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ILLINOIS DERBY FIELD Black Helen Latest Entry to 0,-000 Added Race of May 24. Commonwealth and Roman Soldier Also Named Aurora Plant Ready Wednesday. AURORA, 111., April 26. The queen of Americas three-year-olds, Black Helen, may be carrying the green and white silks of Col. Edward Riley Bradley of Kentucky at Aurora when the field is called to the post on May 24 for the third running of the 0,000 Illinois Derby, at a mjle and a furlong. The nomination of the sensational filly, unbeaten in her first seven starts as a juvenile last season, has been received at the Fox Valley Jockey Clubs offices to bring the total number of three-year-olds nominated for the stake to fifteen. Her starting would add greatly to the significance of the Illinois Derby in determining the three-year-old championship, for she has already won the Florida Derby at Hialeah, and this race attracted the best of the winter three-year-olds. She was not named for the Kentucky Derby and may not start in the Preakness, for it-is understood that Colonel Bradley expects to make a sweep of the rich specials for three-year-old filliesr which will be run later jn the season. Should she go to the post, Black Helen will undoubtedly wind up a strong favorite, for there is no tradition against fillies winning the Illinois Derby. The second running last year, for instance, was won by the good Dixiana filly, Mata Hari, which came to her three-year-old campaign with a record similar to that which Black Helen has compiled. She would likely have a more difficult task than did Mata Hari, however, for the 1935 Illinois Derby field promises to be even better than last year. Most formidable of the others already" named seem at this time to be Mrs. Walter M. Jeffords Commonwealth and Elwood Sachsenmaiers Roman Soldier.- Commonwealth, one of the most highly regarded routers of the three-year-old division, ran a powerful race to finish third to Plat Eye and Sun Fairplay in the Chesapeake Stakes at Havre de Grace Saturday. Roman Soldier, knocked out of contention in the Florida Derby, came back to prove himself a good horse by winning the Texas Derby at Alamo Downs last Saturday. Others nominated are the Milky Way Farms quartet of Whiskolo, South Gallant, Gallaclay and Blue Armor; Blackbirder, Hasty Glance, Clang, Dark Woman, Our Mae, Tearout, Charlie Dawn, and the Louisiana Derby winner, McCarthy. Continued on twenty-fifth page. ILLINOIS DERBY FIELD Continued from first page. With the meeting, which opens the long Chicago season now only a few days away, pressure is being applied to complete the sweeping improvements which have been made to the Fox Valley Jockey Clubs plant between seasons. The contractors guarantee that the rebuilding of the stand in modernistic concrete, the paving of the lawn, and. the construction of a new steel and plate glass judges stand will be completed before opening day. The work has now progressed to the point where president Robert S. Eddy, Jr., is inviting the racegoing public to an "open house" at the track Sunday to inspect the changes. Transportation arrangements for the twenty-one day meeting have also been completed. There will be special race trains over the Burlington leaving the Union Station daily at 12:40 and 1:00 p. m. Special trains, over the Chicago, Aurora and Elgin Electric Lines will leave Wells Street Station at 11:05, 12:05, 12:50, 1:05 and 2:05. The track can be reached by automobile from Chicago over Ogden Avenue, Roosevelt Road or North Avenue, with ample free parking fa-r cilities at the track.
