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New England Notebook : By JOE HIRSCH Lou Smith Pioneer in N.E. Racing Sees Successful Rockingham Meet Offer Doubleheader Card July 5 ROCKINGHAM PARK, Salem, N. H., June 3. "The smith, a mighty man is he," wrote Longfellowsome time ago and, while raced at this charming New Hampshire oval, he might have had its vice-president and general in mind when he penned he lines. For it was Lou Smith perhaps more than any other man who pioneered in New England racing back in the days when a handle of money and the purses were figured in the hundreds and not the thousands. Smith has seen and stood his ground against war and hurricane, fire and flood and other untoward incidents tha,t would send the Lloyds of London people into hurried conference. So that when Rockingham, beginning its twenty-second year of operation, got off to a slow start on Memorial Day with, a handle of 02,353 and followed up with the usual post-holiday slump on Tuesday, there was no panic or bowed heads in ; this rural setting. Lou Smith knows that the good and the bad, like street cars, fol low closely, one behind the. other. "We had competition from Suffolk Downs and the Red Sox on Monday," said Smith yesterday, "and that tended to restrict our gate mostly to local people. Economic conditions in this area are tight right now with the woolen mills closed. We drew 15,249 for the holiday, and normally thats enough to bet a million or more. But well make it up and were looking forward to a successful meeting." Smith admitted that he personally would miss the fall meeting that had been a custom of Rockingham Park for many years. The crisp weather and the turning leaves make September and October the most stimulating and enjoyable of all months in these parts. But the dates for the four New England courses are arrived at in joint council of track officials, and it must be presumed that Smith got approximately what he was after with his present schedule of 5.4 days., running through June and July. "Well have a few special events spaced through the meeting to add a little spice," continued Smith. "I am thinking of the 0,000 added Bunker Hill race on June 17 which will include the best horses of all ages in New England. Then, of course, theres our annual doubleheader, a complete program of morning and afternoon racing thats an annual custom here at the Rock. Weve usually held it on Columbus Day but this year were setting it for July 5. The six morning races start at 10:15 and we get a large crowd out early in the morning. Its a family day actually. Whole groups attend and often bring picnic lunches to eat out on the lawns. Then there are tents set up to dispense food and everyone seems to enjoy a real holiday. "We have eight races in the afternoon for a full day of sport." One of the several problems facing Smith is the move in New Hampshire legislative circles to . increase the states take of the mutuel handle from 5 to 6 per cent. Smith points out that the program at Rockingham is geared to bargain racing and that everything possible is done to minimize the cost to the spectator and encourage his patronage at a plant that is, after all, somewhat isolated from the main population area of greater Boston. There is free parking here, programs are reasonably rated at ten cents, and other prices generally run along these lines. Smith said that if the state holds the line, he will build a new clubhouse next year for the comfort of his patrons, at the same time maintaining the easy informality and pleasant friendliness of the sport here. He also, incidentally, promised a new press box on the roof to replace the primitive setup in mid-grandstand that is currently in use. Around the Track: Deflations 1:10 for six furlongs was only a second off the track record and one of the faster performances of the young meeting . . . Thunder jet threw an exercise boy yesterday morning, the lad suffering a broken left ankle in the fall. Hell be out of action for several weeks ... Luciano Galletta, a 21-year-old Brooklyn, N. Y boy, is getting a saddle trial from Hollie Shepp ... J. and P. Tennti are planning to run Fran Jr. and Pipe of Peace as an entry in Saturdays featured White Q Mountain Handicap.
