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Memorial Day Continues Turfs Best 356,285 Pay Visit . To 14 Major Tracks Wager 0710,231 Total; Both Figures Off 1956; Hollywood, Belmont Lead By Staff Correspondent Memorial Day continues to be racings biggest day of the year. A canvass of 14 major tracks in bperation Thursday reveals " that a total of 356,285 fans turned out for the holiday sport and sent the staggering total of 0,710,231 through the pari-mu-tuel machines. These figures, however, reflect a decline from the totals registered on Memorial Day, 1956, when 370,320 fans wagered 1,066,359 at 13 race courses. Three tracks which were not open on the holiday last year were in operation this Memorial Day, while two tracks which were open May 30, 1956, were "darfc" Thursday. Much of the overall decline of the 1957 totals from last seasons can be attributed to the fact that Pim-lico, which last Memorial Day recorded an. attendance of 18,729 and a mutuel handle of ,177,016, did not operate on the holiday this year. Fairmount Park in Illinois also was closed this Memorial Day, Three Tracks That Ran Only in 57 The three tracks that did operate this year after being closed for the 1956 holiday are Audubon Park in Kentucky, Beu-lah Park in Ohio and Cahokia Downs in Illinois. Audubon Park is conducting its inaugural meeting this year and drew an estimated 5,000 patrons who wagered 18,230 on the holiday. The biggest crowd of the day turned out at Hollywood Park, in California, where 64,789 patrons passed through the turnstiles, compared to 67,648 last year. The mutuel handle at the . Inglewood course topped last Memorial Days, however, as ,756,106 was wagered, as against ,646,651 in 1956. Belmont Park had the largest mutuel turnover in the country with ,770,468 wagered by 50,455 fans. Last year, 51,389 patrons bet ,837,427 at Belmont. Ak-Sar-Ben, at Omaha, Nebr., enjoyed the best day in its history, as a crowd of 19,590 wagered 01,047. In 1956 the track - drew 17,991 fans who bet 62,924 on Memorial Day. Memorial Day Statistics, 1956-1957: Attendance Mutuel Handle Track 1957 195G 1957 1956 tAk-Sar-Ben 19,590 17,991 $ 801,047 $ 662,924 Audubon Park 5,000 118,230 Balmoral 31,837 35,841 2,062,062 2,109,874 Belmont Park - 50,455 - 51,389 3,770,468 3,837,427 Beulah Park 8,663 390,457 Cahokia Downs 8,700 357,189 Delaware Park 28,705 26,140 1,514,127 1,210,997 JFairmount Park 9,378 ........ 353,661 Garden State Park 42,217 45,691 3,191,016 3,413,739 Hazel Park 22,925 20,913 1,197,505 1,073,178 Hollywood Park 64,789 67,648 3,756,106 3,646,651 rfPimlico 18,729 1,177,016 River Downs 11,102 13,768 510,283 633,947 Suffolk Downs 34,282 35,463 1,710,208 1,751,659 ThistleDown 15,798 14,544 800,927 710,226 Waterford Tark 12,222, 12,825. 530,606 485,060 Totals 356,285 370,320 0,710,231 1,066,359 14 trades 13 tracks 14 tracks 13 tracks Did not operate Memorial Day, 1956; not operate Memorial Day, 1957; tEstimated.
