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CANADIAN INAUGURAL « Racing Season of 1931 Begins Today at Thorncliffe Park. 1 ,000 R. J. Mackenzie Handicap Big Attraction of Splendid Opening Program. • TORONTO, Ont, May 12.— The weather predictions for the opening of the Canadian racing season at Thorncliffe Park Wednesday afternoon is "moderate northeast winds, partly cloudy and cool," which forecast does not hold any threat of rain and that is the only thing that could interfere with a brilliant inaugural of the sport, which has long been awaited with keen anticipation by the thousands of ardent enthusiasts in this district. Fifteen carloads of horses, constituting the Maryland Special, which arrived Monday afternoon, took up practically all the available stalls at the Leaside course, and. with the hundreds more stabled at Woodbine, there is assurance of packed fields in every event throughout the seven days of racing. This meeting at Thorncliffe martrS the first conducted under the popular management of "Bill" Woollatt, and that gentleman must be congratulated on the quantity and quality of material he has assembled for the Leaside sport. The ,000 added R. J. Mackenzie Memorial Handicap, at one mile and a sixteenth, for three-year-olds and over, is offered as an introductory feature and this has attracted ten high class performers in eight interests, the Seagram Stable and H. G. Bedwell being represented by two each. COMPANION FEATURE. The Danforth Purse, for Canadian-bred three-year-olds and over, is offered as a companion feature, and it is a significant fact that only one Plate eligible, W. H. Wrights Kirkland Post, is included in the overnight entries for this prize. This field also includes last years Plate winner, Ay-mond, also such stars of the older homebred division as Kingsway, Mr. Gaiety and Circulet. The Debutante Stakes, for two-year-olds foaled in Canada, which opens the sport, has attracted ten, and in all other numbers, with the exception of the sixth race, which has attracted but nine entries, there is promise of capacity fields. The program can be summed up as a typical Thorncliffe offering, with well-filled fields and close competition promised in each instance. Following is just a partial list of the riders available for this meeting: C. Phillips, E. Leg ?re, P. McGinnis, F. Mann. F. Madeley, T. Romano, T. Aimers, L Canfield, S. Lipiec. W. Boganowski, W. Cleverlev, R. Duggan, C. Ralls, C. Quillen, S. Hoffie, B. Marshio, G. Quackenbush, H. Louman, W. Dellow, A. Ridgeway, E. McLaughlin, R. Townrow, S. Stretton, F. Dainty. E. Fator, N. Foden and J. Thomas. This opening date, May 13, marks the earliest opening of the sport in Canadian history, but trainers have been aided by perfect spring weather for several weeks and horses which have wintered in these parts appear well able to hold their own with the thoroughbreds from across the line, conditioned by winter and early spring racing. Post time for the first race each day will be 2 p. m. daylight saving time.
