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THEYRE OFF AT NEW WASHINGTON PARK TODAY t Chicago Patrons of Racing to See Greatly Improved Plant Twenty-One Entered in ,000 Chicago Handicap Principal Attraction of Splendid Inaugural Program Expect Tremendous Crowd at Opening HOMEWOOD, 111., May 24. Another season of major racing at courses situated within convenient proximity to Chicago commences with the inauguration of athirty-one day meeting at Washington Park here tomorrow. The season, the ninth in as many years since the enactment of legislation authorizing pari-mutuel betting in connection with the sport, and tenth at the local track, will include meetings at Arlington Park, Lincoln Fields, Hawthorne and Sportsmans Park. It has been several years since interest and enthusiasm on the eve of an opening was as keen and extensive as that with which tomorrows inaugural is awaited, and, unless present indications are false, the season may prove the most successful since 1930, if not the banner one since the boom era. As pace setter for the season, Washington Park promises to blaze the way with some of the most important and pleasing sport east or west. Under the vigorous and able direction of John P. Harding and Roy Car-ruthers, respective president and secretary of the new Washington Park Jockey" Club, which purchased the extensive, picturesque and smartly-equipped Homewood racing properties several months ago, Washington Park will reach out for every worth while and important attraction in the racing field. A renewal of the 5,000 added American Derby, oldest of Illinois turf fixtures, - run for the first time in 1884 and revived with the opening of new Washington Park, ten years ago, heads a list of stakes and han- dicaps- already programmed. Omaha, winner of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, and every other three-year-old of quality is eligible for this coveted race which will be renewed over the usual mile. and one-quarter on Saturday, June 22. SIX ,000 EVENTS. Six events of ,000 added value each support the. Derby. They are the Washington Park Juvenile Stakes and Prairie State Stakes, "for two-year-olds, and the Chicago Handicap, Blue and Gray Memorial Handicap, Great Western Handicap and Washington Park Championship Handicap, for" three-year-olds and upward. If possible, other features of equal oc greater import and value may be arranged and staged during the meeting, the addition of special attractions to the program hinging upon the outcome of the various contests of the leaders in all divisions to be staged here and elsewhere during the next fortnight. Overnight purses of no less than ,000. and other than Saturday and holiday features with values of ,200 or more, are additional inducements in Washington Parks drive to attract Americas finest thoroughbreds. With other of the larger tracks in the Chicago area also guaranteeing minimum purses of ,000 and a stake with an added value of at least ,000 every Saturday and holiday, virtually every outstanding racing establishment in the country will have representation in the sport of the season at hand. Quite a large number of the more prominent and stronger stables intended for campaigning through the entire Chicago season are quartered at Washington Park. Others not intended to race in their entirety here will be represented in the American Derby and other stakes. HIGHEST TYPE OF RACING. Further it is the avowed policy of Washington Parks new management to present or offer the high type of racing certain to accrue from the generous stakes and purse schedule, at popular prices and under the finest and most modern conditions. Following that defined course, the Homewood plant, which had ranked with the most complete and up-to-date in the country, has, at great cost, been improved and refurbished. A totalisator the most modern in all .the world is the major improvement. It represents an estimated investment of 50,000. Every dollar placed in bets through the battery of 150 automatic ticket selling machines Continued on thirty-fifth page.t THEYRE OFF AT NEW WASHINGTON PARK TODAY Continued from first page. registers electrically-upon the grand board in the center field and smaller boards at other locations. Patrons may follow the three branches of betting straight, place and show from the time the first ticket is sold until betting stops. Approximate straight odds on all horses is another feature of the electric betting device. Pay-offs on a two-dollar basis will be flashed immediately after the result of a race has been approved or made official. Other conveniences include betting facilities in the upper sections of the clubhouse and grandstands; a rearrangement of the ground level betting rings in both the clubhouse and general enclosure; a greater number of free seats; a public speaker system with microphone attachments in many parts of the plant, making it possible to acquaint patrons with what is transpiring at the starting point and other desired ""locations; ramps instead of stairs connecting the lower floor of the clubhouse with the lawn or terrace, and numerous minor betterments. Admission prices, as announced today, will be to the grandstand or general enclosure, and to the clubhouse, the track absorbing all taxes. All programs during the meeting will consist of eight races, and tomorrows brilliant first-day card will feature the ,000 added Chicago Handicap, the most important sprint for horses of three years or older to be run during the meeting. Twenty-one entries, representing one of the largest subscriptions for a stake run at any Illinois track since the sport was revived, were made today for the race, which will be decided over six furlongs. The near-record field is headed by Mrs. Ethel V. Mars sterling filly Wise Daughter, Nash Brothers Evergold, and J. S. Kleins Isaiah, all Chicago-owned. Actual top weight of 117 pounds will be carried by the latter, while Evergold and Wise Daughter were assigned 116 pounds each. The latter, by reason of her right to allowance for sex, is, in the eyes of horsemen, the top weight of the field. With such other speedsters as Quatre Bras II., Money Getter, Clarify, Blessed Event, Hasty Glance, Our Reigh, Biff, Flying Sailor, Some Pomp and Chance Line also after the prize, the trio of high weights are not conceded to have the race to themselves. As additional contention is almost certain to come from others, the opening day chief attraction should result in a fast, hard-fought race. Presence of E. R. Bradleys great little filly and Florida Derby winner, Black Helen, in the field of seven three-year-olds named for the Drexel Purse attaches far more than usual interest in that supporting number. The Bradley filly will be meeting Prince Splendor, Calumet Dick, Count Tetrarch, Skip It, Corinto and her own stable companion, Bloodroot She will take up 115 pounds, conceding from 6 to 13 pounds to each of her rivals. Contention abounds in other of the eight contests, and maiden two-year-olds will have the honor of opening the program and season. The field of young maidens slated to pry the lid off will be called to the post at 2:15 oclock. Excluding president Harding, the roster of officials, department heads and racing j staff is virtually the same as at Arlington Park last year.", C., J. FitzGerald and George Brown, Jr., will act as stewards; Charles McLennan, racing secretary ahd handicap-per; S. S. Brown, C. J. FitzGerald, Jr., and C. A. Kenney, placing judges; Roy Dicker-son, starter, and Mort Shaw, manager of the totalizator department.
