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, Illinois Derby, 2,000 Added, to Be Run May 28 1 Aurora President Makes Announcement of Date Speed Up Preparations of Fox Valley Course for Opening of Illinois Racing Season. The 1938 renewal of the Illinois Derby will be run at Aurora May 28. Definite announcement of the date of the stake for the Fox Valley Jockey Clubs 1938 meeting, a twenty-four-day session, beginning May 2, was made by president Robert S. Eddy shortly after his arrival at the Aurora race plant. The 1938 edition of the Aurora feature will be at the mile and a furlong distance, for three-year-olds, w,ith a 2,000 added purse offering. Racing secretary Dick Leigh has set May 21 as the closing date for entries for the big event. Since its inception the Illinois Derby has always been the high spot of the Fox Valley courses annual meeting and marks the first of the Chicago seasons series of stakes. Starting out back in 1933 as a ,000 added event, the stake has now more than doubled its value and has established itself as a mid-western three-year-old spring fixture. SWEEPRUSH FIRST WINNER. The presence of the Illinois Derby on Auroras racing schedule has had a lot to do with putting that track to the forefront among the spring race meetings. The initial race in 1933 was won by Sweeprush, at his Continued on twentieth page. ILLINOIS DERBY TO BE RUN SATURDAY, MAY 28 Continued from first page. best, only a plater. But the managements determination to build up the stake has now succeeded in that it draws a field from representative stables made up of highly-prized three-year-olds. In 1934 Mata Hari, then rated as one of the countrys best fillies, was the winner, ahead of New Deal and Plight, which later went on to become handicap stars. The following year saw Roman Soldier, a Kentucky Derby favorite, beaten by Sun Portland, with Tearout third. In 1936 A. G. Tarns "iron-horse" Rushaway made a bit of turf history by winning the Illinois Derby one day and the Latonia Derby the next. Last year Mrs. Ethel V. Mars Case Ace took down the prize when he beat such good ones as Grey Count and Heclfly, which were second and third in that order. With president Eddys arrival the business of getting ready for the coming meeting is now at full speed. Blanks for the Derby were placed in the mail today.
