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, 4 Card Inaugural in Two Sections As Ak-Sar-Ben Meeting Opens J. J. ISAACSON The general manager of Ak-Sar-Ben, which inaugurates its annual 37-day meeting this afternoon. Fleet Boy and Vino Supremo Topweighted in Respective Divisions of 0,000 Race By DEAN WILLIAMS Staff Correspondent AK-SAR-BEN, Omaha, Nebr., May 14. The finest opening-day program ever offered fill get Ak-Sar-Bens meeting of 37 days under way Friday afternoon. Using the inaugural nine-race program as a criterion, local racing fans will view top flight racing with every modern convenience known to racing at their disposal during the. annual Omaha meeting. Eight in First Half The Ak-Sar-Ben Inaugural Handicap has been divided for the second consecutive year. The race was split to give the overflow of talent in the handicap division a chance to compete for the 0,000 purse of the opening-day feature. The first division of the Inaugural received the short end of the split with eight horses going postward. Those vying Continued on Page Forty-Six Ak-Sar-Ben Opens; Inaugural Divided Fleet Boy and Vino Supremo TopWeighted in Respective Divisions of 0,000 Race Continued from Page One in this end of the six-furlong handicap are Bookkeeper, carrying 109 pounds; Amblingorix, 112; Cals Choice, 116; Dixie Hill, 112, NewShift, 116, Easytony, 113, Fleet Boy, 117, and Rose Ball, 109. Fleet Boy, a speedy son of Gray Dream and Fleet Raven, owned by John T. Sims, Jr., gained his high weight assignment of 117 pounds in the first end, because of his record of three wins in seven trips to the post at Turf Paradise in Phoenix. Fleet Boy, under the handling of Wendell Leeling, set a track record for a mile over the fast Arizona racing strip this winter in 1:35. The bay gelding accounted for a handicap event by beating Amblingorix by a length and one -half. Marion H. Van Bergs Cals Choice has a large local following. The Chestnut son of Polynesian started his winning ways last year by accounting for the 5,000 Ak-Sar-Ben Handicap on the closing day of the meeting. The local champion went on to win handicap and stakes in Michigan and Ohio gaining purses totalling over 3,000. It was the finest season of his career. - Wesley Bolens Nev Shift is well known locally and comes to Omaha with a fine 1959 record, even though it fails to show a single win. He was the "iron horse" of Santa Anitas winter meet. The versatile son of Sceneshifter started 13 times during that meeting, winning a total of 4,000 with a record of three seconds and three thirds. Robineau Runner Absent Three Years It is possible, the field of nine going post-ward in the second division of the Inaugural contains even more talent than the first. Those accepting weights set down by Racing Secretary Louis Eilken and drawing into the second division .are Lodged, carrying 109 pounds; Davy, lio; Gifted Gal 108; Larrikin, 119; Vino Supremo, 120; Tonco, 114; Fathers Alibi, 114; Admiral Van, 112, and Uranium Dream, 106. Mr. and Mrs. M. H. Robineaus Vino Supremo will be making his first appearance oyer the local course since 1956. The Eddie Presnell-trained gelding, went undefeated in Omaha that year. Vino Supremos most important victory came in the J. E. Davidson Memorial Handicap. Vino Supremo returns to Ak-Sar-Ben with an impressive 1959 record. He has won three of seven starts this year. The son of Vino Puro gained his" initial win of the season at Santa Anita, while his two most recent victories came at Turf Paradise. H. B. Pieratts Larrikin is scheduled to make his first start of the season in the Inaugural Handicap. His last win during the 1958 season makes him a prime contender in his debut. In this victory he covered 6 furlongs in 1:09 at Keeneland to defeat such formidable foes as Solution and Dogoon. C. and H. Stables Tonco, Al Cascios Gifted Gal, and Van Bergs Admiral Van have been racing well enough to be a real threat to the top two contenders in the second division of . the Inaugural.
