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On the Wire I By Hugh J. McGuire Statistics Far Ahead of Lincoln Fields Inaugural Meet in Final Week of Sport Italian Officials Views on U. S. Racing WASHINGTON PARK. Homewood, 111., June 11.— The first meeting of the Balmoral Jockey Club swings into its final week with the Monday program and the uuuic ujjciaiiiuii picocma a, aiiia.— ture of statistics which, when carried to the roots, reveal nothing but optimism for the future of the conduct of the sport here under the Lindheimer management. At the time of writing, the plant shows decided advance over tht* figures established last year at Lincoln Fields for mutuels and attendance, but this was a foregone conclusion, and the increase of 37 per cent in mutuels is not considered quite a fair comparison because of the pre-fered location of the Washington Park oval. Against this is placed the abominable weather that has plaqued the operation here this spring. The last year that the Lincoln Fields meeting was held in the spring at Hawthorne was in 1953, and the current meeting here is some 5 per cent off in mutuels below that figure. Here again the comparison is not considered quite fair, for there is a definite difference between operating a~spring meeting at a close-in track such as Hawthorne and at this far suburban course. Again, the current bad weather enters into consideration, but despite this, the local management considers a drop of only 5 per cent to be a very bright indication of what may be expected. In this connection it is stressed that customary Lindheimer thoroughness normally requires from six to nine months advance v work prior to the opening of a meeting to make complete preparations. For Balmoral, only two months were available. The final weeks, program here will be highlighted by the running Wednesday of the 0,000 Domino Handicap at seven furlongs, and Saturday three-year-olds will try for the 0,000 Chicagoan at s. one mile.
