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LARGE AND CLASSY FIELD Certain to Start in ,000 Added Washington Park Handicap on Opening Day May 23. A large field that will include a number of the leading sprinters is the outlook for next Mondays renewal of the ,000 added Washington Park Handicap, stake feature of the inaugural program of the Washington Park Jockey Club, operating Washington Park. The contest will be at three-quarters, and there is every prospect that the Audley Farms great Gallant Knight, recent winner of the Dixie Handicap and holder of the world record for six and one-half furlongs, will head the field of starters. This five-year-old son of Bright Knight and Ethel Gray has been at Washington Park for several days and, barring muddy or unfavorable track conditions, trainer Kay Spence may saddle him for this first important racing attraction of the Chicago season. Others in the probable field for Mondays sixth running of the fixture include E. F. Prichards Tannery, R. W. Collins Don Leon and J. W. Parrishs Stock Market, which finished first, second and third, as named, in last years renewal, which was worth ,210. Tannery has been racing at Exposition Park, while Don Leon and Stock Market will be among the many prominent horses moving into the Homewood track from Churchill Downs before the week is out. Such flashy mares as the Three Ds Stock Farms Pansy Walker, Clyde Van Dusens Betty Derr, Brownell Combs Manta, and Charles Nuckols Cousin Jo are prominent among those expected to start and others pointing for the race include Cold Check, also owned by Mr. Parrish; Mrs. M. B. Prices Silverdale, J. B. Respess Our Fancy, T. E. Muellers Cayuga, which finished third to Misstep and Golden Prince in the third running of this race; John Marschs Camp Boss, H. P. Headley*s Indian Runner, Mrs. Emile Denemarks Burning Up, Jack Howards Street Singer, C. W. Moores Gold Step, Mrs. Payne Whitneys Justinian and others. In its first staging, back in 1926, the Washington Park Handicap was at a mile and one-quarter, but each of the four runnings since 1927 was at the present distance. The stake was not run in 1928. Smiling Gus was the winner of the first Washington Park Handicap, while Girl Scout took second, Misstep, Leo J. Marks great racer, triumphed in 1929 and again in 1930. He holds the time record of 1:12% for the race, made in 1929, with 124 pounds up and in scoring his second win ran in 1:12% with 126 pounds on his back. In addition to the sprint handicap, the opening holds two other races likely to bring out classy fields. They are the Blue Island Purse, at five-eighths, for two-year-olds, and the mile Pershing Road Purse, for three-year-olds and over. Claiming races, one under the ,500 to ,000 scale, complete the card.
