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AMERICAN DERBY TO BE REVIVED NEXT YEAR CHICAGOS FAMOUS RACE To Head Washington Park Stake Offerings for Next Year. Illinois Racing Commission- Meets and Considers Racing Dates, But Reaches No Agreement. The American Derby, with 5,000 addeJ, will be revived next year. Chicagos most famous race, which during its early history was the outstanding three-year-old event in the country, surpassing the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes, was first run in 1884 and won by Modesty. It was continued annually until 1904, when Highball carried it off, and then became only a memory, being discontinued for over twenty years. It was revived in 1926 and continued to 1935, was not run in 1936, but again run in 1937 and then omitted in the current year. Now the good news was released Monday by Walter Gregory, president of the Washington Park Jockey Club, that the American Derby will again hold a prominent place in Chicago stake features for 1939. In addition, Mr. Gregory announced that Washington Park will also inaugurate an innovation which has never been tried by any racing association, that of giving awards to the jockeys in each race. The winning jockey will receive 5 from the association, the second jockey 0 and the third . This will amount to 20 each day, a total of ,600 during the thirty-day meeting. In making the statement, president Walter Gregory said: "We feel confident that this will attract to Chicago a large number of competent, experienced jockeys and will reward them more adequately and result in better and more honest efforts. The jockeys play a most important part in the conduct of honest racing. "It is our opinion that consideration be given to their importance and great hazards involved in their work." COMMISSION MEETS. The Illinois Racing Commission met Monday afternoon to consider the application for dates for 1939. These applications had been made on November 1, and as there were several conflicts the commission met to untangle these differences. At that time the dates requested were as follows: Aurora, May 1 to May 30. 26 days, 4 Saturdays, Decoration Day. Lincoln Fields, May 22 to June 24. 30 days, 5 Saturdays, Decoration Day. Arlington Park, June 26 to July 29. 30 days, 5 Saturdays, July 4. Washington Park, August 1 to September 4. 30 days, 5 Saturdays, Labor Day. Hawthorne, September 4, to October 7. 30 days, 5 Saturdays, Labor Day. Sportsmans Park, October 2 to October 31. 26 days, 4 Saturdays. Up to a late hour Monday afternoon, no agreement had been reached and no dates granted. Leo J. Spitz, chairman; Walter Peacock, and William Schlake, comprised the Illinois Racing Commission that went into executive session to allot the 1939 racing dates. Another announcement was made that, should Aurora be successful in obtaining the coveted Memorial Day date, it will stage a 5,000 Illinois Derby. Otherwise it will give 2,000, the same as this year. It also promised larger purses throughout its meeting if given the Memorial Day date. Lincoln Fields is also seeking the same date.
