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Here and There j on the Turf i Arlington Program Draws Stars j Public Approves Policy j Plant Ideal for Sport j Successful Meeting Seems As- j sured J i Especially insofar as daily racing is concerned, the most important meeting in the Middle West opens today when the thirty- day term at Arlington Park is inaugurated. Of all the major season tracks apart from the Atlantic seaboard", Arlington is the only one which consistently attracts any of the important eastern establishments and as it attracts the best stables throughout the central states, the Chicago course undoubtedly is in the position of providing racing of the highest caliber. Arlingtons 1936 ses- sion offers just as much promise as any of its predecessors during the past few years but thera was a previous time when the sport was provided by more horses of higher quality when the course sponsored -by John Hertz, Charles A. McCulloch, Warren Wright, Otto Lehmann and their associates did not have the competition now offered by New England and an improved Metropolitan circuit. This marks the eighth year in which Arlington racing has been conducted under the regime of these prominent and wealthy sportsmen and it has the previous seven years of accomplishments as a foundation in its appeal to Chicagos enthusiasts. This period also has taught the horsemen exactly what to expect at Arlington Park, so easily understood is that fact that" the 1,400 stalls at the north side course are easily filled. Leading establishments from the East to be frequently represented during the thirty-day meeting are those of John Hay Whitney, Brookmcade Stable, Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt, Joseph E. Widener, Wheatley Stable and Belair Stud, and opposing them will be horses from the stables of Milky Way Farms, Hal Price Headley, Dixiana, E. R. Bradley, F. M. Alger, Jr., Mrs. John Hertz, Shandon Farm, and others- well known in the Middle West. Arlington Park has seven stakes on its program of value and importance most appealing to the countrys leading stables. The Arlington Futurity and Arlington Lassie Stakes are among the richest events offered annually for two-year-olds and as they come at a time when the more promising youngsters are ready for campaigning, they attract to the Chicago course stables having good prospects. The Classic, for three-year-olds, and the Stars and Stripes and Arlington Handicaps, for older horses, also play their part in drawing first-grade establishments to Arlington. Stables having stakes candidates also include horses of lesser ability, and these make up the fields for the events rounding out the daily programs. Arlingtons position in Americas racing scheme is quite secure under the present policy of non-profit sport, and history will be made there during the next five weeks. In keeping with the importance of its racing, Arlington Park has one of the finest plants in America. The track is a mile and a furlong in circumference, which permits, wide, sweeping turns and comparatively short stretches, which at once provides the public with an excellent view of the races 1 Continued on thirty-ninth pagej. : : . i I HERE AND THERE ON THE TURF .Continued from second page. as well as making for clean contests. Mile events originate in a chute which leads into the back stretch at an angle slight enough to cause no difference in the racing but enabling the spectators to see the horses every step of the way. The grandstand is the largest in the country,, with every seat a good one. The entire property is beautifully landscaped, while the paddock follows the idea so popular at Saratoga and Belmont Park, the horses being.saddled beneath trees if their trainers prefer. The stables at Arlington are in an area apart from that occupied by the track, grandstand, paddock and parking space. They are located opposite a mile training track which has .proved popular with the horsemen. For the publics convenience and convention, the northwest side association was the first to make regular use of the Bahr starting gate and all-electric totalizator and now it has adopted the motion-picture camera, successfully used at Santa Anita and Narragansett, to decide close finishes. Numerous other improvements have been made at Arlington during its present regime and the public has long since come to regard the track as outstanding. With Hawthorne enjoying a brilliant close after interest had mounted steadily during its thirty-one day run, interest in the Arlington opening is quite high among Chicago fans and the track appears certain of having its most guccessful meeting since boom days. i A
