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AURORA ALIVE WITH ACTIVITY Stables Moving in for Opening of Illinois Racing Season. Fox Valley Course Has Stall Space for 1,000 Horses Condition Book to Carry Minimum Weight Rule. AURORA, 111., April 4. Racing secretary Dick Leigh and his staff of assistants were busy at Aurora, where the 1938 racing season gets under way May 2. Leigh announced that those owners whose stable reservations have been approved could begin moving in their thoroughbred charges. In making a checkup of the available stall space at the Fox Valley course Leigh declared he will be able to take care of more than 1,000 horses. A survey of the applications indicated that reservations had been asked for more than 800 horses. It is the opinion of Leigh that this opening meeting of the new racing season will find about 900 thoroughbreds stabled at the Fox Valley track. Condition books for the twenty-four days of racing will be available within a day or two. These were delayed about a week due to the new high weight rule adopted by the Continued on twenty-second page. AURORA ALIVE WITH ACTIVITY Continued from first page. state commission. This sets a minimum of 103 pounds, which means that horses generally will be carrying higher weight from now on. One of the features of the new rule is that it will mean the presence of more-experienced riders. It will also mean that many good boys who have been forced to a strenuous diet will now be able to accept mounts at their best. The presence of Leigh and his assistants at Aurora means that the Fox Valley track will be alive with activity from now until the first barrier is sprung. Starter Johnny Morrissey and his crew will be here within several days and schooling races will be under way some time next week. President Robert S. Eddy, judge Clifford Abbo, Leo Dandurand and others of the front office force will also be here by the end of the week. Work on the installation of the new electric "tote" board is progressing in good shape. The conduit from the infield underneath the track is already in place, thus there will be no interference from that score with training activities. The racing strip itself, which was resurfaced last year, wintered well in that all the frost is out of the ground and the early birds among the trainers will find a satisfactory cushion over which to work their charges. i
