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Todays Kentucky Derby Day Crowd Likely to Pass 700000 Mark Again ousve Mecca or sports Lovers Small Field Fails To Deter Fans Enthusiasm EnthusiasmCHURCHILL CHURCHILL DOWNS Louisville Ky April 30 No better example of the mag ¬ netism of Americas most popular sports spectacle the Kentucky Derby can be asked for than the attendance at the 1948 Derby For several weeks it has been known t from one end of America to the other that the field this year would be among the1 smallest in Derby history for the same length of time it has been almost a fore ¬ gone conclusion that the Calumet entry of Citation and Coaltown would rule a top heavy favorite and for at least a week it has been generally felt that the two Calu ¬ met racers would run one two twoYet Yet the crowds have poured into Louis ¬ ville from every section of America Many have come from foreign lands The size of the field and the betting odds appar ¬ ently mean nothing all that counts is the j Derby itself steeped in this countrys his ¬ tory of thoroughbred breeding and racing Lovers of kjng horse seem to sense that in the Derby they will see the greatest threeyearolds of the year and that they j will see a great horse race raceAnnual Annual Derby Time Trek So they come from San Francisco from Florida Texas Louisiana Maine all points on the East and West Coasts and from Canada The annual trek toLouisville for the Derby is not made solely for the Derby it is made for the fine races that are put on at Churchill Downs days ahead of Derby day and for th color and atmo shere of Derby time in the Blue Grass GrassEach Each year finds the crowds of visitors larger each xear finds historic old Churchill Downs keeping stride in its ac commodations for the countrys greatest sports spectacle spectacleNo No expense is spared to make the famous old Downs track a picture that engraves itself on the minds of 100000 or so racing J lovers who converge upon the thoroughbred capital of America each spring Derby time in Kentucky also is tulip time and from the enormous horticultural halls and nurseries that are maintained at the Downs come not only gorgeous vari ¬ colored tulips but roses hedges and scores of other varieties of plants and flowers J are brought out arid planted in the magif i cently landscaped beds that make up all sorts of designs in the infield and on the clubhouse lawns Growing of these flowers and their care 1 are projects that keep immense crews of 1 men employed all the year round The i cost of maintaining this big floral enter t prise is enormous but it is not half as I large asifrirould bcf if CJhurchilTDowns did not produce its own living decorations i iImprovements Improvements to the grandstand club i louse and infield stands this year have nade Churchill Downs look like a new rac ng plant Everything that could be hought of for the convenience of patrons las been done and the 1948 Derby will be un in a setting that will eclipse anyv stage hat ever was furnished for the horse race hat has become one of the worlds great jst events
