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BIG CROWD AT AURORA ♦ [Ten Thousand Witness Sport — "Daily Double" Pays 89.04. » Vox Pop Triumphs in Inaugural Han-v dicap — Favorites Fare Poorly on Heavy Track. » AURORA, 111., May 1. — Ten thousand racing devotees journeyed out to Exposition Park to welcome the thoroughbreds back to this part of the continent and the faithful ones were served with fine racing for the opening day. The Inaugural Handicap, at six furlongs, headed the excellent program. Michael Cunnane furnished the winner of the principal race when Vox Pop, which was turned out in Illinois all winter, came to the finish a neck in advance of Figuriste, and War Plane, the choice, was third in a smashing effort. Nyack, Zenka and Cardinal Jack made up the sextet which vied for honors. The winner came in for strong support due to his sensational morning trials and he never gave his backers much concern until the late stages when he showed signs of tiring while fighting it out with Figuriste and War Plane. The latter, not rated a successful performer in the heavy going, was backed into favoritism however, and made a creditable effort despite defeat, for he came with a belated rush, which was carrying him well on to victory, but Vox Pop and Figuriste were favored by their early advantage and he fell short by the small margin of a neck and a nose. After Nyack gave way the race was between the first three, as Zenka and Cardinal Jack failed to offer serious opposition. CHANGED TRACK CONDITIONS. The track was heavy and holding for the sport and the sudden change in track conditions was instrumental in riddling the good card which had been made up by the racing secretary, with the result that the fields in competition failed to number more than nine. Favorites fared badly, which was attributed to the deceptive track which prevailed. The "Daily Double" combination on the second and third races brought a return of 89.04 for the usual two dollar invest-• ment. Speculation was brisk throughout the day and, while there were some disappointments, the large gathering gave each winner an ovation when they returned to the scales. There was some confvsion when the man in the center field displayed Zenkas number as finishing third in place of War Planes number in the fifth race, but the error was soon corrected when called to the attention of the stewards. Seths Ballot, veteran campaigner and pronounced favorite for the first race, accounted for the opening race when he was a cantering winner under a steady ride by apprentice Loney Hendricks. Sweet One raced to second place, while Last Attempt led home Starch, More Power and Jorghen-sen which completed the field of six. The winner was away in motion, but dropped back when Hendricks took him in reserve for the early racing. Starch set the pace as they rounded the first turn, but was soon displaced by Last Attempt, which indulged in the pacemaking to the lower turn. It was at that point that the winner moved up with a rush and took command which he maintained to the end where he held a six length advantage over Sweet One, when they closed the engagement. Last Attempt tired in the drive but was an easy third. The second witnessed Madge De, an outsider in the betting, drive to the finish a Continued on twenty-second page. BIG CROWD AT AURORA Continued from first page. neck in front of The French Rose, which downed the highly regarded Morsun by a length and one-half for place honors. The winner began slowly, but once in her stride, raced into a contending position. She was then taken under reserve while Morsun and The French Rose fought it out for the lead. When they reached the final eighth, C. Han-auer, who rode the filly, called on her for more speed and, responding gallantly, the victress got on even terms and outfinished her older opponents. The French Rose gave a game performance, coming again in the final stages, while Morsun collapsed completely under the hard riding of A. Richard. Lugen Luggage, from the stable of A. Castin, completed the daily double winners when he took a band of three-year-olds into camp over the three-quarters distance. Odd Star, the favorite, finished a neck back and eight lengths in advance of Sweet Lassie, which showed the way to Long John and three others which started. The hustling tactics of the veteran Johnny Leyland played an important part in the victory when he failed to let the favored Odd Star get far enough in front to get away with major honors, but it was not until the horses were well into the stretch that the winner got close enough to make it a contest. After getting on even terms, he offered such strong opposition that Odd Star was unequal to the task.
