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Wheeling Difficulties Are Now Diminishing Good Weather Aiding Progress; Work All Night on Race Strip By PAT CAUDILL Staff Correspondent WHEELING DOWNS, Wheeling, W. Va., May 20. — The difficulties experienced by the Wheeling Downs management as a result of the heavy going which necessitated a long delay before yesterdays program got under way, are diminishing with the advent of more favorable weather. Post time for todays first race was set at 3:15 p.m., one hour later than" usual, to permit the track crew, which had been working on the strip since last night, to complete its labors. No trials were permitted this morning. For a time yesterday it appeared that the races might have to be canceled altogether. The treacherous condition of the course had the boys in the jocks room worried and most of them refused to ride. However, racing secretary Charles P. Henry suggested that several of them gallop horses around the track, examine it for themselves, and then report to their fellow riders. Jockey Richard Bell was the first to make the trip. He made some suggestions upon returning and these were acted upon immediately. Then Bell and jockeys D. Teague, G. Steineman, B. Brady, R. Neff, lW. Herman and M. Robinson volunteered to ride in the first race, saying they would come back again for the second event if they found the strip satisfactory. This proved the case and the program was completed. • .in an announcement shortly before the final event, William G. Lias, president and general manager of this oval, expressed his apologies to the 3,500 fans who had waited patiently for the races to begin and thanked them for their cooperation. The crowd applauded each winner more generously than usual and gave each rider a vocal pat on the back during the post parades.
