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► Wheeling Figures Close to Last Year Daily Average Attendance Of 3,767 and Mutuel Play Of 94,506 for 25 Days Wheeling Downs, the half-mile oval at Wheeling, West Virginia now in its seventeenth season, practically kept pace with its 1953 spring attendance and pari-mutuel figures during this years 25-day term which concluded last Saturday. Daily crowds and handle were "off" approximately 3 per cent from last years per diem averages. At the 1953 session, which comprised 26 days, the daily average number of patrons was 3,846 to 3,767 this year, while the daily mean last spring reached 00,807 against 94,506 at the recently-concluded meeting. Wheelings total attendance for the 25 days this year hit 94,166, and this goodly number of fans wagered an overall ,862,-650. Exactly 200 races were conducted, with favorites coming through on 70 occasions for a percentage of .35, about normal. Bristol Joe Money Leader . Bristol Joe carried off money-winning thorughbred laurels with two victories that were worth ,600. Lindy also scored twice during the meeting, in addition to two seconds, but fell 35 short of Bristol Joe in total earnings. Mrs. T. Brownings charges won five events, were second thrice and third five times to glean ,385 and give this sportswoman top honors among the owners in purse winnings. F. Young led the jockey contingent at the West Virginia plant, while J. W. Deaton came through with a narrow "victory" in the training ranks. Young rode 25 winners in 122 mounts, which was seven more victors than R. L. Belanger compiled. The latter had the best average — .21 — although he accepted 37 less mounts than Young. Deaton saddled seven winners, giving him a slim margin of one over the deadlocked runner-up triumvirate of R. A. Brown, M. Everhart and W. J. Hughes. Complete Wheeling Downs statistics: April 24 to May 22—25 Days Gross distribution 98,700 Net distribution 98,700 Daily average net distribution. . .,948.00 Attendance 94,166 Daily average attendance 3,767 Mutuel handle ,862,650 Daily average mutuel handle. .. .94,506 Leading Money-Winning Owners Owner. 1st. 2nd. 3rd. Won. Browning, Mrs. T. 5 3 5 ,385 Zipkin, M. 5 8 1 4,740 Simpson, H. M. 5 4 8 4,675 Foley, Sadie L. 5 1 3 3,805 Richardson, A. 3 8 3 3,795 Leading Money-Winning Horses Horse. 1st. 2nd. 3rd. - Won. Bristol Joe 2 0 0 ,600 Lindy 2 2 0 2,465 Oxford Son 3 0 0 1,950 Wal-Dot-O 2 0 0 1,950 Golden Grip 2 11 1,920 Leading Winning Jockeys Jockey Mts. 1st. 2nd. 3rd. Unp. PC. Young, F. 122 25 13 16 68 .20 Belanger, R. L. 85 18 14 13 40 .21 Gardner, D. 85 17 16 9 43 .20 Richards, L. 58 11 13 4~ 30 .19 Bright,. R. 66 11 13 8 34 .17 Leading Winning Trainers Trainer Wins. Trainer. Wins. Deaton, J. W 7 Foley, Sadie L. 5 Brown, R. A. 6 Kirk, J. 5 Everhart, M. H. 6, Payne, S. 5 Hughes, W.J. 6 Simpson, H.M. 5 Browning, R. 5 The percentage of winning favorites was about normal, as shown in the subjoined tabulation: Number of races 200 Winning favorites* 70 Winning second choices 39 Winning outsiders 91 Winners at odds-on 6 Defeated at odds-on . 10 Percentage of winning favorites .35 Dead heats 0 for win
