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CLOSE FINISHES IN PIMLICO RACES More Than Fifty Per Cent of Contests During Recent Meeting Won by Length or Less LessNew New York November 20 In his leisure moments Frank J Bryan secretary of the National Steeple ¬ chase and Hunt Association delights in statistics and delves into records to get convincing figures on any subject that strikes him as being worthy Recently someone intimated that during the Pim lico meeting just closed there were many close finishes That was the cue for Mr Bryan to look over the eleven days racing and satisfy himself that such was the case The result of his search disclosed the fact that more than fifty per cent of the seventyseven races run were won by a length or less There were forty races wherein the margin between the first and scond horses was a length or less lessTo To be exact said Judge Bryan five races were won by a nose ten by a head five by a neck four by a half length four by threequarters of a length and twelve by a length and these including the steplechascs which are usually won by a goodly margin The horses just came rolling down in groups for the entire eleven days sometimes so close that dead heats werealmost in order Little com ¬ plaint can be made of racing when these conditions exist existThe The meeting all around was a good one in every respect though the fields were a trifle too large in some races for the comfort of riders and the crowd ¬ ing at times at the start of a race had some bearing on the results But such things will happen They come under the head of racing luck The Pimlico management was exceedingly generous with purses and stakes considering it paid 78000 to Balti ¬ more County for the improvement of roads and local institutions It gave big donations to war charities including the purchase of five stallions for the Government Remount Service These were Greek Legend Captain Ray Valais Trial by Jury and Star Ben The first four were passed upon by the government inspectors and were taken from a race which provided for their purchase by the conditions and the fifth Star Ben was coveted by the govern ¬ ment inspectors and the Pimlico management ar ¬ ranged for his purchase after he had finished the Maryland season at Bowie Patriotically I think Pimlico more than held its own
