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FINANCES 1939 DEBUT Chicago-Owned Veteran Wins Home-wood Purse in First Start of Year. Outlasts Tiger in Sparkling Finish — ; Secondary Attraction Taken by Drury Lane. CRETE, 111., May 26.— Finance, handicap veteran in the Chicago-owned stable of Airs. Emil Denemark, made his 1939 turf debut at, Lincoln Fields this afternoon with a victory in the Homewood Purse, a six furlongs sprint which engaged a field of seven useful performers. In competition for the first time since last November and shouldering 122 pounds, the seven-year-old son of Bull Dog covered the three-quarters on a fast track in 1:13%, and got up in the last stride to nose out Tiger, which performed as part of the Milky Way Farm entry, with Giles County. Mrs. C. E. Dales Maetown was two and a half lengths back of the leaders in third position, with the Shandon Farms Syracuse fourth. Finance was always in a contending position, but his victory was attributable more to the weakening of those in front of him than to his own finishing qualities. Tiger and Syracuse both were in front of him turning into the home stretch, and it was not until they got inside the last eighth that Syracuse had enough. Tiger battled on a little longer and then he began to falter badly, Finance getting up in the last stride to win by a matter of inches. Charles Kurtsinger was astride the Denemark campaigner, which will probably improve off this effort. The others in the race were not sharp factors. Finance was a 6 to 5 favorite in the betting. ATTENDANCE DROPS. There was a considerable drop in attendance today, but a big gathering is in prospect for tomorrow, when two stakes, the Dearborn and Kankakee Handicaps, are to be presented. Skies were overcast much of this afternoon and there was a light shower shortly before the first race, not enough rain, however, to affect the racing strip. The Balmoral Purse, at five furlongs, engaging a half-dozen two-year-olds, was the principal supporting event, and it resulted in an easy score for Drury Lane, a daughter of Haste and Fairness, owned by Mrs. P. A. B. Widener. Quenemo, representing the Wool-ford Farm, was second, and J. W. Parrishs Centuple third, while the favorite, Howard Wells Mi Jock could finish no better than fourth. Warren Yarberry had the mount on Drury Lane, and he sent her to the front soon after the start. Handling her well, she drew into a good lead after about a quarter and continued on to score with three lengths to spare. Quenemo might have made things Interesting for the Widener filly, but he ran out on the stretch turn and lost more than enough ground to make up the difference between first and second monies. As it was, he just got up in time to take the place a neck before Centuple. The colors of W. E. Snyder of Chicago were seen in front in the third race, in which Ottoman, handled by Ernest Hanke, defeated nine other sprinters over six furlongs. Ottoman, an 11 to 10 chance in the betting, with-» stood a furious drive, and it was not until she was within a few yards of the wire that she was able to pass Royal Broom and win by a head. Royal Broom had set all the pace and battled on gamely in the drive to take second money, a length and one-half before the ten-year-old Dark Seeker.
