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INAUGURAL TWO WEEKS AWAY Make Final Preparations for Opening Illinois Season at Aurora. Size of New Electric "Tote" Board Necessitates Raising Stewards Stand 1,000 Stalls Available. AURORA, 111., April 16. The final two weeks of preparation for the opening of the Illinois racing season May 2 at Aurora be- gins today. A checkup over the week-end by president Robert S. Eddy revealed that all departments will be ready in ample time, j His chief concern was centered in the new electric "tote" board, and the report he received was that it would be ready for its first test before the middle of next week. This somewhat casual and routine inspection by Mr. Eddy brought to light the fact that the big center field board was so huge that it partly obstructed the back stretch view from the stewards stand. A crew of workmen went to work today to elevate the structure to the necessary height. Over in the racing secretarys office, where Dick Leigh is head man, a census showed 511 names were on the registration books. Leighs reservation list showed that an average of two shipments a day were due for the next two weeks, and he predicts that almost 900 to the 1,000 available stalls will be filled when the curtain goes up. INSPECT NEW GATE. Aside from the hustle and bustle of assigning stalls, Leighs office force, as well as the owners and trainers who make their headquarters in his sanctum, were busy discussing and inspecting the new Bahr starting gate which arrived Saturday. To the public it will appear just like another stall gate, but it is lighter, more mobile and better padded than previous barriers. Several minor changes in the conformation provide additional protection for horses. The trainers unanimously praised it. Right along the line of the new gate was the announcement by starter Johnny Morris-sey that his crew would begin schooling races today. Morrissey will, be at the new gate for two hours daily from now on to accommodate any trainers. Jack Thomas, owner of the Speed-X camera located atop the stewards stand to take photo finishes, was at the track installing his lens and mechanism for tests before opening day. Joe Cattarinich, secretary of the Fox Valley Jockey Club, was an arrival from New Orleans.
