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KENTUCKY RACING SEASON OF 1935 BEGINS TODAY !rr i a r : Churchill Downs Scene of Sixty-First Annual Spring Meeting Big Field for Clark Handicap, Inaugural Feature- Chance Sun, Nellie Flag and Other Derby Hopes in Cherokee Park Purse LOUISVILLE, Ky., April 26. Churchill Downs, historic home of the Kentucky Derby and for three generations the scene of much of Americas most important racing, opens Saturday for its sixty-first annual spring meeting. During the long period of its operation many remarkably successful meetings, particularly in the spring since the Derby has been the recognized peer of all American races, have been held at the picturesque course, but never before has a meeting created so much interest as that opening tomorrow. JFor weeks, yes months, interest in the sixty-first Derby, to be run a week from Saturday, has been so keen and widsepread that a record crowd of perhaps as many as 100,000 is predicted for that event. Commensurate enthusiasm in the meeting as a whole is distinctly evident here, through the Ohio valley and in every part of the famous Blue Grass belt. Col. M. J. Winn, executive director of the track, is confident that all attendance records will fall and that, while the highest mutuel handle may not be equaled, the play this season may be as much as 50 per cent greater than last. Improved economic conditions, greater popularity of racing and prospects for the most open race in all the long history of the Kentucky Derby are receiving credit for ,the great increase in interest. Weeks ago the last reserved Derby accommodations were sold and, with an increase of almost 300 in the number of boxes, the early sellout was a record never before approached. Not excepting the boom period, Derby reservations were available up to within a few days of the race and, in several years since the depression, all such accommodations were not sold. Even last year "some of the less desirable boxes were empty as Cavalcade raced to victory in the prized Kentucky classic. LIST OF DOWNS STAKES. In addition to the Derby, the nineteen-day session getting under way Saturday bring3 renewals of the Clark Handicap for three-year-olds and over; the Bashford Manor Stakes, for two-year-olds, and the Kentucky Oaks, for three-year-old fillies. The Clark and Oaks are as old as the Derby, which was first run in 1875, while the Bashford Manor had its inception in 1902. Bright skies and a summer temperature made up the weather as preparations for the meeting neared completion today. Should the same weather prevail tomorrow, there is little question that an all time record crowd will witness the inaugural. It would also witness several of the leading Derby candidates, including the Futurity and Grand Hotel Stakes winner Chance Sun named for the Cherokee Purse, tomorrows feature billed Clark Handicap must divide interest with the seven furlongs test for Derby aspirants. In addition to Chance Sun, the Cherokee attracted St. Bernard, Nellie Flag, Bluebeard, Hank MacTavish, Jawapa, and seven other of lesser prominence. Chance Sun, Nellie Flag and St. Bernard will be making their initial appearances as three-year-olds and the former will take up top weight of 116 pounds, five more than Nellie Flag and from six to thirteen more than any of the others. Eleven, including Blackbirder and Beaver Dam, which also were named for the Cherokee accepted for the Clark Handicap. Bazaar, Open Hearth, Fiji, Frank Ormont, Bring Back, Vitamin B., Brustigert, South Gallant and Fogarty are other3 named for the Clark, which will be decided over a mile and one-sixteenth. If she fills the engagement, Bazaar will shoulder top weight of 114 pounds. She is a pronounced choice to account for the race which last year fell to Esseff, also a filly. Other more recent winners of the old fixture include Osculator, Pittsburgherj Bar-gello, Stars and Bars, Martie Flynn, Jock, Helens Babe, San-Utar, Spic and Span, Chilhowee, Audacious and Exterminator. The inaugural running, back in 1875, went to Voltigeur. Six other races, including two given over to two-year-olds always of special interest at this season complete tomorrows program. Continued on tioenty-fifth page. KENTUCKY RACING SEASON OF 1935 BEGINS TODAY Continued from first page. Five of the six including the two for juveniles attracted maximum sized fields. While the result of tomorrows trial of Derby nominees will have some bearing on the status of various contestants it does not carry the importance of the mile Preparation Purse to be run Tuesday and the outcome of which is certain to qualify several of the western hopefuls and at the same time cause others to be dropped from the probable Derby field. The more probable Derby starters at this time are Omaha, Chance Sun, Boxthorn, Special Agent, Psychic Bid, Nellie Flag, Roman. Soldier, Plat Eye, Sailor Beware, Morpluck, Mantagna, Chanceview, Whiskolo, Direct Hit, Shoeless Joe, Today, Prince Splendor, Commonwealth, St Bernard, Finance, Sun Fairplay and Weston. Including colors to be seen in the Derby the silks of an unusually large number of the more prominent owners will participate in the meeting. Some of the larger and more important stables on the grounds are those of C. B. Shaffer, C. V. Whitney, E. R. Bradley, J. G. Lang. W. F. Knebelkamp, Chas. T. Fisher, E. D. Shaffer, A. Axton, J. W. Parrish, Keene Daingerfield, S.. B. Mason, A. Hanger, J. E. Widener, William E. Smith, M. Goldblatt, Mrs. R. B. Fairbanks, C. Bidwill, T. C. Worden, Conn Smythe, Warren Wright, Willard Wilson, H. R. Penney, Young Bros., Jouett Shouse, T. H. McCaffrey, F. P. Letellier, J. Lowenstein, W. J. Hirsch, J. N, Camden, J. C. Milam, J. W. Bell, D. B, Midkiff; Howard Oots, Sachsenmaier and Reuter arid many others. " Such other leading patrons as Mrs. Payne Whitney; William Woodward, Mrs. I. D. Sloane, Mrs. W. S; Kilmer, W. S. Kilmer; J. H; Louchheim; Mrs." W; M. Jeffords and others will be Tepresented in the Derby."
