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I — Here and There I on the Turf Chicago Improvement Due J Lincoln Fields Has Good Material j Citizens Back Omaha Racing j Heather Broom Qualifies I Chicago racing will be inaugurated today with the opening of the twenty-seven-day meeting at Lincoln Fields, and if conditions are what they promise, the season will show a definite improvement over last year. For Borne years Aurora has ushered in the Chicago season, but its management didnt wish to risk the chance this spring, preferring to concentrate on Fairmount Park, and so the opening has been delayed until now. Interest appears to be healthy and the session may prove a substantial winner for Col. Matt Winn and associates, just as did the recent session at Churchill Downs, the Kentucky Derby not included. By starting today, the meeting will be in full motion by Saturday when a pair of stakes, the Dearborn and Kankakee Handicaps, will be offered. Each will be endowed with ,500 and should attract the sort of fields racing fans anywhere appreciate. Despite the competition for racing material in the Middle West offered by Detroit and North Randall, Lincoln Fields will have a full complement of horses and as many important stables are represented the performers will be of a class to insure excellent contests. Lincoln Fields, with an idea of the sort of horses to be available, arranged a program of eleven stakes for the twenty-seven-day meeting that is particularly attractive because it caters to all divisions. Good weather naturally is desired, but Colonel Winn is especially hopeful ideal conditions will prevail Tuesday and when the Memorial Day program will be offered, as this may prove the best day of the meeting. It will not be surprising if some of the best two-year-olds to be seen anywhere in the country this season will be developed in Lincoln Fields racing. Opening Saturday for a run of twenty-nine days is Ak-Sar-Ben, or the mile course Continued on thirty-third page. HERE AND THERE ON THE TURF Continued from second page at Omaha. This is not an outstanding meet-mg m comparison with those staged in the : nations racing centers, but the manner in which the track is operated is unique and worth knowing about. Under the Nebraska racing law, pari-mutuel wagering is permitted only at a track conducted by a non-" ! profit, civic organization. Such is Ak-Sar-j Ben, now in its forty-fifth year as a medium j 1 for advertising Omaha. A board of twelve ; governors, all persons prominent in the" business .and civic life of Omaha, is charged with directing the affairs of Ak-Sar-Ben, and they hire competent racing officials to look after the management. None of the trustees receive any compensation for their services, so the chances for a profit are greater than they are at a track like Keeneland. Profits from the race meeting are devoted to the upbuilding of the livestock and horse shows, also held under Ak-Sar-Ben direction and to improve agriculture generally, throughout the state. Omaha has an attractive mile course and its meeting this year will be of twenty-nine days duration, ending on July 4. The track is unable to lure outstanding horses from the Far West and Middle West, but the sport is of a character that fully satisfies Ak-Sar-Ben patrons and the meeting is a distinct asset to the community. Provided in this manner, racing at the Omaha course may be expected to continue for many more years than where the desire for profits is paramount. Ak-Sar-Ben, being Nebraska spelled backwards, was formed when conditions were going the wrong way, but it certainly is headed in the right direction now. Heather Broom passed up the Preakness Stakes after finishing third in the Kentucky Derby with a good effort because of the desire to have him fresh and good for the Belmont Stakes. He may be expected to dodge the Withers Stakes Saturday for the same reason. His mile and a furlong effort Tuesday was the first for the John Hay Whitney colt fcince the Derby, and it probably will be the last before the Belmont, giving trainer Earl Sande the opportunity to give him a couple of trials to put him right for a mile and one-half engagement. With the Belmont course slightly faster than usual, due to a rain during the night, the son jf The Porter and Janet Blair, by Sir Martin, uncovered excellent speed in going along with Nedayr in the early stages, then standing off Belays challenge entering the stretch to draw out to an easy victory, but in the very smart time of 1:50. His performance was such as to suggest that Johnstown and Gilded Knight cannot afford to take any chances with him a week from Saturday.
