view raw text
m, 1 yHvvJH • ■ • — i ; - ■ • River Downs - By W. A. Cruse Meet Off to Good Start Under New Owners Cincinnati Business Leaders Attend Races Copa-Tip Returns 62.40 Mutuel on Holiday RIVER DOWNS, California, Ohio, May 31.— River Downs, under the direction of president and general manager Leon A. Slavin and brother William as secretary-treasurer opened last Friday . , and and from from all all indicatons indicatons the the cur- m, 1 and and from from all all indicatons indicatons the the cur- current 44-day meeting will be the most successful staged at this lovely plant. On opening day, a Friday, 3,670 fans pushed 98,-093 through the little iron •merchants. Last years opening was not quite as good with but 96,-325 being bet. Ironically, there were fewer fans in attendance this this year year with with the the turnstile turnstile count count this this year year with with the the turnstile turnstile count count yHvvJH ■ 3,670, against 4,011 of last year. This would appear to be a true indication that the caliber of the sport has a great deal to do with the amount wagered and racing secretary Lawrence Bogen-schutz and his assistant, John Daniels, have gone all out to present the best cards possible. . . . Though the early days of the meeting were extremely hectic with two nine-race programs in order because of the Memorial Day holiday/the cards were representative of what is to come in the line of thoroughbred racing? Clubhouse Scene of Several Parties The clubhouse has been the setting for many gatherings according to maitre de hotel Jack Berry. Recent guests included Barry Baird, retired president of the Standard Publishing Company; Mr. and Mrs. Barney Houston, he is Cicinnati fire chief; Martin Dum-bler, .the well-known commercial artist, and Mrs. Dum-bler; Mr. and /Mrs. L. W. Kyte, he is the vice-president of the Western Life Insurance Company; the retired vice-president of the Cincinnati Gas and Electric Company, Walter Keagy; Jack Druffel, the son of Judge Druffel and a prominent attorney, who was accompanied by his wife. ... An event to be held on June 25 at the clubhouse is the debutante party of Miss Nellie Taft, the daughter of Hulbert A. Taft, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Groverman Blake and Mr. and Mrs. William Kittredge are giving the party, which will feature lunch and the races. A modern record was set for a winning mutuel here on the Memorial Day card. In the ninth race, Mrs. W. Russell and L. Brights Copa-Tip.Nrtio went off at 70-to-1 on the board, returned a 62.40 mutuel. Jockey Joseph DAugustino piloted the six-year-old Jacopo mare. The Russells are from Covington, Ky., just across the river, as»?c were, from Cincinnati, and were the recipients of many congratulations. . . . Charlie Hopple, a veteran jockeys agent, will handle the riding engagements of jockey R. Reeves. The latter hails from Columbus, Ohio, and rode quite successfully at Beulah Park. That meeting closed on Memorial Day, May 30, and is located at Grove City, just a few miles outside of his native habitat. Jockey George P. Ryan was forced ta cancel his mounts in the last few races on Mondays card, because of a leg injury sustained when a lead pony kicked him in the paddock. He will resume riding late this week, as it was just a bruise according to the track physician, Dr. Robert Hill. . . . R. J. "Beanie" Wymer arrived this morning. "Beanie" is one of the veteran officials on the Ohio racing scene and will take up his duties in a few days. . . . John Carmody, an inspector for the Ohio State Racing Commission, is a regular visitor to the press box. Total of 53 Riders in Action According to jockey room custodian, Harry Moeller, there are 53 riders on hand to ply their trade throughout the remaining days of this meeting. As a result, there is also one of the largest contingents of valets ever to . work in these jockeys quarters. Several of them, L. Wincher, Orinne Hampton, C. Jaegers, R. Powell, N. Henderson, G. Davis and F. Herman are real veterans of the occupation with as many as 20 years in that service. Hamptpn, hower, trained horses last fall, winter and earlier this spring, and last season, here at River Downs, worked on the buttons which flashes the numbers indicating the running position of the horses. The fellow is really versatile. . . . Another former horseman is in the jockeys quarters in charge of colors. Joe Cagney, who campaigned a sizable pub-Mic stable through West Virginia and Maryland, is the "color man." A big hit with the men who do the actual work in caring for the thoroughbreds in the stabling area is the installation of the hot-water heaters. Each of the heaters has a 30-gallon capacity and there is one each to 34 barns. Bottled gas is used to supply the flame which heats the water instantly. . . . Jockey J. c. Fernandez, who wound up the leading rider at the recently concluded Beulah Park meeting, checked in this morning and will ply his trade throughout this session. A local favorite, Fernandez also was among-the leading riders at the River Downs meeting last summer. Twenty winners made him the leading rider at Beulah, just a few in front of Eldon Coffman. . . . J. D. Cook, Sr., the inventor and owner of the Cook camera, arrived from Columbus this morning. J. D„ Jr., has been operating the device the early part of this meeting and will continue his duties while here, but as assistant to his dad. . . . Racing secretary Larry Bpgen.-schutz will have the second edition of the condition book ready for distribution late this week.
