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SIGNS OF LIFE AT WHEELING Applications for Stable Room Are the Heaviest in Tracks History. West Virginia Meeting Scheduled to Open on May 27 Sixteen Days of Sport Are Planned. WHEELING, W. Va., April 21. Early arrivals of horses and heavy increase of stall applications promises a new high in quantity and quality of the thoroughbred sport at Wheeling Downs for the forthcoming sixteen-day spring meeting, which opens Saturday, May 27. The increasing interest of horsemen accentuates the constant and steady improvement of the calibre of racing at the local oval since its acquisition by the West Virginia Jockey Club, and promises that the coming meeting will provide the best brand of the turf sport ever offered to tri-state district fans. Applications for stall space for the spring meeting are the heaviest in the three years of Wheeling Downs modern history, according to Edward J. Brennan, managing director. Demand for room has been so great thus far that it has been necessary for Mr. Brennan to rescind an earlier order and allow immediate occupation of the Downs barns. EARLY ARRrVALS. Activity increased immediately and already a number of stables are quartered at the course, with the parade of arriving vans expected to be in full swing by May 10. A. C. Watts, the Fort Erie, Ontario, sportsman, has the honor of being the first 1939 arrival, with a stable including Gormley, Sweepfast, Kawagoe and Mouthpiece, none of which have ever shown here. Len Rogerson, of Pleasant Grove, was a close second, arriving a day later than Watts. Rogerson stabled Guadalajara, a big money winner here last spring. This week, R. V. Parrish, who campaigned here with considerable success last year, started moving in a large string he had in his care during the winter at Kinsman, Ohio. Parrish was to have six fresh horses in the barns by the end of the week. In the first Parrish van to arrive were Every Effort, Barney Allis, King Belgian and Pineaway. The last named is owned by "Whitey" Turner, and will be well remembered by Downs fans. Scheduled to arrive today in another Parrish van are Mrs. A. Francis Nadeen and Deadeye Dick. 400 HORSES CAPACITY. The Downs has a stall capacity of 400 head, and it will, in all probability, be completely occupied by the time the meeting gets under way, with more runners due to arrive from Ohio, and Pennsylvania farms next week. The majority of these will be fresh horses and will get their tune-up turns over the local half-mile strip. Due to incessant rains over the past week, track superintendent, Bee Pappert has been unable to give the racing area needed attention, but predicted that early arriving horse-: men would find the oval In better shape than ever before, if Old Sol favors the section with his presence more often during the balance of the month.
