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LARGE FIELD IN PROSPECT As Many as Twenty May Start in ,000 Chicago Handicap.., Finishing Touches to Improvements at Washington Park Being Rushed to Completion for Inaugural. The largest field that has ever gone to the post for a Chicago stake is in prospect for the first running of the ,000 Chicago Handicap at six furlongs, which will serve as the feature of the eight-race program with which Washington Park opens its thirty-one day meeting Saturday. The list of fifty-nine horses nominated for the stake is not exceptionally large, but in checking over the arrivals yesterday, racing secretary Charley McLennan, found that almost every one of the fifty-nine is either already on the grouhds at the rebuilt Home-wood race course, or is en route here from some other racing center. Under such conditions a field of from sixteen to twenty-two horses is not at all unlikely. McLennan will assign weights for the Chicago Handicap late today, and they will be in the hands of norsemen tomorrow. Starters must be named through the entry box on Friday. Considerable Interest attaches to the weights which McLennan will impose upon the horses nominated for the stake, for most of them will be racing in Chicago throughout the summer. With McLennan acting as "racing secretary at both Washington Park and Arlington, horsemen realize that the first set of weights he issues will give them a fairly accurate line upon what success their horses should enjoy here this season. There are plenty of fleet sprinters in the list of Chicago Handicap nominees. One of the more highly regarded ones is A. A. Ba-ronis four-year-old Top Row, one of the best developments of the California winter meetings. Many horsemen are certain that Top Row will draw top weight of the field. Among the other stars that are regarded as- certain starters are A. C. Comptons Red Wagon, the Corsicana Stables Bien Fait and Blessed Event, Dixianas Debs Delight, Mrs. R. B. Fairbanks Bluebeard, Ed Haughtons Bold Lover, J. S. Kleins Isaiah, the Milky Way Farms Wise Daughter, Shandon Continued on twenty-sixth page. LARGE FIELD IN PROSPECT .Continued from first page. Farms Evergold, the Three Ds Stables Quatre Bras II., K T. Whitehills Royal Blunder and C. V. Whitneys High Glee. While the discussion over McLennan s weights for the Chicago Handicap was the focal point of interest at Washington Park today, preparations for a meeting that is the most ambitious Washington Park has attempted in several seasons, moved steadily forward. The finishing touches were being put on grandstand and clubhouse, the modernistic . cafes and bars which have replaced the old facilities were being made ready for the huge throng that is expected Saturday. The 1 huge totalisator, most modern in the world has had the thousands of electric lamps in its infield -board winking on and off since Sunday in an exhaustive test run to prove that it is readytO -handle any betting load Chicago racegoers may put upon it. 1 Stables continue to arrive hourly. Among the latest are. those of C. E. Davison, A. G. Tarn, Bennett Creech and Ed Haughton. "Davison has twelve horses, including Mr. . James. Bien Fait is the star of Tarns string of twelve. Creech and Haughton brought r "fourteen horses each. John Oros arrived i, - with fifteen,-T. C. Piatt brought in. eleven, 1 and Mrs. R, B. Fairbanks eleven.
