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FOURTEEN MAY START IN 0,000 ILLINOIS . DERBY - - "- rx t V ALL REPORTED READY Roman Soldier Due to Reach Aurora Today From Washington Park. Preparations Being Rushed to En tertain Largest Crowd of Meeting for Derby Friday. AURORA, 111., May 21. With but a few days remaining before the running of the 0,000 added Illinois Derby, potential candidates are indulging in their final preparation. Most of them are winding up their training at Washington Park and will probably remain there until the eve of the big race. Roman Soldier, which will represent Sachsenmaier and Reuter, will probably form the vanguard of candidate arrivals from Washington Park, being due to arrive at Exposition Park Wednesday. Mrs. Silas B. Masons Sun Portland, which arrived here Monday, was given a slow gallop Tuesday morning, which will serve as preparation for a more exacting trial Wednesday. The performance of Mrs. J. C. Gillems Transmutable sent his stock skyrocketing after his record breaking performance of Monday, and he, no doubt, will be given- a test over a distance of ground to determine if he is up to such a strenuous performance as matching strides with colts of the caliber of Roman Soldier, Whiskolo, Sun Portland, Prince Splendor and the filly Black Helen. DARK WOMAN FORMIDABLE. Of the twenty-eight candidates which are eligible, Dark Woman, Transmutable, Clang and Joseph J. G., are the only ones which have entered competition at this meeting. Of this quartet, the performances of Dark Woman and Transmutable have been the best. The latter has made but two starts, which have been crowned with success and in the last one he established a new track record. Dark Woman met defeat in her first appearance, then came back to beat the same horses, and equal the track record. At this time indications point to a field of fourteen for the Derby to come from the following: Roman Soldier, Black Helen, Sun Fairplay, Sun Portland, Blackbirder, Sand Cloud, Whiskolo, McCarthy, Calumet Dick, Skip It, Transmutable, Prince Splendor, Slim Rosie, Clang, Blue Armor, Dark Woman and Joseph J. G. Roman Soldier and Black Helen, which will carry the bulk of support, will have top weights, with the former carrying 122 pounds, while his feminine rival will perform under 119 pounds. The complete list of weights will be released Wednesday by racing secretary R. A. Leigh. The management of the Fox Valley course is rushing preparations to entertain a record breaking crowd to see the Derby Friday. This will be the final day of what has proved a most successful meeting despite considerable inclement weather. If the present ideal weather remains over until Friday, it would not be surprising to see as many as, if not more than, 20,000 persons to witness the third running of the Illinois Derby. PROSPECTIVE STARTERS. Three of the. first five to finish in the Kentucky Derby are prospective starters in the Illinois Derby. Roman Soldier was second in the Blue Grass classic, Whiskolo third, and Blackbirder fifth. Whiskolo also was third to Roman Soldier in the Texas Derby. The Milky Way Farms colorbearer was second to Gillie in the Santa Anita Derby. Dark Woman was second to McCarthy in the Louisiana Derby, and equalled the track record for a mile and a sixteenth in her last start at Aurora. Transmutable has raced only twice and is undefeated. In his last start, at Aurora Monday, he clipped four-fifths of a second off the track record by running five and one-half furlongs in 1:04, a mark seldom equalled on any track in America, Of the probable starters, Black Helen, Roman Soldier, Whiskolo, Blue Armor, Continued on twenty-eighth page. FOURTEEN MAY START IN 0,000 ILLINOIS DERBY Continued from first page. Prince Splendor, Calumet Dick, and Slim Rosie are at Washington Park. Black Helen breezed a mile and a furlong Sunday in :26, :52, 1:18, 1:44, 1:57. It Is expected that trainer Bill Hurley will set her down for the Derby distance there and van her to Aurora Friday. Trainer "Bob" Mc-Garvey has indicated he will bring Whiskolo and Blue Armor to Aurora Wednesday. Blackbirder and McCarthy are at Churchill Downs; they are expected to arrive shortly.
