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KEENELAND READY FOR OPENING Lexington Course to Inaugurate Kentucky Racing Season Tomorrow Starter Hamilton Busy Schooling Juveniles Ten May Start in Phoenix Handicap 1 LEXINGTON, Ky., April 11. Everything is in readiness for the opening of the Kentucky spring racing season at Keeneland Park Thursday afternoon. Preliminary details have been completed and, excepting the receiving of entries for the inaugural program, nothing remains to be done. Yesterday and today arrivals from Louisville filled the remaining vacant stalls, and William T. Bishop, superintendent, estimated that there are about 1,000 horses quartered at the course, the trotting track and at Fayette County farms. Schooling of two-year-olds during the past two days has been under the supervision of starter William Hamilton, and he stated today that he believes there are more top-notch youngsters ready . j- : i : i-i, j- x: iui uuuijjeuuuii Liiau ox any time since the beautiful plant had its first meeting in 1936. Not only are there a great number of juveniles to compete in the two races that will be offered them daily, but the handicap brigade is also well fortified and there is an abundance of platers from the ,000 class down to ,050. The last named figure is the minimum claiming price to perform in races offered for their benefit. Ernest White, one of the more widely known mutuel managers, has the totalisator department in tip-top shape and with applicants far exceeding the number of positions available, he was able to select only experienced men. During the past two days paint was ap-piel to the needed places in the grandstand and clubhouse. Warm weather returning yesterday, aided the plants and shrubbery and should the springtime weather continue to prevail, they will be their prettiest. EXPECT FIELD OF TEN. Sidney Brown, assistant racing secretary stated todry he believes a field of ten will contest the six furlongs of the Phoenix Handicap, the opening day feature. A majority of the owners have complimented him on the weights and announced that barring mishaps their eligibles would be under colors. One of the doubtful starters is Hal Price Headleys Preeminent. He was assigned the top weight of 122 pounds, but after stepping six furlongs in 1:15 Saturday morning, the son of Supremus did not cool out to satisfaction and probably will be reserved for a later engagement. With Preei ".nent a doubtful starter, William F. Morgans The Fighter, winner of two stakes last year, will carry the top assignment. He was allotted 120 pounds and according to reports from Louisville and Arlington, Texas, where he has been in train- I ing, the son of Bull Dog is ready for competition. Count Morse, which follows next under 117 pounds raced at Miami and since returning to Calumet Farm of his owner, Warren Continued on sixteenth page. KEENELAND PARK READY FOR OPENING THURSDAY Continued from first page. i Wright, has turned in several sparkling trials. The sprint is slated to return Tiger to comr atition. The Arkansas Derby winner of 1938 has not been under colors since that race, but has had his training at Oaklawn Park and Churchill Downs. Tiger, one of the leading two-year-olds of his year, will tote 116 pounds. Under 115 pounds, Bernard F., a recent arrival from Louisville, is a dangerous one. Winner of three of his four starts at Oaklawn Park and four straight races last fall, the I. J. Collins representative appears to have a great opportunity of adding further to his laurels. Torchy, holder of the record for one and one-sixteenth miles at Keeneland, gets in under 114 pounds. He wintered at Keeneland and from his private trials appears to be ready for the question. After a brilliant winter campaign, Mrs. Helen Hay Whitneys Armor Bearer arrived here in fine style and several mornings ago gave the work-watchers a sample of his speed by turning five furlongs in the brilliant time of 1:00. His assignment is 113 pounds. Miss Bull Dog is another to have wintered at the local track and under 106 pounds cannot be counted out. Biscayne Blue, Court Counsel and Drift Along are the others selected by Brown to complete the probable field. Supporting the feature will be a race over one and one-sixteenth miles for three-year-olds and this jaunt is expected to attract a number of the twenty-one eligibles to the Blue Grass Stakes, the closing day feature. Two races for two-yeaf-olds, a race for maiden three-year-olds, and three races for platers are also carded. A substitute race also is in the book, to be used in the exent one of the original numbers fail to attract enough entries.
