Play, Prince DAmour, Ladder, Pittsburgher, Busy Monarch, Insco, Up and Levante. Barring wet weather, tomorrows sparkling program will be presented on a fast track, and the Clark Handicap will test at one mile and one-sixteenth such stars as E. F. Prichards Tannery, winner of the Ben Ali and Camden Handicaps at Lexington; Jimmy Moran, outstanding handicap performer of the New Orleans season; Prince DAmour, first of the western Derby hopefuls to race with the best older company; I I Continued on twenty-first page. TEMPTING TURF FEAST Continued from first page. Bargello, Lady Broadcast, Playtime, Manta, Royal Julian, Dark Entry, Royal Son and Roy. Lady Broadcast will carry top weight of 116 pounds, while Tannery must pack 113 pounds, and Jimmy Moran 110 pounds. The Seelbach Hotel Purse, bringing together much of the "cream" of the western Derby candidates, will be decided over six and one-half furlongs. It attracted Spanish Play, Sweep All, Pittsburgher, Up, Boys Howdy, Don Leon, Insco, The Mongol, Matadi, Conscience and Harvest Sun, all eligible for the classic, and the non-eligibles Blind Bowboy and Irish Maiden. The latter and Harvest Sun each carry 110 pounds, while all others with the lone exception of Insco get in under 115 pounds. Insco, penalized for his victory in the Post and Paddock Stakes at Arlington Park last summer, must convey 118 pounds in this, his first start of the year. Five other races, two of the allowance variety, complete the opening day program, and the field for the first of the seven numbers will be called to the post at 2 oclock Central Standard time. The track, grounds and buildings are looking their finest, and everything is in readiness for the bugles sound that will signal the seasons inauguration. More favorable weather than last year has brought into variated color the plant life that abounds throughout the grounds, and the painters brushes have emphasized the pleasing white and green color scheme of the grandstand, club house, stables, fences and other structures. Only one change among the racing officials will be in effect, C. Bruce Head, general manager of Lincoln Fields and thoroughly versed on racing in all its branches, succeeding S. C. Nuckols in the stewards stand. Mr. Head will serve with Charles F. Price, Thomas C. Bradley and Elijah Hogg. William H. Shelley is racing secretary and handicapper and will act with S. H. McMeekin and Sherman Goodpaster in the placing of the horses. The starting, all of which will be from the Bahr gates, will be in charge of William Hamilton. Mortimer Mahoney has arranged for an extra force on Preakness Day. There will be six sellers who will be located at the upper end of the lawn. One 0; two and three windows. In the club house there will be one three-way window. The sellers will be on hand before the first race and will sell tickets on the Preakness only. "King" Clancy, the famous hockey player of the Maple Leafs, accompanied by his father Tom Clancy, were arrivals from Ottawa.
