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LAUREL "GARDEN SPOT OF MARYLAND" Has Taken Place of Old Benning Course Popular with Washington Turf Patrons. Baltimore, Md., September 4. General Manager Matt J. Winn and his able secretary Harry F. Breivogel, are expected to reach Laurel this week, where they will oversee the work now being completed at the Laurel course. The Laurel track is called the "Garden spot of Maryland" and rightly it is named. It is located within a stones throw I of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad and is handsomely decorated with flowers and shrubbery. The steeplechase course is said to be one of the best, in fact, the best, in the country. Laurel has come to take the place of the famous old Benning course, where races were looked upon as a society event each year. It has grown to such popularity now that the same society folk that formerly visited Benning are the same to be seen each day during the races in the handsome club house, which connects with the grandstand. The automobile roads from Washington and Baltimore to the course are the best in the country. They are built of solid asphalt every inch of the way and the course can be reached from either city handily in forty minutes. As the races will begin at 2:15 each day at Laurel, it will afford its patrons plenty of time to reach their homes in good time for dinner. Hope for Better Transportation to Bowie. The Bowie management is still hopeful that arrangements can be made to extend a spur line over the Pennsylvania railroad to their course. The only hitch that appears to be In the way at the present time, is owing to the fact that property owners have raised their prices on the land to such high figures that it is almost impossible for the owners to do any business along these lines. Jlowever, the electric line is giving good service, and it is most likely before another year passes the steam roads to the course will be a reality. General Manager James F. OHara is still in New Orleans superintending work on his new course, which will begin its fall meeting immediately following the Bowie meeting. Thus New Orleans will have racing beginning on Thanksgiving day for a period said to be 100 days. The same system of wagering will be in order that has been used at the other southern track during the past two years. II. G. Bedwell has an extensive string of horses which are being fitted for the Maryland meetings. They are now quartered at his breeding farm, which is locatedgjtast outside of rLaurel, Md. They Include several good two-year-olds and a number of steeplechasers.
