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c ! I , ; a , j , : ! ; . , , IMPROVEMENTS FOR KENTUCKY TRACKS Dl Churchill Downs Course to Be Increased to One Ra Kain and One-Eighth Miles. BY It. E. DUNDON. LOUISVILLE, Ky., November 1. Col. Matt J. till this Winn, general manager of the Kentucky Jockey :l a Club, is planning for courses in line with the metro- mv IKilitan aspect of racing, which the attendance and I,r! interest at Louisville and Latonia justify. It is probable that more than 250,000 will be invested tw two in each track in these improvements, which embrace an and tlie addition of land on which options were obtained xvc won some time ago, the widening and extension of tlie dr tracks, doing away with tlie narrow turns now in 1L II. use, and providing by a terrace system or some other device of architectural beauty a perfect he he view of the course for up to 00,000 persons at ort each track. Of course, this permanent investment No. will greatly enhance tlie value of the properties into ! and will place racing on a basis of stability never " hitherto enjoyed by the sport, even in Kentucky. 111 that Col. Winns plan for a mile and an eighth track w; was does away with one of the turns at Churchill Je Downs. Col. Winn is a strong believer in long Iv distance racing for establishing the thoroughbred as a a prime factor in rebuilding the horse to a point where the United States will never lack for an wl adequate supply of stnying remounts for the army. "Ii In this connection legislation, which will be intro- l duccd shortly at Washington, having the sanction and approval of the war department and the 1 1 United States army, and the backing of the U. S. "i A. Reserve Officers Corps and of tlie American en Legion, to create a reserve army system to pro- ne tect the country in any emergency, will take good si care of the horse situation and make certain that ur there never will be any doubt of n quick mobilization of equine forces, if the need for the same l should ever arise. r:1 The projected improvements are made possible by the co-operation of the public and the horse- a a men generally, and the fact that practically every ra share of stock in the Kentucky Jockey Club is now owned by a Kentucky taxpayer. . It. 1 What racing means to such citis as Louisville, a Lexington and Cincinnati may be shown by an estimate of hotel receipts. It is a fact that there w was not n vacant room in Louisville during either la the spring or fall meeting. Louisville is badly m st need right now of three more hotels, one -of them jo of the first magnitude, to take care of the visitors tr constantly at.ruij.il here, tiio holding" of Oie races being the main factor, though the presence of the n First Division as a permanent garrison of Camp tj Zacharv Taylor, located at the city limits on the l Preston street car line, the State Fair, a live base-ball club and many other interests lend their aid I to the whole. . to The same may be well said of Cincinnati. Offers h of a day for a sir.sle room in a hotel were in declined in the presence of the writer during the N worlds series. The- thrifty householders of Coving- w ton. Newport and Latonia had many applicants for p all extra rooms, which they let for the term of the o racing. Many of those attracted by the racing ? came from the great new industrial centers of the w north, and they were prodigal spenders. Louisville business men have had the best year in 1919 they ever knew. It has been u question with them to get adequate help to wait on their trade. The growing importance of first-class sport has been impressed on the minds of Kentuckians.
