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OMAHA OPENS MAY 28 To Inaugurate Meeting of 28 Days Under Most Pleasing Auspices. More and Better Horses Available — Minimum Purses 00, With Handicaps 00 to ,000. OMAHA, Neb., May 21.— With prospects brighter than at any time since the revival of thoroughbred racing in Nebraska, Omahas Ak-Sar-Ben twenty-eight days race meeting will be inaugurated r.ext Saturday afternoon, Mry 28, with an eight-race program. Nebraskas Governor R. L. Cochran, along with General Stanley H. Ford, commandant of the Seventh Corps Area, will be the guests of honor for an opening day program which is expected to find between 500 and 600 horses under roof here. A full week before the sport opens more than 400 horses are stabled here, which leads Ak-Sar-Ben Committee Chairman W. H. Schellberg, to jubilantly predict that therell be no shortage of horses, a bugbear which plagued last years meeting. "We are certain to have plenty of horses this year." Schellberg said today. "There will be no lack of entries and, after all, thats what makes it a horse race — a big field." Another favorable factor is Nebraskas improved crop prospects. With surplus rain this spring, Nebraska fields are green and , lush; boosting confidence of farmers and businessmen and translating that confidence into Mr. and Mrs. John Q. Public, who make | up the race fans. RACE FIVE DAYS A WEEK. Horsemen are pleased with the revised setup which calls for five racing programs a week, skipping the Monday cards except for Decoration Day and July Fourth, which permits a division of the purse money into healthier individual purses. Whereas last years minimum purse for the open racing was 00, the ante has been raised to a 00 minimum this year. Handicap and allowance races will carry purses from 00 to ,000. Many owners who raced at the Kansas City meeting last spring have shipped to Omaha, as the Riverside plant is "dark" this spring. Several changes have been made in the official family. Judge Ben Holmes, gray-thatched veteran of countless racing campaigns, is the new racing secretary and presiding steward. Noel Chilcutt, one of the best starters in the West, succeeds Jack Hodgins. while Lew Walger is the new head man in the pari-mutuel plant, where the Pacific Totalizer will be in operation for the first time this year. USE PROJECTION SCREEN. Harveys "Eye-in-the-Sky" electric camera again will judge the finishes. This camera was found entirely satisfactory last year, and a new wrinkle will be the projection on a large screen in the betting room of all photo finish photos. Secretary Holmes promises therell be no dearth of capable riders. One of the leaders, little Ray Hightshoe, from Ashland, Neb., is already on the grounds. Others of ranking are Freddie Miller, N. Merritt, Sammy Roberts, A. LoTurco and F. Rife. The jockeys will again contest for gold wrist watches and suits of clothes in the leading-rider competition, but this year therell be two divisions — one for experienced riders and one for apprentice boys. The Ak-Sar-Ben plant is in tip-top condition for opening day. when some 10.000 fans are expected to jam the track. Superintendent Jimmie Ronin says the "best mile track in the West" is coming along nicely and will be at its best for the inaugural.
