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Big Thoroughbred Colony For Ak-Sar-Ben Meeting To Have Best Class of Horses In Tracks History, Leigh Says AK-SAR-BEN, Omaha, Neb., May 24.— Nebraskas major racing season will get under way here next Tuesday, May 28, and officials of Omahas hustling civic organization, Ak-Sar-Ben, are sure that the impending 30-day meeting will be one of the best in the Center Street courses history. Track superintendent James B. Ronin stated that plenty of horses are on hand for the 1946 season and that several more shipments are due here before the bugle sounds for the inaugural program next week. Racing secretary and presiding steward Richard A. Leigh has made several successful missionary trips and he reports that the Omaha oval will be host to establishments from Chicago, California, Kentucky and other racing points. "The class of horses here for the season is much better than at any year I have served at Ak-Sar-Ben," said Leigh, who has handled his important post here for several meetings. The local plant has been dressed in its finest for the 1946 sport and presents a pleasing picture. The centerfield, which had suffered somewhat when the Army used the space for a parking area during the war, has been resodded and the gardens now are one of the prettier sights at the spacious oval. Long known as one of racings sportiest organization, Ak-Sar-Ben activities Director, J. J. Isaacson, announced that riders at the impending meeting are to be covered with suitable insurance. The Ak-Sar-Ben track will provide without cost to riders insurance for jockeys on the approved list, covering accidents or injuries sustained in the pursuit of their vocation at Ak-Sar-Ben during the 1946 meeting. Exercise boys on the list are to be eligible for one-half of the benefits which are scheduled for the jockeys, who have a more hazardous task. In the meantime at Ak-Sar-Ben, interest is reaching a high pitch for the Ak-Sar-Ben Inaugural Handicap, five and one-half furlongs opening day feature. Present indications point to a representative field of three-year-olds and upward contesting the initial top event on the Omaha tracks program.
