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California — By Oscar Otis Lush Ruidoso Downs Season Under Way Raton Survey Shows Benefit of Racing An Analysis of Gates Mutuel Charts HOLLYWOOD PARK, Inglewood, Calif., June 11.— The lush New Mexico season hit high gear over, the week pnd with the oDeninc of Ruidoso in the hiEh pines of the Apache Indian country and reports of continuing record shattering success to the north at La Mesa Park, Raton. Gen Hensley, executive operational head of Ruidoso, phones to say that the track, which boasts a turf club quite as sporty in every respect as the Turf and Field at Belmont-Park, has further improved its plant with a face-lifting job on club and grandstand, beautifica-tion of the infield with floral beds, and installation of a new metal rail, replacing the old wooden one. As for horses, a stable count on the eve of the inaugural showed more than 700 on hand, including some of the top quarter horses of the nation. Ruidoso proclaims itself as "ideally located" being just 130 miles north of El Paso, convenient to West Texas and Oklahoma through Roswell, "just 70 miles away" and "Albuquerque is only 240 miles north." If this doesnt sound "convenient" to metropolitan readers, we can assure them that it is, for the great bulk of Ruidosos week end racing crowds are drawn from these distances. The Cadillacs and Jaguars roll in from West Texas bumper to bumper for the racing in the pines. Hensley says that last year, Ruidoso showed a higher percentage of growth, as measured by paid attendance and pari-mutuel handle, than any other track in the nation. Insofar as thoroughbreds are concerned, Ruidoso gives preference to two-year-olds, the richest race of the year, to be run Saturday, August 13, being the four-furlong Ruidoso Futurity. This stake carries a purse of ,000, plus 5 per cent of the pari-mutuel total handled by the race itself. Local Business Enjoys Great Increase And speaking of New Mexico, the earliest opening in history, over the Memorial" week end at Raton, brought about some unexpected reactions. An independent survey of business in the city showed a tremendous increase over the year before, when there was no thoroughbred racing, and without exception, all businessmen attributed the sharp uppage to the race track. In some categories, the rise was huge, cafe-bars reporting an increase of 333.33 per cent. Hotels were up 309.35, motels 59.42, service stations 49.36, and grocery stores 14.82. Race track officials promptly declared the survey, which used gross receipts taxes as a fuondation, is further proof of the material and economic value of the track to the northeastern New Mexico trade center. It is seldom that a test of the value of racing to a community can be demonstrated with such exactness and clarity. Phil Cross, the Southern California stock broker . who keeps well informed on matters turf, writes: "I read with quite some interest your comments regarding the -fact that it is your belief that overlaps with -Southern-Calif ornia do not tend to curtail attendance and handle in the northern part of the state. As you know, I am not connected in any way with Northern California racing, and therefore have no axe to grind. Quite some time ago I attempted to ascertain whether the overlaps were a disadvantage to Northern California and in the course of my investigations I did some research, comparing handles without overlaps and with overlaps of Golden Gate Fields and Hollywood Park in effect. I enclose a self-explanatory chart. I give ypu this only as a matter of information as I know you are desirous of obtaining pertinent facts regarding any controversial subject upon which you may write." Cross Otters Figures loward Argument We most certainly do endeavor to take a fair attitude on any subject whatsoever. The charts enclosed by Cross show that for three years, without overlap, comparisons at Golden Gate were: 1952, last week play over second week, increase 65.13 per cent; 1953, last week increase over second week, 15.02 per cent; 1954, last week increase over second week, 3.55 per cent, andin 1954 it said the second week contained a holiday or the percentage increase would have been larger. This year, 1955," with overlaps, the percentage of increase was a mere .037. We have no quarrel with the validity of these figures, but we do interpret them differently. The trend toward a decrease in percentage of uppage over the two weeks elected as being the best for comparative purposes, was established long before there was an overlap, and we find no sound reason advanced to explain this downward, or perhaps to put it moi-e accurately, leveling off trend. Therefore, until other evidence is brought forward, we cannot agree that the comparative charts as submitted by Cross are in any way conclusive. Indeed, it could just as easily.be assumed that causes quite apart from Southern California were responsible, many of which appear quite reasonable. In any event, overlapping suggestions will be quite in the news during the next few months, especially when the California Horse Racing Board meets in either late August or early September, to allot dates for 1956. The board of directors of the HBPA recently formally discussed overlaps at length and the board decided that it would take positive action within its membership to assure northern tracks of worth-while horses in case of future overlapping.,
