The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-03-24
BENNING PRESENTS
An ANIMATED Scene
Horses Arriving by the Car
load This Morning.
ALL READY FOR THE OPENING
Nearly All the Prominent HOrsemen and
Jockeys in the Country Are Already on
the Ground-Puce of Admission Raised
to One Dollar and a Half.

There was an animated scene at Ben
ming this morning.
Horses were arriving by the carload,
and trainers were busy putting the finish
ing touches on their charges, who viii
engage IN a struggle for supremacy to-
m0rrow-the opening day.
About all the prominent hosemen and
jockeys in the country are already on
the ground. and with as fine weather as
now prevails, the meeting in point Of at
tendance will probably be a record
breaker.
Everything down to the minutest detail
is in readiness. The grounds and sur
roundings are looking very pretty, the
track is in splendid condition. and trans
pOrtation 10 and from the track is very
good
There viii be six races daily. the first
race starting promptly at O'Clock.
The action Of the Washington Jockey
Club in raising the price Of admission to
$50 and creating a 50-cent field is wide
ly commented on, and has in no small
measure disturbed the members Of the
Metropolitan Turf Association
There are many arguments for and
against the 50-cent field. but it is only
in the nature OF an experiment. II It fails
to accomplish the object for which IL was
intended. it viii be abolished.
The prime object desired is to relieve
the congestion in the betting ring. and
make il possible for hea.y investors %
DIapa fhafr r,opor- v-F.bo,.s e. 1Fezo--4+--
hitherto experienced when the ring is
crowded Nobody will galnsay that ;h-
small p.ser7 has an equal right with Z
Plunger, but it is also a fact that it is
the small players who crowd around the
bookmakers. and stand there watching the
fluctuations in prices, as il they we're
rooted.
They refuse 10 move. making It almost
impossible for other Investors tOget 20
Ihc books II they would put down their
money and go, all would be well but this
IS exactly what they will not do
II the 50-cent field viii do away with
this. IL viii be something very much 70
be desired. while az the same time Il
gives the small investor a chance 20 run
a 'shoestring into a bank roll" and con
slider himself genuine sport II is here
where he belongs. and from this stand
point it is a good thing.
Tee objection made BY the members
~ ,he Metropolitan Turf Association is
that the taking away Of the dollar and
twO-Gollar plays from them takes away
the easy, or soft, money and they
are left with nothing to handle but
the hard, OF wise money. Without the
"piker," or sOft-mOney play. they claim.
il is impossible 10 round out a book. and
this is just what particularly distu1bs
them.
The Washington Jockey Club. in raising
the price OF admission, is not aiming to
increase its revenue, but in the hope that
il viii add TO the comfort Of Its patroiss
and place where they belong a certai.
class Of spectators who, while they have
equal rights. are better by themselves.
The experiment has been tried az other
tracks with great success. ard there is
really no reason why il should not be
successful here. Should il fail il will be
no discredit to the Jockey Club, which is
sincere in its desire to please its patrOn5
and those whose every wish is to serve
them Il is not what satisfies the Metro
politan Turf Association. but what please
the Benning patrons. who. after all. are
the real supporters Of the track.