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BETWEEN RACES By OSCAR OTIS PIMLICO Baltimore Mdt May 11 After the experiences of Havre de Grace with minus pools which incidentally was the final straw to put that track into the red for its recent meeting to the tune of ap ¬ proximately 45000 it can be re ¬ vealed that the management here has given serious consideration as to whether or not to card place and show pools for the impending running of the historic Preakness The management of course will not be actually confronted with this problem until after the close of the entries Friday morning and no decision will be made until that time However according to its present mood if six or more interests go to the post there will be wagering right through the board straight place and show despite the awareness of the Pimlico people that by so doing they may afford the opportunity for an alltime record minus pool Getting 10 cents on the dollar on the fabulous Calumets Citation to show would appeal to a vast number of persons as about the best giltedge investment since the days of Man o War There is just a possibility that the state of Maryland may take a more active interest in the affair than hitherto re ¬ corded Under the comparatively new Maryland racing law the state is in actuality a partner with the track in revenue and the state would share the loss with the track if a minus pool developed It is conceivable that the state could determine that the best interests of the state would be served if there were no show wagering even if there were as many as six in this to start A A A AThe The nation has again become minus pool conscious this year with the Havre de Grace situation plus the carding of win wagering only on the Kentucky Derby Havre de Grace racing emphasized the point and while it isnt quite fair to blame the minus pools for the operat ¬ ing loss of the track it was just that item which tipped the balance sheet from profit to loss according to a Graw official Of course if the weather had been more clement and the conflict of dates with Jersey not in Pimlico Scrutinizes Preakness Wagering State Is How Concerned in All Minus Pools Preakness Week Is Studded With Activity Bovard Gains Stature by Survivor Score Scorevogue vogue the track no doubt would have done quite well and the minus pools which amounted to approximately 55000 wouldnt have made much difference But the weather was bad and Jersey competition did hurt How ¬ ever in view of all this the Pimlico people seem willing to go right ahead with acrosstheboard wagering and assume any loss should one develop Incidentally California is the newest state to become an active partner with the track in that they now share the losses in minus pools as well as participating in the profits And just for the records if you are interested whether the loss on minus pools is real or theoretical by any sound method of bookkeeping they must be judged as real Ernie White Kentucky and West Coast parimutuel executive reveals that when a minus pool occurs the front office sends a check over to the parimutuel department to make up the deficit deficitA A A A APreakness Preakness Week is one of the highlights of the year on the American turf and this year the schedule of pre classic affairs is more crowded than ever Tomorrow night the Maryland breeders will get together for their twentieth annual dinner and feast upon Maryland prime and prize beef prior to electing officers for the ensuing year Harry Straus of Baltimore present president will preside Thursday morning sees the justly famous Pim ¬ lico yearling show the fourteenth and for which some 67 Marylandbred yearlings will be displayed and judged for mein and conformation Silver plates will be awarded the winners in the respective classes two for each sex being those sired by Maryland stallions and those con ¬ ceived elsewhere The Virginia breeders will be repre ¬ sented at these proceedings and also be on hand for a special purse in their honor Thursday Add in stakea day a ladies race and a round of prePreakness enter ¬ tainment and the interest by post time for the big race on Saturday will have reached a climax quite as exciting as that in the Kentucky Derby Incidentally about the only uneasiness experienced for this Preakness running was the early week threat of a rail strike which had some folks wondering whether off the grounds horses like Coaltown would be able to make the trip without undue incident or delay But announced government seizure of the railroads eased whatever qualms there might have been on the matter even though Coaltown finally decided not to ship shipA A A A Spice to the competition of the Preakness was added by Marylands own Bovard in winning the 7500 Sur ¬ vivor Stakes whiclr is getting to be a tradition as a PrePreakness trial Bovard with 119 pounds and which included Willie Saunders won by three lengths from the C V Whitney tandem of Mount Marcy and Vulcans Forge It wasnt so much the victory but the manner of it that caused railbirds to tell one another that here might be the surprise in the Preakness if one should develop While Pimlico was listed as fast for the afternoon it was dead footing and far from lightning and Pimlico isnt a pasteboard track either Hence when he turned the mile and a sixteenth in 1 45 with a snappy mile in 138 Vs it was impressive enough to give the on lookers pause for further consideration Bovard won the Louisiana Derby from wire to wire and was second to Citation in the Chesapeake In his last race at Havre de Grace he was closing strongly to Piet but this was a mere sixfurlonger and the colt seems to appear as one who truly fancies a distance of ground His bid to take command from Mount Marcy rounding into the stretch was a bold and determined one and if he could improve only slightly in the Preakness Citation will be a long ways from a practical walkover Incidentally the two contenders ran in that order in the Survivor resulting in a minus pool of 371260 which thus adds this stakes to the growing number on record this year as sustaining such losses
