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BETWEEN RACES %..«"•"» GARDEN STATE PARK, Camden, N. J., May 9. — The other day Garden State Park made an announcement that the seating capacity of its grandstand would be increased by almost 50 per cent. The present stand will be extended northward towards the head of the stretch, plus additional escalators, including some new ones from the mezzanine to the roof terrace. Garden State is one of many American tracks making major improvements this year and, in addition to being known as "Native Dancers" year, as so many insist that it will be, 1953 also may go into the archives as being the annum of the great expansion of public facilities. To mention only a few. Santa Anita is pouring a million and a half into public improvements, Keeneland is doubling the size of its present grandstand, and Laurel, of course, is building a new and somewhat plushy clubhouse. Comments Walter Donovan, vice-president and general manager of Garden State: "Basic thinking in management, as far as Garden State Park is concerned, looks upon public accommodation as going hand in hand with the growth of fine racing. While the two are inseparable, it is a question in my mind as to whether or not the accommodation of the public should come first, and the increase in purses second. One seems to follow the other as surely as day follows night, but without proper accommodation of the patron, large purses would be impossible. Such building also can be regarded as something in the way of insurance for the future, for, if economic conditions became really slack, racing would be in a far better position to weather the depression with large crowds and a comparative low per capita wagering than it would be with small crowds and a high per capita. Here at Garden State, we have the notion that if we attract the people and cater to their comfort, the tote will pretty much take care of itself." Thinking Behind Garden States Expansion Public Placed First, Purse Raises Follow Froelich Rated Among Top Track Designers Explanation of States Admission Policy During the "no building" rule during the war and following the war years, many race tracks promised that "when restrictions were lifted" they would build such accommodations as were at once desirable and within the economic means of the association. Most of them have lived up to their promise, and many tracks have borrowed liberally from the worthwhile features of others. For instance, the proscenium, or theatre type paddock, was first tried in its present form at Golden Gate Fields, was brought to perfection at Hollywood Park, spread last year as far east as Denver, and this year arrived on the Atlantic seaboard here at .Garden State. While there are a few "bugs" to be worked out of the Garden State paddock, it has proven more than popular, and, as Donovan adds, "we in racing must sell racing to the public as a sporting entertainment, and the theatre type paddock helps us a great deal in doing just that." AAA It has been the fashion in some Eastern circles to adopt a somewhat smug attitude towards the three Southern California tracks for emphasizing showmanship to such a degree in the presentation of their racing programs, as well as glibly passing off the Kentucky Derby as a "one day circus." But it is nonetheless true that the so-called Southern California influence is widening, for both Laurel and Garden State went to Beverly Hills to get an architect for their improvements, selecting Art Froelich. who designed the rebuilt Hollywood Park, to lay out their improvement programs. Laurel had specific demands that its setup have proper quarters for very important personages, for, being almost adjacent to the nations capital, many senators, congressman, government officials, and representatives of foreign nations get their only glimpse of American racing at Laurel, hence the feeling of responsibility on the part of Laurel officials that they must see racing at its finest and as sort of a showcase of American sport. AAA Speaking of architect Forelich, he has become in the last few years, one of the leading designers of race tracks, and we can report that he has, on his drawing boards, a so-called "dream track" which was designed at the express request of the Panamanian Jockey Club. This paper track assumes virtually unlimited money, and is financially impossible of attainment all in one year, but some of its features have been incorporated into the new stand extension here and into the new clubhouse at Laurel. Still other tracks have taken one or two ideas from the general dream track plan and are working it into their present plans, a process necessarily calling for a great deal of adaption. As we mentioned, Santa Anita is spending about a million and a half in public improvements this year, but these expansions are only a part of long range development plans. As of next opening day, usually the last Friday or Saturday in December, the track will have about 4,000,000 invested in physical facilities. More than ,000,000 more are in Dr. Strubs desk drawer waiting for translation into actuality. AAA It is supposed to be rugged to get a pass to Garden State Park, but the "tight gate" is a reflection of managements idea that if racing is essentially a sport and an entertainment, then a pay gate is just as essential as Continued on Page Forty-Four , BETWEEN RACES By OSCAR OTIS Continued from Page Forty-Eight at, for instance a baseball game. This being the case, it is only natural that there are many legends extant here in Jersey as to the great ingenuity people will use to get an "Annie Oakley." There was the guy. for instance, who had letter heads printed up for a non existent newspaper, complete with managing editor and other department heads in the script, and who wrote in, on this fancy paper, asking for season tickets. Phone calls purporting to be from the state house at Trenton or even from the state department in Washington have been so common that track officials have devised a secret method of determining whether or not tlffe calls are legitimate. One weekly as far away as Chicago blandly informed the public relations department they intended to "give Garden State full coverage" on its meeting and blandly asked for credentials for its turf writer and his wife.
