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Maryland Tracks Hit By Unseasonable Weather Attendance and Play Held Up Well During 48 Days, However HAVRE DE GRACE, Md., May 27. Weather conditions throughout the Maryland spring racing season were a bit un-seasonal, to say the least, but, despite the fact that an "off" track prevailed for many of the programs, attendance and wagering held up extremely well during the 48-day span. The hardest-hit of the Maryland courses, as far as inclement weather and an "off" track were concerned, was Havre de. Grace, where the Harford Agricultural and Breeders Association presented two meetings, taking in its entire 25-day allotment. During the period of racing on the banks of the Susquehanna, a total of 14 programs were presented over an "off" racing strip, which should constitute some sort of a record. During the first meeting at Havre de Grace, a total of 1,149,290 passed through mutuel manager E. I. "Jim" Langfords machines, for a daily average of 29,107. This figure compares favorably with the 86,997 compiled during the 1946 season. However, the 1947 average was brought down considerably when, during the first 12 days of the second session, only an 78,880 average could be maintained. During each of Havre de Graces meetings this spring the attendance has been especially good. The natural assumption in this case would be that the bettors are now confining their activity to the windows. While the Havre de Grace racing surface was in an "off" condition the majority of ; the time, it was lightning fast on the other afternoons, with new track standards being established at nearly every distance at which races were run. Pimlicos 12-day meeting was spared much of the cold and wet weather this spring, with the result than an oft-prevalent fast track served to encourage wagering. As a matter of fact, Pimlicos meeting v was the only one able to maintain a million-dollar average, the mark being ,108,375. Pimlico was also the only track in Maryland with a two-million-dollar day, that mark being established on Preakness day, when ,180,336 was handled by Mort Mahonys crew. Bowies meeting, while generally regarded as very successful, also saw a noticable decrease in wagering, with a drop of more than 00,000 in the daily average. The 1946 average for the 25 days was 63,891, as compared to 46,585 this spring.
