Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-28
little CHANCE Of
RACING AT ST. ASAPH
Track in Bad Shape and
Grandstand Destroyed
by Fire.

W Hell Tie FuInOG spread dTOuHu tp~h
last night that there was to be more
racing at st. Asaph a thousand old pix
ers and touts who haven't had money
enough to get as far as Pimico for the
past five years came out of hiding, rub
bed their eyes and went around asking
what it was all about. On their faces
were varied expressions of happy remi-
niscence AID aroused hope But the
feeble ligt died out of their eyes when
they hea-S that trotting and not run
ming races were to be held and they went
back whence they came and began to
Hgure again on the chances of putting
one over at Jacksonville or Tampa.
follower of the ponies. That's a fine
game to cut loose at St. Asaph. Why
don't they give chicken shows there and
be done with it?''
For this old sport remembered only too
we'll the days when ST. Asaph amounted
to something in the eyes of the Wash
ington sporting world. when they had
regular spring and fall meetings. played
both ends against the middle and finally
Club in 1896 outlawed the track and all
connected with it. But even though
racing was stopped at ST. Asaph the
sports Of Washington still had their
fling there, for Mick" IIdll started pool
room and took bets on races all over the
country for five or six years. Then Gram
dial Mackey, commemorative attorney
for Alexandria county, got busy, invoked
the Virginia anti-betting laws and put
the poolroom out of business. This was
in 1904-'O5. Since then there has been
nothing doing at st. Asaph
But in the old days what went on
across the Potomac was rich. rare and
Some IF tho rhaTaCter4 On
the American turf operated there. Many
a government clerk went broke on the st.
Asaph track, while 1t is not recorded
that any but the owners and a few book
makers got rich-except Steve L'Homme-
dieu. For Steve must always be ex-
copied when any rules regarding racing
are laid down. Any time Steve staid on
the ground any length Of time 1t was
because he was chained there.
This man LHommedieu was one of the
most wonderful bettors this country ever
saw. He was always in one of two con-
ditions-either nat broke or reeking with
money. Usually it was the latter.
Once Steve had a partner at ST. Asaph
named Walter House. Walter is still
training race horses. The last heard Of
Steve he was having trouble with the
racing officials at Latonia. To this day II
you want to get Walter House excited
Sitting in the lobby of the Cadillac Hotel.
in New York, a few weeks ago, House
discussed ST. Asaph with the writer In
his own inimitable lingo:
Did ] ever race at st. Asaph? Good
Lord! OF course. I don't know that you
could call it racing, but I did it all
right. You know Steve L'Hommedieu?
Well Steve was my partner over there
into December-things were going mighty
bad. 1t was a case Of the bookies- against
the owners Of horses. The public? 1t
didn't have a chance.
800 <1~sv1
good. We had three horses-a three-year-
old and two two-year-olds. The three
year-old was a pretty fair sort of horse.
but one day. I come back from Washing
out hard Of chilly afternoon. l said.
| Here's where we quit So me and Steve
sold out our horses and paid our stable
bills. We had $50 between us.
I'VE took forty apiece. and Steve says
to me, What are you goin' to do with
your money, Walter?
I'm. going down and give that Dutch
man some money, SOS I can eat OF
| mornin'.' I says.
"I'm goin to bet with mine Steve
says. "
." Not for me- says.
You see, we owed a board bill to a
Dutchman over there and he was always
followin' me around askin' for his money.
So paid him off and come over to Wash
ington and paid another bill. Long In
the afternoon I went back and got to the
track just as they was goin' to the post
for the last race AS I went into the
bettin' ring I saw Steve go up to book
and lay down a thousand dollars.
when the race was over he cashed III
and come up to me. He had a roll of
just $1,000 on him. l had $40 In my
pocket"
| Reports to the contrary Notwithstanding
| it is highly improbable that the trotting
horse men of Washington will reopen the
| ST. Asaph track. 1t is many years since
the track has been used and it would have
| to be practically rebuilt. Two years ago
the grandstand was burned to the ground.
II any trotting races are to be pulled of
around Washington they would probably
be held on the Benning track, for week s
| work would put that in excellent cond1-
| ton. Moreover. there are a number OF
| Virginians who would Immediately reopen
st. Asaph if they thought there was a
! chance to do anything.
| Perhaps the next Virginia legislature
| will take up the question of racing in the
Old Dominion and try to frame a bill which
will permit the sport to flourish under the
proper restrictions, but until that is done
| St. Asaph and other tracks in the state
will remain closed. But the very thought
F.; of the reopening of st. Asaph is enough
| to start enough "reminiscences to fill a
book.