New England: Suffolk Free Day Big Success over Million Wagered on Card Car Award Attracts Tourists, Daily Racing Form, 1955-06-02

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New England 1 By Fred Galianr Suffolk Free Day Big Success Over Million Wagered on Card Car Award Attracts Tourists SUFFOLK DOWNS, East Boston, Mass., June 1. — Letting all the patrons in for free the day after Memorial Day certainly proved to be a successful move on the part of the Suffolk management, although such practice would be un-doubted 1 y frowned upon in certain racing sections throughout the country. We are not going to get involved in any discussions as to whether such action, and the raffling off of a car, puts the sport in the class of dish night at the movies. Suffice "to say, the track handled over a million dollars on a day on which they figured to have been lucky to hit 00,000. The total handle for the three days, Saturday, Memorial Day and Tuesday, was over four million dollars and set a new three-day high for New England racing. Whether such concerted drives at large crowds will have an effect on the remaining days of the week, will be easily and soon found out. j The majority of the "Annie Oakley" crowd were sightseers and women. According: to mutuel manager Earl Gibson, the play in the place and show windows were both 10 per cent higher than action at the win wickets; a sure sign that women and "tourist" bettors were in force. And it was quite obvious that the chance on the car lured a good portion of the crowd. After the drawing was held, immediately following the seventh race, the stands thinned out rapidly as the bargain hunters rushed homeward without undue delay. Yet enough of the regulars stayed around for the last two races and wagered to send the handle for the afternoon over the million -dollar jnark. "Free days" are not new in New England and after Tuesdays success, it looks like it may become something of * practice. •£ T The Jack Benny complex about age, iwhicTi effect some race trackers, leads to some weird results. George Schreiner,* valet and pony boy in New England, has now cut himself down so much in the years department, it figures out that he must have been six years old when he was winning .those stakes at Saratoga in the late 1920s. At that rate he must have been galloping horses at the age of two. I say, George . . . Jack Carrara, who recently underwent an operation for hernia and varicose veins in Northeast Baptist Hospital, Boston, expects to be released shortly and be on hand to saddle Charfran Stables Cascanuez in the Macomber Memorial on- Saturday. Carrara is coming along fine following surgery Bobby Ussery, Cascanuez regular pilot, is slated to do the riding, having just completed his 10-day suspension at the beginning of the week. Ussery was thrown from Major Event in* the seventh race Tuesday, but came right back to ride in the nightcap. The fall had its effect this morning and he canceled his mounts . . . John Helfrich, of Wichita, Kas., is here for the week, observing the horses he has here in the care of Jerry Wolf in action . . . Allen Rose rapped his ankle for the second straight day on Heros Queen in the second race. He took himself off the rest of his mounts and will lay off riding for a few days to give the member some rest. The vagaries of East Boston weather were amply demonstrated. In the morning the sun was shinning, but by post time for the first race fog had rolled in so thickly the "tote" board was just about visible. The sun came out again for a time, but in the sith race the mists again "enveloped the course. The next .two races could be seen, and for the ninth a torrential downpour hit the track that had all the aspects of a tropical squall, sudden, .short and strong. You cant say theres no variety up here. . . . Bill Hinphy, who has the letter "R" painted on his stable door boards and on his helps uniforms, because he found it ■was easier to outline an "R" than an "H," even causes confusion in the stable area. Newcomers ship in, see the big "R" and think its the receiving barn. Johnny Rivera, unable to secure enough mounts, packed his tack and left for what he hopes will be greener pastures. Hes uncertain as to his exact destination, but more than likely it will be New York or New Jersey. Rivera was recently discharged from the Army and resumed his riding career with the start of this meeting. . . .Bunny Almywingst out of here after the final race on Saturday for Cleve- land,vwhere he will continue his duties as steward at the ThistleDown and Randall Park meets. . . . Darrell Madden has been engaged to handle Irving Gushens Dudley Darbury in the Macomber Memorial, wrap-up feature of the Suffolk spring stand. . . . Hidden TBhip, Starr Ranchs winner of the Margate Handicap and Adirondack Stakes last year, checked into Narragansett this morning, according to word from the Rhode Island plant. Hidden Ship spearheaded the six -horse consignment of trainer J. L. Clarke and joined the 13 head already on the scene. Junior Bresnahan sent out a first-time starter in the two - year - old filly Minds Eye, a daughter of Chalador— Ginger, and its in the dam the story lies. Both Ginger and Minds Eye are owned by T. E. Gilman of Ashland, Va., and Gilman rode the former around the hunts meets In that area for years, and she didnt break her maiden on the flat until she was eight years old in a race a,t Charles Town. According to Bresnahan, you can say Minds Eye set a track record before she was born. Ginger established a standard at the West Virginia course and just a month later foaled Minds Eye. The youngster apparently may not be asteiTatorV* ifc- lacirig; as "Ker3ddrh for she finished third in her first race.


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Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800