Details of the Juarez Meeting: Matt J. Winn Makes Announcement on Departing from the East for New Track, Daily Racing Form, 1909-08-03

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DETAILS OF THE JUAREZ MEETING. Matt J. Winn Makes Announcement on Departing from the East for New Track. New York. August 2. In company -with John G. Follansbee, .Matt J. Winn departed today for Juarez. Mexico, to take charge of the construction of the new racing plant there, the first to be built under the concessions granted -Mr. Winn and his associates by the Mexican government. The new course will be built under the personal supervision of Mr. Winn ami it will lie necessary for him to spend almost Ins entire time at Juarez, until the opening of the in-angnial meeting on Thanksgiving day. That he is outhi-sfastic aliout the outcome of the venture is easll" apparent and his judgment has not yet led nnnrtnvtraj on a racing etrrerrlVbse. "Speaking of hi plans before leaving, lie" said: expect to have a busy time of it. and to have a racing, plant complete m every detail when the gates are opened. Very little grading was required, and that is all done. The steel for the stand is on the ground and, with au experienced engineer to superintend the job, we don f look for any delays of Importance. This engineer is now on the ground, having moved his entire outfit from Houston, Tex., where he has just finished a big job. The stand will be up to date and commodious, though, of course, not large as measured by tne race track grandstands of the east. There will be stabling for 000 horse and all that is best in stable construction will be embodied in the job. We will also build a field stand for the benefit of the native element, which will afford a perfect view of the racing and will be absolutely free to any and all that desire to take advantage of It. "The street railway spur to. the track Is already completed. This will land passengers at the track gate in ten minutes from the heart of El Paso. How is that for race track transportation, when you consider what a dilliciilt problem It is at most race courses? "The track will be one mile and an. eighth in circumference, with a seven-eighths chute and also a mile chute. It will be patterned after the Santa Anita track at Los Angeles and ..will be of ample width to safely accommodate fields of good size. Lvman Davis, who Is uncqualed as a track man. will be with me and will devote special attention to this feature of the construction." "How alHiut the stakes and purses?" Mr. Winn was asked. "That is an ininortant feature, isnt it?" he queried. -ith a smile. "Rut you know weve got to build the track first. While our arrangements in this respect are not fully completed, we expect .to give about fifteen stakes, beginning with the. ,000 Chihuahua Handicap on the opening day. They will range in value from ,200 to .,000. Our overnight purses will be liberal, exceedingly liberal, we think, when It is .considered that we are taking up racing in a virgin territory. Thestakes will close October .". We purpose to race ninety days, beginning Thanksgiving. There will he six days of racing a week and six races a day. "The Mexican people havnt the feeling against a man backing his ojiiuion in a horse race that has been made apparent in more than one section of this country in recent years. and our concession from the government covers this .fully. There will be open booking and it is probable that a couple of niutuel machines may be put into use. "Shipments to the track will take about three davs from the east and one can have a choice of many routes, as eight trunk line railroads center at El Paso. The Juarez Jockey Club Is composed of men prominent in the east, west and in Mexico. There is absolutely no chance that one man can gain control of the nlant and run it to suit his own ideas without regard to the best interests of the horsemen or of the sport." "How about El 1aso when it comes to taking care of a crowd?" was a query put to Mr. Winn. "Cant be beat anywhere on eartli for a town of its size." was the quick response. "El Paso has a population of 75.000 and I doubt If any city any- where of like size is so well equipped for taking1 care of a crowd. It has" splendid hotels and restaurants far ahead of what one would expect. The city lias long been catering to a clientele of tourists and business people who will have the best, and It knows how to take care of them. A pertinent feature is the abuirtlanee of high-class furnished apartments, built for short-term rentals, a system that has proven so popular with horsemen who have wintered hi California. "Oh. yes, another item that is far from least in importance: Mars Cassidy has been engaged to do the starting and Lyman Davis will be the racing secretary."


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Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800