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CANADIAN RACING SEASON • Beautiful Woodbine Park Scene of First of 1932 Spring Meetings. • Old Established Kings riate the Premier Attraction of Splendidly Arranged Program — Record Crowd Expected. ♦ TORONTO, Ont., May 20.— Woodbine Park, the beautiful course of the Ontario Jockey Club, will throw open its gates Saturday to welcome the return of the thoroughbred to Canadian racing. The East End track presents a fitting setting for the sport of kings. Favored by good weather, the plant offers a colorful background for the excellent racing program that has been arranged for opening day. Interest in the resumption of racing has been increasing continually and will be brought to a climax with the running of the Kings Plate, Canadas time-honored classic. This year, the seventy-third running of this, the oldest continuously run turf fixture in North America, has lived up to the traditions of the past in occupying the center of the sporting stage. Other stakes are generously spread throughout the program, concluding with the Toronto Cup Handicap on closing day, but the plate ia the mecca of interest. Steeplechasing has always been fostered by the Ontario Jockey Club, and there is a race over the cross-country course scheduled daily. The course has been thrown open to the fencers and the number and quality of the jumpers that have been schooled over the course gives certain promise that t spirited contests will result in this branch. Four local tracks are filled to capacity with horses, embracing divisions of some of the foremost stables in the racing world. There is no dearth of riding talent and many of the outstanding jockeys of the day will be seen sporting silks here. The racing strip proper has been brought to perfection, as evinced by the fast trials that have been recorded. And so, with interest at fever heat, with quality and quantity of horses and riders, with a perfect setting, both as to track conditions and beautiful surroundings, it remains only for the weather man to give his sanction to make conditions ideal for a gala opening. The program for the opening has lived up to the high standard of Woodbine. Naturally, interest is centered chiefly in the running of the Kings Plate. In this feature twelve have accepted and each of the entrants has its own followers in numbers making for a very open race. The H. C. Hatchs nominee, Easter Hatter, arrived at the track from his training ground at Hamilton and reports are to the effect that this colt has trained most im- I " pressively. Trainer Lloyd Gentry has confi- dence in his charge and is satisfied with his condition. The Seagram pair, King OConnor and Shady Well, are certain to find strong support. R. W. R. Cowie has a splendid chance to repeat his victory of last year with Froth Blower, when he sends Queensway postward. She will be supported by Skygazer. The W. H. Wright pair, Spey Crest and Fragrant Gift, have trained so impressively that their chances will be well supported.
