Omaha daily bee., 1917-05-27
FIRST OMAHA RACE
MEET IN TWO WEEKS
Three Day Program for 81, 1000
in Stakes and Purses to
Be Held at Benson
in June.
Bv RUSSELL PHELPS.

Omaha will have its first helping Of
1917 horse racing two weeks from
Tuesday at the Benson track.
The Omaha Driving club an
nounces stellar three days program
of harness racing June II TO IA on the
Nebraska Speed association loop,
more than $4,000 in stakes and purses
to be hung for the meeting. Speed
crops out all over the fast half-mile
course at the suburban racing plant
and horsemen predict state records
will go by the boards.
f. Driving club officials are endeavor-
ing to give the meeting patriotic at
mosphere. a proposition having been
put to the Red Cross people to give
all profits derived from the races to
the Omaha chapter. Whether or not
it is to be accepted will be decided
this week. :.
Otis M. Smith, superintendent of
speed of the Driving club, said yes
terday that nearly 100 fast horses had
been named in the early closing
events. Between $50 and 200 horses,
including stars from some of the mid
die vests best known stables, are ex-
pected to start.
The pick of the George H. Ester
brooke stables, Denver, Colo, will be
seen in action on the Omaha track at
the June meeting, as will the w. A.
Smith stables of Bernardino, Cal.
Esterbrooke's classy 3-year-old trot-
ter, Colorado Range, with record of
2:O81l, is nominated for the 2:ll and
2:15 trots.
Large Strings From State.
From Nebraska, out in the state,
the Midway Stock farm, Kearney,
Chinstock Bros stables at West
Point and the E. c. Warren stables at
Shelton will be represented by large
strings. =,
Well-known Omaha stables like
those of Al Thomas, Earl Hart and
Joe Hildreth will start their fastest
horses.
Twenty harness horses in training
at Benson will be taken to kearney
tomorrow, where the barriers will be
let down May 81 for the seasons
racing on the Nebraska Speed asso-
ciation circuit. Kearney will stage
a three days meeting. Then comes
the Aurora meeting June 6. 7 and 8.
The Aurora meeting will be under
the auspices of the Hamilton County
Speed association, Ed Williams, pres
ident, and Charles E. Wentz, secre-
tary. Aurora's horsemen have just
completed two new horse barns, the
money for. which was donated by
business men of the town, giving the
plant six barns, equal to any in the
state.
Start at Omaha.
Stables which will begin the sea-
sons racing at the Omaha meeting
are arriving at Benson daily. Many
owners plan to pass up the Kear-
ney and Aurora affairs and give their
favorites the first call at the Benson
meeting. Fred Jenkins, one of these,
hung up his blankets at the suburban
barns during the last week.
Edward Peterson, president of the
Omaha Driving club and owner of a
string of Grand and Great circuit
champions, bought another star last
week. He has added to his stables
Hal Gray. a 4-year-old PAGER, sired
by Hal B., 2:04H. Mr.. Peterson pur-
chased the animal from c. A. Harri-
son. Seattle, WASH, horseman.
Hal Gray is a full brother of Gray
Ghost and Gray Hal, two light har-
ness performers with records better
than 2:l0. The Omaha horseman's
latest acquisition will be prepared
here for campaign down the Grand
circuit next wear.