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JUDGES STAND by charles hatton DETROIT, Mich., May 13.— Dale Shaffer and others of the new Fair Grounds club were much encouraged by public response to the first of their 80 programs. "If we are fortunate enough to have the same sort of weather, I expect there will be [ more than 20,000 here for the first Saturday," the MRA prexy said. This is a fairly conservative estimate. Todays Curtain Up brought out one of the best fields of "sprint specialists* assembled at the old track in many years, and Detroits own Shy Guy is to appear in tomorrows 5,000 Border City Handicap at a mile and a sixteenth. The courageous little Dixiana four-year-old won Keenelands Ben Ali and the Downs Clark just before trainer Jack Hodgins shipped here for the Border City, and its probable he will be the medium of a great deal of play despite his impost of 128 pounds. By the way, the weather isnt the only factor which is likely to see the new club successfully on its way, nor is the promise of spirited racing among "name horses." Strikes in various branches of the Motor Citys vast auto industry have made an estimated 150,000 workers idle, with a prospect that a good many will return to work in the forseeable future, and some of these will take occasion to go racing in the interim. Another factor which may help the club to offer its ambitious program is that it hasnt papered the town with passes. The general admission is an even dollar, including the taxes. Surely the sort of sport which the MRA will offer is well worth it. This tourist finds the horsemen high in their praise of the racing strip, which appears to have a safe cushion. "Its an important item," Shaffer said, "and particularly at a meet m* of 80 days." AAA Directors of the MRA met here recently to proceed with plans for their new course. A few weeks ago, there were some rather disturbing measures in the Michigan Legislature which seemed to give them a little hesitancy, but legislators have been deluged with petitions and Fair Grounds Meet Makes Good Beginning MRA Marks New Era in Michigan Sport Vulcans Forge Prospect for Rich Handicaps Lincoln Opens at Washington Park Monday so on that are unmistakable evidence of the popular sentiment in favor of the sport. We think that this will be reflected in the patronage at the Fair Grounds as well, though the club will be agreeably surprised if it makes any money at this meet. Todays card marks the beginning of a new era in Detroit racing. A roster of 30 stakes replaces the overnighters, the "tote" replaces the iron men, and a van service for the interchange of Chicago and Detroit horses replaces the old "secesh" policy. General manager Joe Lynch has done a bang-up job of whipping the 16-year-old plant into shape for this meet, and the opening-day crowd seems to be pleased with the results. We suppose you know that this is to be the last season at the Fair Grounds. The new course is to be completed in time for the 1950 meet, and the plans suggest it is going to be one of the most modern, pleasant little parks in the country. There will be a mile track, with a stand seating some 10,000, about 14 miles from downtown Detroit. The site is on a railroad and a broad highway. It is to have a large, shady paddock, which gives any track a casual, sporty atmosphere. We should think Detroiters may be proud of it. AAA I. J. Collins, the Ohio sportsman, will race here, and among the horses that may carry his colors is Vulcans Forge, winner of the rich Santa Anita Handicap last winter. Another with a "name horse" is R. W. Mcllvain, who is among the stockholders and is the owner of Billings, winner of the Hawthorne Gold Cup. Its probable Billings will be a commuter between here and Lin-coln-at-Washington. The Arkansas traveler Johns Joy is a probable for the 0,000 Motor City Stakes of a mile and a sixteenth on June 11, and the 5,000 Cavalcade a sixteenth farther on July 2. He is the liveliest of the male three-year-olds still in the Middle West. AAA While Detroiters are looking forward to a brisk race in the Border City this week-end, Chicagoans are awaiting the entries for the opening Monday- of Lincoln-at-Washington. The 0,000 Crete Handicap of six furlongs, for three-year-olds and upward, will feature the first of the Lincoln cards. The meet is to extend through June 18. General manager Pete ODonnell tells us the Washington Park course has plenty of racing material, and public response the Sportsmans Park cards is not discouraging. The new Lincoln club ran off their dates at Washington for the first time last season, and play was down only 4 per cent in spite of some disagreeable weather. The 43,053 who saw the Decoration Day card was a new Lincoln Fields attendance record. Washington is one of the most comfortable and convenient parks in the Middle West. Mondays Crete is the first of a series of seven stakes at the Lincoln meet and, of course, the piece-de-resistance is the 5,000 Peabody Memorial for three-year-olds, at a mile and a furlong on Decoration Day. Ky. Colonel, who tied Olympia in the Joliet a year ago, is an old Chicago favorite who may appear in this event. AAA Turf ana: Charley McLennan is due here on Monday from Pimlico. . . . "Looks as if I have the one to beat now," trainer Gaver said after the Derby. Meaning Capot, of course. . . . Charley Kenney is giving the MRA an assist, and will be here in the absence of Dale Shaffer at the NARC meet in New York. . . . The Better Michigan Committee is a force in Detroit racings favor. . . . It is not very complimentary to modern trainers that there were almost as many lead ponies as horses on the Downs track for the Derby and Oaks. . . . Detroit steward George Odom is acting in an advisory capacity in the training of the Maine Chance horses until after the current meeting. . . . Its a coincidence that Odom and Jimmy Smith trained both Busher and Mr. Busher. . . . Illinois racing last year yielded ,659,104 for War Veterans Bonus Bonds.
