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Here and There on the Turf Delaware Success Seems Assured. Philadelphia is Racing-Minded. Ambitions Stakes Program Offered. Reduction in Takeout Planned. Tomorrow marks the debut of Delaware Park, newest and already one of the most beautiful of American race courses. Delaware Park is eight miles south of Wilmington and hardly twenty minutes from Philadelphia by train, so it will be very convenient to and center of dense population. Philadelphia is a racing-minded city and long has furnished Havre de Grace with the majority of its patrons, but now that there is a track nearby it can be expected to go for the sport in a much more imposing manner. Consequently, the success of Delaware Park is assured even though its pari-mutuel takeout will be only seven and one-half. jer cent, the lowest in the country. The new course will attract many patrons from New York, perhaps enough to warrant a special train daily, because the metropolis has many racing enthusiasts who prefer wagering in the totalizator to the oral method on the metropolitan circuit An ambitious program of stakes has been arranged and seven features will be staged during the twenty-five-day meeting, the first being the Kent Handicap, "with 0,000 in added money. The Sussex and Newcastle Handicaps are other events of similar value, while the Brandywine Handicap and Diamond State Stakes will be worth ,500. Two-year-olds will be asked to compete for ,000 purses each in, the Polly Drummond and Christiana Stakes. A minimum purse policy of 1,000 will be maintained. Racing secretary John P. Turner has written the condition book to cater to the better class of horses in all divisions and quite a few of the horsemen who have shipped their stables to Delaware Park-may have to depend, on substitute events to give all their charges opportunities to race. Should his book stand up reasonably well, the new track will be in a position to give its patrons racing of the highest class. Delaware Parks" program of construction has not been according; ,tq the custom, principally because William duPont, Jr., its chief sponsor, is patient and particular. The track itself wp.s laid out first and then has been treated.. for nearly a year: as though racing had been staged over if for some time,1 sc now it has settled and is in top condition With tthe course in, readiness, duPont ther went ahead with the landscaping and cart struction of the avenues leading toythe club house and parking lots. Nqt until this spring was construction started on the grands tanc ancf stables, and with them finished the plant was in" complete readiness and possessing the appearance of having been ir existence for many years. The grandstand which includes an upperifloor for clubhous CniHU o MrlihieveHth paaej : r fc 1 - i ; , 1 ; 3 2 3 7 r r s 7 s i f L S e n t, e HERE AND THERE ON THE TURF .Continued from second page. patrons, will accommodate about 7,500 persons and this may prove inadequate, but sufficient room is available for expansion. Racing at the new course is intended to be operated under a non-profit policy, although the plan calls for amortization as soon as is reasonably possible. Then the profits will go back into improvements and increases in the distribution to horsemen. A reduction in the takeout also is planned when conditions warrant. The Delaware racing law precludes commercial operation of a track and the amount of sport that can be offered in any one season is limited. Sponsors of the track will not permit a conflict with any of the Maryland tracks and Delaware Park may be considered an additional member of the Maryland circuit, whose season runs from April 1 to the middle of May in the spring and from about September 15 until late in November in the autumn. Delaware is left the summer months from which to select its racing datea Illinois legislators have before them a bill making Sunday racing permissible, the senate already having given its approval by an overwhelming majority. Sponsors of the measure say high-class racing in the state is doomed unless the leading tracks can get some sort of relief, and operation on Sunday would give them literally two Saturdays each week. Washington Park, it was said, is facing a deficit, and prospects that Arlington Park would make a good profit were very slim indeed. Proponents of the measure also informed their colleagues that France and other important racing countries permit Sunday racing, all other forms of amusement are allowed in Illinois on the Sabath, such as baseball, stage and screen shows, dancing and drinking, so why not the sport of the thoroughbreds. The moral issue involved may bring about the bills defeat, although it really doesnt mean anything. Racing has been in good hands under the Illinois Turf Association and later the State Racing Commission on week-days, and the sport would be just as fine on Sundays, except that many more persons would enjoy it than on the Mondays, which will probably be discontinued.
