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PRESIDENT FRANKLIN D ROOSEVELT Racing responded to the Chief Execu ¬ tives suggestion that the nation pause on DDay to offer prayers for the success of the Allied invasion with eleven tracks suspending operations and the other two dedicating their programs to War Relief Sport Suspended at Eleven American Tracks Out of Observance of DDay Racing Pauses to Offer Prayer For Success of Allied Invasion Lincoln Fields Fairmount Aqueduct Detroit Announce Cancellations at Early Hour HourRacing Racing observed D Day by suspending the sport at 11 of the 13 tracks which would normally have been in operation With almost complete unanimity the di ¬ rectors of Americas and Canadas race tracks felt that in this hour of decision when our soldiers sailors and marines and our British and Canadian allies are taking the first major lunge in the liberation of France on the beaches of the Normandy coast and from the air and sea the tracks should close to permit people at home to devote themselves to prayers for their loved ones across the seas seasThe The tracks which suspended racing yes ¬ terday were Aqueduct Suffolk Downs Lin ¬ coln Fields Charles Town Wheeling Downs Fairmount Park Kings Park De ¬ troit River Downs Ascot Park and Pascoag PascoagThe The two tracks which decided to operate were Delaware Park and Bay Meadows Racing continued at Delaware Park after a compromise had been effected with the jockeys who had been instructed by the Jockeys Community Fund and Guild not to ride on DDay except for War Relief or charitable purposes As a result the jockeys contributed all their fees to WarRelief and the association contributed its net profits to the same fund Horsemen on the grounds also stated they would contribute then purses to the fund fundArmy Army and Navy Hospitals Beneficiaries BeneficiariesThe The Bay Meadows management explained that the profits of the racing at the San Mateo track on D Day are earmarked for Army and Navy hospitals and for that reason it considers it unwise to cancel the afternoons sport sportIn In a statement Tuesday Kyne said All profits of todays racing at Bay Meadows will be turned over to Army and Navy hospitals Bay Meadows unlike east ¬ ern tracks which are closing today is rac ¬ ing on an allout War Relief basis and has been for the past 23 days daysThe The decision to suspend racing at the major American race tracks in respect to the Army Navy and Marines who are en ¬ gaged in historys greatest invasion was inspired by a suggestion made some weeks ago by Herbert Bayard Swope chairman of the New York State Racing Commission and followed by the racing commissions and track officials in other states Swope was acting in line with President Roose ¬ velts suggestion that on D Day the na ¬ tion pause and the people pray for those engaged in the momentous struggle for freedom The stewards of the New York tracks announced yesterday morning Due to the Allied Invasion racing is cancelled today Tuesdays program wiii be run Wednesday and the Astoria Stakes and Lion Hearted Steeplechase which were to be run Wednesday will be run on Thurs ¬ day dayWhen When the first invasion reports flashed over the radio president Albert J Boyle of the Charles Town Jockey Club cancelled the days racing and informed horsemen that the Tuesday program would be run tomorrow Residents of nearby cities were informed of the cancellation by radio The midwestern tracks Lincoln Fields which is operating at Hawthorne and Fair mount Park were among the earliest to announced the suspension on D Day Col Matt J Winn cancelled the Lincoln racing before 8 a m and D C Burnett announced the closing of the Collinsville 111 track a short time laiex
