Keeneland Track at Lexington Opens Today: Racing Returns to Blue Grass Region after Three Years Interim, Daily Racing Form, 1936-10-15

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KEENELAND TRACK AT LEXINGTON OPENS TODAY Racing Returns to Blue Grass Region After Three Years Interim Myrtlewood Heads Field of Seven Entered for Keen Handicap, Inaugural Feature of Fine Introductory-Program Much Interest in Meeting LEXINGTON, Ky., Oct. 14. Racing returns to the Blue Grass region tomorrow afternoon after an absence of three years, with the introduction of Keeneland, constructed at a cost of 00,000, on the property held by the Keene family under title granted in the reign of King George III. Planned by its sponsors, who include many of the nations outstanding breeders and owners, as well as leading business men of Lexington, to become one of the finest and most popular race courses in America, Keeneland makes its debut with a program of seven races, featured by the Keen Handicap, for which a field of seven is headed by the brilliant Myrtlewood. In a setting of verdant and rolling blue grass pastures, with the telltale plank fences and stock barns of breeding farms serving as part of the eye-filling background, Keeneland, with, the rustic and stone effects of its con struction, appears to have been in existence for a considerable length of time, even though the program of beautification was not completed because of the drought suffered here during the past summer. Summer skies beamed on the new plant today and with no change in the weather anticipated tomorrow, no track ever has enjoyed the auspicious opening promised for-Keeneland. Locally, interest in the return of racing at such a fine park is at the extreme and business and agricultural life will be at a standstil tomorrow with everyone planning to be present for the opening. Mingling with them will be many noted personages from other sections of the country who are interested in Keeneland welfare and wish to support the kind of racing intended for the new track. SHANDON FARM HORSES. With Evergold, ace of the stable scheduled to resume racing here, the colors of P. A. and R. J. Nashs Shandon Farm are expected to figure prominently in the racing at Keeneland. In addition to Evergold the Shandon establishment will be represented by Quincy, Happy Road, My Elsie and Miss Twinkle. Noted among todays arrivals was Frank P. Letellier, who brought a division of his large stable from Churchill Downs. It consists of Marie Jean, Hit and Run, Billbo, Golden Nut, Blackthorn and Miss Lizzie. Crack sprinters from the East and Middle West are among the seven overnight candidates for the Keen Handicap, a dash of six furlongs with ,000 added. Myrtlewood, owned by Browncll Combs, Lexington sportsman, and generally regarded as the outstanding member of her sex to have raced in America this season, will be called upon to shoulder 128 pounds in the Keen Handicap. In addition to her sex allowance, the four-year-old daughter of Blue Larkspur and Frizeur must give at least fourteen pounds to the second high weight, Mrs. L. J. Hickmans Dusty Dawn. John Hay Whitneys. Gleeman, a three-year-old, will carry pounds and Shady Brook Farms Visigoth 113 pounds. Other candidates for the feature are.Greentree Stables Black Buddy, Hal Price Hcadlcys Fraidy Cat and Howard Oots Merica, their imposts ranging down to 101 pounds. MYRTLEWOODS FINAL RACES. If Myrtlewood comes out of her engagement tomorrow in good condition she will be under silks again Saturday in the Ashland Stakes, at a mile and one-sixteenth, with 126 pounds on her back. She has been unbeaten in stake events thi3 season and Continued on twenty-third page. KEENELAND TRACK AT LEXINGTON OPENS TODAY Continued from first page. goes into permanent retirement after her effort in the Ashland. George South again will ride her. The six other races are named for prominent breeding farms and horses, the secondary attraction being the Owners Handicap, for horses of all ages at six furlongs. Ten have been named for the race and with the weights assigned by their owners the imposts range from ninety-seven to 105 pounds. The first two races are for juvenile fillies and the fourth event is for maiden two-year-old colts and geldings, all at three-quarters, as is the third, for platers. The seventh and final event will be over the mile and one furlong course. Total distribution for opening day will be ,900. Prominent members of the Owners Handicap field are Count Morse. Mid Victorian, Piccolo, Pelerine and Crowning Glory, while the fields for the two filly races include Merina, Fitter, Peplum, The Queen, Percent and others of note. Tattered, Airlap and Old Nassau are among the well regarded youngsters in the other juvenile event. ALL-ELECTRIC TOTALIZATOR. Post time has been set at 2 oclock, central standard time, and no "Daily Double" will be offered. The wagering will be recorded by the American All-Electric totalizator and will be in charge of Mort Shaw. Restaurants in the handsomely designed clubhouse and in the grandstand will be operated by the Turf Catering Company, with Joe Wolkin in charge. The clubhouse, occupying two floors of the southern end of the massive stone building constructed by John Oliver Keene for use as headquarters for trainers, will be available only to members and their guests. This building, which is located opposite the furlong post, faces the entrance to the park, which is reached by a beautiful shaded driveway, and it also is used by the administration and racing secretarys departments. Further included is the jockeys quarters, hospital and a private room for the Thoroughbred Club of America. On the roof of the clubhouse a glass enclosed room has been added for use of the stewards, the high location giving them a commanding view of the entire course. These officials will have a room on the first floor for their administrative works. C. J. FitzGerald, Jr., is serving as the presiding steward and two of the dozen honorary stewards will serve with him daily. William Hamilton will do the starting. with the aid of the Bahr gate and his entire staff of assistants. Hal Price Headley is president of the Keeneland Association and has given much of his time since its organization in supervising the construction of the new track. A. B. Gay is the first vice-president and Dr. Fred W. Rankin second vice-president. William H. Courtney is treasurer and W. l. Bishop assistant treasurer. Brownell Combs is secretary of the association and Miss Martha A. Brown assistant secretary. Roy Carruthers is serving as general manager. Directors are Johnson N. Camden, Brownell Combs. William H. Courtney, Victor K. Dodge, William R. Embry, Augustus B. Gay. A. B. Hancock, Jr.. Hal Price Headley, J. O. Keene, Carneal Kinkcad, Theodore H. Kirk, Frazer D. Lcbus, Horatio P. Mason. James M. Molloy, Thomas Piatt, Fred W. Rankin, Collis Ringo, C. Barry Shannon, L. B. Shouse, Sr., Richard C. Stoll and Charles R. Thompson,


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1930s/drf1936101501/drf1936101501_1_3
Local Identifier: drf1936101501_1_3
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800