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Widest Mile Track in America Facetious as it may seem, Delawares is the "biggest mile track in the country." It is 100 feet wide at any interval of the oval, and this tends toward minimizing what are politely called, "unavoidable incidents." In fact, Jouett Shouse says that "personally, I would rather race at a Delaware Park than anywhere else. However, I have at the moment only two horses in training, and the conditions elsewhere seemed to /it these horses better than the conditions at Delaware. I have instructed my trainer, Mr. Bond, that if he can find races suitable for either horses at Delaware, he shall van them in. Let me congratulate you on the remarkable success of your meeting, despite the intense competition which you have had to meet, particularly last Saturday. It seemed to me remarkable indeed, with this competition, and with the terrific weatner which one had to endure, that the betting should have held in such splendid fashion at Delaware Park. Also, the racing which I had the pleasure- of witnessing, was extremely keen and enjoyable. To me, Delaware Park stands for the highest grade of sportsmanship that we have in connection with racing, in America." Things are never static at Delaware Park. This summer it offers the "Distaff Big Three" of an esti7 mated 50,000. And Don Ross, president of the course, tells us that he has long range plans for furthering not only the unique value of this "Fillies Triple Crown" but also the physical property of the park. "We will certainly extend and improve our facilities as rapidly as the traffic will bear," he said. "Delaware Park has by no means fulfilled our final hopes for it. We have in mind a number of improvements to be made as soon as it seems prudent to undertake, them.". Ross in is daily attendance at this stakes-spangled meeting. He has no aspirant for any of the "Distaff Big Three," but hopes one day to breed and develop such a filly. Of course, Willie duPont, Jr., who is on the board of directors, has one of the most formidable of the eligibles for the "new" New Castle and the Delaware Handicap in the recent Top. Flight winner, Parlo, voted the champion of the 1954 three-year-olds of her sex. Ross thinks that racing should pay something more than lip service to the importance of filly-and-mare events, and the "Distaff Big Three" is calculated • to at once benefit those who breed horses and serve as a selection of -broodmSres of the future.
