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CHESAPEAKE STAKES INITIAL TEST FOR DERBY Crowd of 25,000 Is Expected to Witness Event on April 24 0,000 Three-Year-Old Race Big Feature of Havre de Grace Meeting Opening Next Monday-Large Array of Horses Available HAVRE DE GRACE, Md., April 7. Willie Shea of New York has decided to pass up the Wood Memorial with Merry Maker, his Kentucky Derby hope, and will come here in an attempt to win the 0,000 Chesapeake, outstanding race of the Haford Agricultural and Breeders Associations fourteen-day session, beginning Monday. Merry Maker Is one of the eight horses Shea is campaigning at Bowie. His decision to come here for the Chesapeake instead of the Wood, is due to the fact that the local race is run two weeks prior to the Kentucky Derby. By taking in the Chesapeake, Shea still would have ample time to ship to Kentucky and get his colt tightened up for the May 8 event. whereas he would have to rush his preparations were he to run Merry Maker In the Wood, which Is only a week in advance of the Derby. Alfred Gwynne Vanderblit, Samuel D. Riddle, Mrs. John Bosley, Jr., J. W. Y. Martin and William DuPont, Jr., are other owners of Kentucky Derby candidates, who will use the Chesapeake as their final Eastern tryout before going West. General manager Edward Burke is making arrangements to handle 25,000 spectators on Chesapeake Day, which has been set for April 24. The advance sale of clubhouse and private boxes is the largest since Man o War won the 1920 Potomac. With only a few days remaining before actual racing begins, every train stopping here drops off car loads of horses. Vans are rolling in hourly and all signs point to everyone of the 1,100 available stalls having an occupant when actual racing begins Monday. TRACK AT BEST. The track is at its best. "Buddy" Hirsch, George Conway, Bill Hurley, Bert Michell, Bud Stotler, Preston Burch, George Ogle, Jimmy Stewart and other trainers, who are working their charges over it, say that while it is almost a second faster than last spring, it contains a cushion which keeps horses from breaking down. Burch is sending Walter M. Jeffords Matey right along. This colt wintered at Columbia, S. C, and is in tip top form, in fact, many experts look for him to go postward on April 24 the public choice in the wagering. The new steward and camera stands atop the grandstand have been completed. The moving of the stands gives clubhouse patrons as well as those fans sitting in the southern end of the grandstand, a much better view of the entire course. The Bahr stall starting gate has been erected and horses are being schooled out of it every morning from 7:30 to 10:30 a. m. This means that few, if any, bad post actors will be around when starter Jim Milton rings the first "off bell" on Monday. Racing secretary Charles McLennan has opened his offices. He is being assisted by John Purcell Turner, Sr., and J. P. Turner, Jr., who are members of his staff both here and at Hialeah Park, Fla.
