Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-13
RACE TRACK TO REMAIN
PIMLICo BOUGHT By MARYLAND
JOCKEY CLUB.
Numerous improvements to Be Made
at the Historic Old Course in
the Near Future.

Tug NSdT
The famous old Pimlico race track. near
Baltimore. will be preserved as a course
much to the satisfaction and joy Of hum
dreds Of local lovers of the turf The prop
erty was sold at public auction yesterday
to the Maryland Jockey Club for $4,000
and it is the purpose Of the club to con-
tinue it as race course and to improve 1t
extensively.
The sale of the historic old race track
began at IL o'clock yesterday morning and
lasted two and half hours.
That future which will vie with the
past in glorious records Is before the old
race track seems evident from the elab-
crate plans for the improvement of the
course which were decided upon by the
Maryland Jockey Club in the event Of its
securing the property.
Fine Club House Planned.
The improvements proposed by the club
and which will soon be begun include the
erection of fine club house at the PIN
lico avenue end of the property. With the
present quarters of the Pimlico Country
Club this will give two fine club houses
on the property. The present grandstand
will be RACED and a fine and larger one
and the Pimlico Country Club house.
H. A larger paddock will be built on the
site Of the present grandstand. while the
betting ring, which is now located under
meath the grandstand. will be located on
the site Of the present paddock. New sta
bles and kitchens will be erected, new
fence built around the property and an
elaborate system Of lawns and flower beds
laid off.
A new and up-to-date Columbian course
will be laid off which will compare well
,,v,fr
new steeplechase and seven-eiShths rur-
long dash will be built.
Not the least Of the proposed improve
ments will be the laying of a switch from
the main track of the Western Maryland
railroad, which will give the race track what
it has needed-ample railroad facilities.
1t is true that the track will be unable to
get the higher class of horses that will go
to the eastern tracks, but of those at Ben
ming a large number will undoubtedly go to
Pimlico. One fault at the latter place mas
been the lack of accommodations for book
makers and the betting public, but 1t Is SAID
that this will be remedied.
A Famous Race.
Pimlico track Is associated with all that
has been good in the racing of thorough
breds in the past, and under the able man
agement of its new owners bids fair to keep
up that reputation.
MANY famous horses have lined up at
the starters stand and romped around the
course to the cheers Of thousands of en-
thusiasts who filed the grandstand, lawn
and infield.
The greatest race that was ever run over
the course, and one that will live in the
history of horseracing, was the three-horSe
event in the fall of 1877 between Parole, Ten
Brock and Tom Ochfltree, when the first,
ridden by Barrett and owned by Pierre Lo-
rillard, won after struggle at two and a
half miles in 4:31A. This was probably
the only occasion when Congress adjourn
ed to attend a horserace. and, as 1t was in
the nature of a match between the east,
represented by the little brown bennington
gelding and the sturdy Tom Ochiltree Of the
stable Of George Lorillard. the west relying
on John Harper's pet, Ten Brock, to carry
victory over the mountains. the rivalry be-
tween the sections was intense.
The grandstand was packed from end
to end; the betting room was seething,
struggling mass of speculative humanity
and the multitude was such that 1t
thronged the lawns and overlooked into the
infield and occupied every coign of vantage.
It was indeed a noteworthy occasion. and
will live long in the memory of those who
were fortunate enough to have seen 1t.
Had not Tom Ochiltree and Ten Brock
raced each others heads OF in the first
mile 1t is more than likely that the latter
would have won. but, as It was, the tao.
tics pursued exactly suited the bearer OF
the cherry, black hoops on sleeves, black
cap and gold tassel and. coming along in
the last quarter, he overlook the ieg-weary
champions and beat tnen1, Win something
to spare, Ten Brock second.
Ovation to Barrett.
To say that the crowd went wild over
the result, while not few went broke.
is to put 1t mildly: and Barrett was ten
dered an ovation that he remembered to
his dying day. Never In the history of
racecourse has such enthusiasm been
shown the successful jockey being carried
hv biS dypir the iIrduaS' Sta nd m
a conspicuous place on the fence in front
of the grandstand, while his black satin
cap was filled in a twinkling with green
backs and silver of all denominations.
Base Ball Notes.
All will be forgiven If the weather man
sends a nice. bright day for tomorrow.