view raw text
MORE THAN 25,000 PRESENT Record Attendance at Agawam Park Sees Gay Balko Repeat in the Springfield Handicap. SPRINGFIELD, Mass., May 30.— Repeating his splendid performance of opening day, Paul Andolinos Gay Balko added the Springfield Handicap, six furlongs feature of the Memorial Day program at Agawam Park here this afternoon, to his achievements, as more than 25,000 wildly cheering adherents of the thoroughbred sport looked on and established a new attendance record for any sporting event in western Massachusetts. The four-year-old son of Balko and Gay Stella, defeated Unheralded by a length and a quarter, with Natty Boy, the favorite, finishing in third place. Shouldering 114 pounds, three more than he carried in his romping victory in the Inaugural Handicap last Saturday, Gay Balko showed the way to his six rivals virtually from the start. Jockey Glen Smith hustled the four-year-old chestnut colt away from the starting gate with the leaders, and before the first sixteenth of the journey was traversed he assumed the lead and never relinquished the forward position during the remainder of the dash. In annexing the Springfield Handicap, Gay Balko gained the distinction of being the first double victor of the season here and established himself as a prime favorite with racing fans of this section, despite the fact that it required a greater effort to chalk up this afternoons victory than on last Saturday. Unheralded followed in closest pursuit of Gay Balko for the entire distance and entered a determined challenge in the final quarter, but was unable to reach the smooth-striding chestnut colt. Glenn Smith shook up Gay Balko vigorously after straightening out in the stretch for the run to the wire and the son of Balko had sufficient in reserve to repulse the challenger. Attendance and betting records were shattered as the gathering of more than 25,000 —estimated by officials of Agawam Park-poured more than 00,000 through the total-| izator during the program of eight races, L which was made up mostly of the sprint L variety. Ideal weather and track conditions I prevailed for the holiday offering and con-I clusively proved the popularity of the thor-I oughbred sport in this sector.