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— i JUDGES STAN D * carles hatton WATERFORD PARK, Chester, W. Va., June 6.— Officials of this delightful new course are optimistic that the sport will catch on in the area, though nobody has yet confused the statistics with Belmont Parks. They philosophize that "A slow beginning makes for a good ending." And point i. i-l J. — r • i.2 t £ :i ; uuu biiai/ racing is eutueiy uuiauiuuu: to residents of Pittsburgh, Youngstown, Canton, Akron, and other communities in the Upper Ohio Valley. Many hadnt seen a horse race until the May 19 opener and hadnt the remotest idea of the procedure involved in making a wager. In view of this, president A. J. Boyle thought the handle of 01,455 rather gratifying. He is eager to please the patrons, mingles with the crowds, and-has an attractive ear for suggestions. For example, he says that "Since the majority of those with whom I talked felt the general admission . charge to the grandstand might be reduced, the fee has been cut to 60 cents. Further* a good many of the public told me that the post time was a bit too early for them. For their convenience we decided to establish a 2:30 first post. Apparently this is satisfactory to the majority. The proof is in the increase in attendance and play on week days." Boyle added that "They tells me that so far as concerns the racing, the natural beauty and comforts of the track, and the success of the favorites, this is ideal. That is good enough for me." Boyle is a capable track operator, as he demonstrated in reorganizing Charles Town, and making of it one of the most popular and successful of the smaller tracks in the East. We shall be surprised if Waterford Park doesnt eventually become a most important racing center. Though the average the first 12 days was 67,000, the West Virginia law provides a 12 per cent "take," of which the tracks retain 9 per cent f and breakage. It is estimated the new course is showing a slight profit on its operation. This tourist has seen evidence, in the last couple of seasons, of a new circuit in this part of the country, one "which begins in Maryland and extends to Delaware Park, Boyle Confident of Waterfords Future . Adopts Changes in Operation of Track Detroit Introduces New Series of Races TRA Report Reflects Turfs Popularity Waterford Park and the renovated Randall Park. Many Maryland strings now are here and at Delaware Park and, will be active also at Randall. Among the Free Staters is H. Guy Bedwell, who will celebrate his seventy-seventh birthday before long, and is saddling his share of winners. Also his son, L. G. "Buster" Bedwell, who is training some horses here for Jimmy Brink and Marvin. Gaines. Brink, incidentally, planed his Beechcraft in from Cincinnati on Memorial Day, landing in the inner field, and making the flight in an hour and 45 minutes. The leading rider here is Howard Craig, who had quite a following in Ohio last year. None of the Waterford horses names is set in upper case type, but Tamale has done well to win both the Inaugural and ,000 Memorial Day features. He is a three-year-old by Condiment, who stands at Del Holemans Pilot Knob in Tennessee. The filly Secret Thread already is a three-time winner at the meeting. • " The Michigan Racing Association recently established a new series of races, designed for horses that are "The bona fide property of residents of the State of Michigan." It is proposed to offer one such event each week," and we are told that the idea is to encourage more residents to interest themselves in racing horss. The, chap who told us was wearing a whimsical smile at the time, but it would be nice if the races were to accomplish this purpose. The first of these races had eight entrants valued at ,500. One hasnt finished to the writing, another pulled up lame, still another sore. Of course, the one that broke down would be disqualified under a rule that is pending to bar six-year-old maidens, anyway. But the races for Michigan-owned horses are to be written for a pro gressively better grade of performers each week. There now are about 300 Michigan owners, and of these 107 belong to the Michigan Thoroughbred Owners Association. The Hazel Park club last season presented the first, and we understand the last, running of a Futurity for Michigan-bred horses. Bloodstock production in the state now is limited to fewer than 75 mares on 12 farms, so perhaps it isnt ready for that sort of thing. The notion here is that Illinois has the best program for encouraging improvement of the breed in the state. It has no homebred races but there is a bonus when the produce of state studs win in open competition. AAA The Thoroughbred Racing Associations report of Memorial Day crowds reflected racings growing popularity over the country. The over-all increase of 6.5 per cent almost precisely parallels the increase in attendances for the first five months of the year. Thus we cant believe it is explicable by the fact that it was a mid-week holiday this season, rather than extending a week-end to permit out-of-town vacations. The biggest gains were Delaware Parks 22.7 per cent and Lincoln-at-Washingtons 17.2 per cent. These figures are more significant to us than are the "tote" statistics, for they reflect that racing is doing a good public relations job. Turf ana: Waterford Park draws upon three states, Pennsylvania, Ohio and, of course, West Virginia... Charles Henrys horse insurance program is in process of reorganization. . .We agree completely with our partner, or, perhaps, we should say accomplice, Nelson Dunstan, that huge crowds will hot attend the races regardless of a lack of quality in the horses , . .Pete OTDonnell attributes much of the increase in Lincoln-at-Washington crowds to-the higher class of horses. . .Mrs. J. T. Watts, Jr.s, colors were carried to their, initial success at Detroit Park when Bouncing Boots won. Mrs. Watts is Dick Connells daughter. . .The percentage of winning favorites at Detroit was hovering profitably about .40 last time we looked. . . How has token a long stride toward top honors among the three-year-old fillies with the Kentucky and Coaching Club Oaks to her credit.
