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Washington Park Strip Passes Weather Tests Respread Top Soil After Heavy Rains to Assure Safe Cushion HOMEWOOD, 111., May 1.— Washington Parks new racing strip has successfully passed preliminary tests and is now in the process of final grooming for Balmorals opening program on May 18. Track superintendent Jerry McPherson announced that with the recent heavy rains apparently ended he is able to re-spread the tracks top soil to assure a safe cushion. McPherson has been unable to replace the top soil until the rains ended. Horsemen who have been training on the new strip the past two weeks were unanimous in praise of the course. Trainer Del Carroll said the new strip: "Should remedy any problems caused by bad weather." "I believe the track will work out fine this year," Carroll said. "It was always a good track but when they get the top soil back on and other work completed it should be even better, particularly in rainy weather." Trainer T. W. Kelley, who has 29 horses already stabled at Washington Park and is expecting six more over the week end called it: "One of the safest tracks I have ever seen." He said, "It has an unusually good bottom, just the thing a horse needs. I dont think there is any doubt that it will be a good all-around track." Other trainers such as Phil G. Johnson and William Molter also praised the new strip as both "safe and sound.*"
