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Balmorals Debut on Monday Hits Optimistic Spring Note Meeting Sets Stage for Top4 Summer Stand; Invite Public To Open House on Sunday HOMEWOOD, III., May 13.— The new Balmoral Jockey Club makes its thoroughbred racing debut Monday at Washington Park, opening a 30-day stand which is expected to be the biggest spring meeting in local history. To introduce the new racing association, president Russell L. Reineman has invited the general public to attend Open House Sunday at Washington Park from 2 to 5 p. m. A special program has been arranged to show fans exactly what goes on behind the scenes during a racing-day. Sportscaster Jack Drees will narrate the hour-long program, which will include two special exhibition races, schooling of two-year-olds at the starting gate, and other activities which are never seen by the public. Balmoral, formerly Lincoln Fields, has coordinated its program with the 67 -day combined Arlington Park-Washington Park meeting. Mondays Balmoral opener will set off a spring-summer stand during which the three Chicago tracks will play host to virtually every top-level horse, jockey, and stable in America. Horsemen will be shooting at some ,200,000 in stakes and purses from May 16 to September 5, Labor Day. On the coordinated program are 39 stakes events totaling ,455,000 in added money, and almost ,000,000 in over-night purses. Eleven stakes, totaling 15,000 in added money, highlight Balmorals program, headed by three 0,000 events — the Citation Handicap, Memorial Day; the Balmoral Turf Handicap, June 11: and the closing-day attraction, The Chicagoan, June 18. Of the remaining stakes, three are at 5,000 each, three at 0,000 each, and two stakes at 5,000 each. Two Stakes on Grass Balmoral has carded an accelerated grass-racing program, headlined by two stakes, the Balmoral Turf and 5,000 added Continental Turf handicaps. Balmorals first week is highlighted by the running of three stakes. Mondays opening feature, the 5,000 added LaSalle Handicap, has lured the areas top sprinters for the six furlongs dash. Among those nominated are Hasty House Farms Sea O Erin; Marvin E. Affelds Spur On and Two Fisted; Mrs. Herbert Herffs Smackover; J. S. Bradleys Sun David, and George Cavanaughs Blue Violin. Two-year-old fillies face their first major test Wednesday in the 0,000 Miss Chicago Stakes at five and one-half furlongs. T. F. Devereauxs Queen Margie, Floridas leading juvenile filly, heads a classy list of 54 nominations to the Miss Chicago along with Clifford Mooers Cherry, winner of last Saturdays Debutante Stakes at Churchill Downs. Other well-bred fillies on the roster are Fred Hoopers Ferocious, En-dicate, and Intimate; Mrs. Ada L. Rices ► — Citation offspring, Prize Story, and the Hasty House trio of Hasty Queen, Splashy, and Mary Jo Roman. Balmorals first Saturday offers the inaugural running of the 5,000 Continental Turf Handicap at one mile and one-eighth On the grass course and should bring together a strong collection of stakes stars, including the Hasty House trio of Mister Black, Sea O Erin, and Ruhe. Chief challenger to the Hasty House contingent may be Alberta Ranches St. Vincent, three-time grass stakes winner at Santa Anita. Other top-level contenders are Walmac Farms Hasseyampa; John Allisons Salmon Peter; and Brookmeade Stables entry of County Clare and Capeador. Washington Park will make its enlarged and modernized stable area available for horsemen during the 1955 Balmoral session. Included in the 1955 improvement program at both Arlington and Washington are new barns, new tack-rooms, and new shower and comfort stations. Horsemen also will be served by the most modern fire-fighting weapons in thoroughbred racing. The newest are specially-designed aluminized "men from Mars" suits that permit the wearers to perform rescue operations in open flames. There will be no automobile parking problem for Balmoral patrons. There is supervised space for over 15,000 cars on the Washington Park grounds. In addition, trained crews will cruise the parking area to repair flats and minor motor troubles at no charge to the fan. Parking is only 25 cents, with no tipping permitted. All the big name stables will be in action during the Balmoral meeting, including some invading the Chicago circuit for the first time. Calumet Farm will return to the Chicago racing scene for full-time action. They join Dixiana, Reverie Knoll Farm, Fairway Farm, Eugene Constantin, Jr., and Hal Price Headley. John Allisons Foothill Farms, a sturdy stable of all-Irish runners and trainer John Hartigan, is among the newcomers already stabled at Washington Park for the Balmoral meeting.
