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Arlington and Monmouth Register Gains Over 51 Attendance at Local Track Up 21 Pet. and Wagering, 24 Pet. There have been sizable increases in attendance and mutuel play at Monmouth Park and Arlington Park, the two major tracks which have opened most recently, reflecting a continued upward surge in the popularity of the sport in these widely separated locales. Monmouths average attendance for the first seven days of its 49-day meeting was 13,521 as against 12,024 for the same period last year, an increase of 12 per cent. The climb in mutuel handle has been even more pronounced, the daily average wagering at this session being ,052,605 against a figure of 26,761 for 1951, a rise of 27 per cent. It mast be remembered that Monmouths patronage comes, in the main, from the resort towns in its vicinity. These towns do not attract their full complement of visitors until after July 1. Consequently, in the past, the Oceanport course hasnt averaged ,00,000 in daily play until what is generally referred to as "the summer season" is in full swing. Never in its history has Monmouth hit the million average until late in the season. The figures cited suggest that the popular New Jersey track will shatter attendance and mutuel records by a wide margin. Arlingtons daily average attendance during the first six days of the current 36-day session was 13,967, against 11,586 for the same week last year, an increase of 21 per cent. The mutuel handle at the Illinois course has shown a higher rise percentagewise, the daily play of 64,433 for this seasons first six days being 24 per cent above the 76,549 for the opening week of the 51 meeting. While Monmouths attendance and play will rise because of the influx of summer visitors, Arlingtons figures will climb, as always, because all the tracks major stakes are still on the roster. The interest in the meeting will mount as the "name horses" parade to the post.
