view raw text
- t Here and There on the Turf Pimlico Again Presents Cham- I j pions. j ! Reconstruction Need Under- j ! stood. j Match Race Easily Top Offer- j Four Top Juveniles Display j Wares. J !. i.. The Pimlico meeting just concluded re- sembled the highly pleasing autumn term of a year ago in numerous respects, one of the most important being the presentation of a pair of champions. In 1937 the Maryland Jockey Club, under the new progressive policy instigated at the direction of youthful Alfred Vanderbilt, offered a program which attracted War Admiral to the Pimlico Special, Seabiscuit to the Riggs and Bowie Handicaps and had Menow under its spell for the Pimlico Futurity until he was forced out by injury. Pimlico was unable to obtain either the two-year-old or three-year-old leader this fall,, but was fortunate in bringing about the long-awaited meeting between Seabiscuit and War Admiral for the American championship and its revival of the Manly Memorial Steeplechase Handicap, with ,000 added, lured Annibal, undoubtedly the best jumper in the country. Pimlico has had two autumn meetings with Vanderbilt at the helm and if their standard is maintained in the future the Baltimore course is certain to keep its prestige and perhaps to grow in importance, if that is possible. Despite its long history and colorful tradition, Pimlico has much room in which, to expand, not so much perhaps in so far as its racing is concerned, but in making that sport more enjoyable to the public. No one realizes more than Vander-; bilt, who, in the short time he has been in- terested in the Maryland Jockey Club, has come to be its majority stockholder, the in-! adequacy of the Pimlico plant. Under his : tenure, the principal physical improvement at Pimlico was in the reconstruction of the j steeplechase course and elimination of the I hump in the infield, so that the races could ! be more easily seen, but Vanderbilt has been loathe to tackle the problem of a new grandstand and clubhouse until a new lease could be satisfactorily arranged. Pimlicos racing can be better than it was this fall and will be if for no other reason than it is realized that the track wasnt at its best for the recent meeting, particularly around the upper turn, where the smarter jockeys sought the outside at all times, and steps will be taken to remedy that situation. But the most needed improvement at the j Maryland Jockey Club course is more adequate and modern facilities for the accommodation of the public and when these can be brought about, the sport should increase sufficiently to make it mandatory on Vanderbilt and his associates to strive even more seriously to better the character of racing. It is realized, however, replacement of the present, outmoded wooden grandstand would be good business, as the amount now paid for insurance isnt any more than the sum to be paid annually for interest and amortization of a new modern structure. But getting back to the racing provided during the past thirteen days the outstanding even undoubtedly was the Seabiscuit-War Admiral match. A smart thing was done in scheduling that race for the opening day of the meeting. The crowd was no smaller than Continued on twenty-seventh page.. HERE AND THERE ON THE TURF Continued from second page. it would have been any other day, and the race was gotten out of the way immediately so the public was able to concentrate on the regularly scheduled events, which were important in their own right. El Chico, acknowledged champion of the two-year-olds, was not seen at Pimlico because he wasnt an eligible for the Pimlico Futurity, and his connections didnt care to campaign him in events of lesser value after he had gotten through his Junior Champion engagement unbeaten. Nevertheless, some good two-year-olds saw service at the Baltimore course, including three outstanding prospects for next season Challedon, Volitant and Benefactor and Inscoelda, a strong claimant of the juvenile filly honors. The least said about the three-year-olds running at Pimlico the better. As a group, they were well worn out by the time the meeting came around and only Bull Lea and Cravat of the first division showed their wares, the former impressively and the latter not so well. Among the older horses, however, Seabiscuit and War Admiral were brought together in their engagement, which turned out to be one of the most thrilling races of all time, while solid fields were brought out for the traditionally valuable Riggs and Bowie Handicaps. Jacola, one of the best three-year-old fillies, and Esposa, whose titular claims among the mares is disputed only by Marica, were under colors, as were other good handicap horses with records not quite so imposing as theirs or those of Seabiscuit and War Admiral, so all in all it can be readily seen that Pimlicos racing was provided by top thoroughbreds, something the public greatly appreciates.
