Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-08-14
FEAR SERIOUS TURF
WAR IN MARYLAND
PimIico to Have Competition
in Prince George County.
Peace Wanted.

BALTIMORE, Md, August 13-Unless a
truce is patched up Maryland may be the
scene of a bitter turf war between Pimico
and a new race track now under con-
struction in Prince George county to be
called New Marlboro Park. The promot-
ers of this new venture have organized
under the name of the Southern Mary
land Racing Association. with Arthur n.
Elrod, general manager, and with the
sanction of the Southern Jockey Club a
twenty-day meeting will be inaugurated
September % New Marlboro Park is
forty minutes from Baltimore. 1t is d
mile in circumference, with up-to-date
appointments and conveniences.
In breaking into the state Of Maryland,
where bookmaking is legal and racing at
a single track is limited to forty days a
year, the New Marlboro promoters have
not consulted Pimlico. Neither have they
shown desire TO receive a sanction
from the Jockey Club of New York, which
has always controlled the Pimlico meet
ing But the promoters have turned to
the Southern Jockey Club for an o. X,
and have shown much independence in
applying for a state license, which will be
forthcoming. The Southern Jockey Club.
so-called, was formed last winter and is
composed OF the Jacksonville and Tampa
tracks. 1t is inferred therefore that some
of the men who promoted winter racing
in Florida are interested in the Mary
land venture, which will not receive the
official approval of the Jockey Club. That
means the proposed meeting at New
Marlboro Park will be an outlaw affair.
and will cause much friction with the
Pimlico managers. who realize that their
| yppnnpply racing MARYLAND Is ahOut
to be challenged.
Last year reformers tried to have anti
race track legislation passed in this state
but the project was defeated because it
was shown that there were only thirty
DAYS OF racing at Pimico each year. But
with the springinS up of this new track.
built and controlled by professionals. will
come serious trouble. it is predicted. Open
bookmaking has been prohibited in every
state in the Union except Maryland,
where the old form of race track gam
bling has gone on unmolested. PlmlicO
will have the usual meeting this fall w.>A
the Jockey Clubs approval. but the dates
have not been decided upon. If the
Jockey Club froWns upon New Marlboro
il remains to be seen what action horse
men will take. Pimlico will surely ask
the Jockey Club to declare the new track
an outlaw. although there was a time
not long ago that PimlicO was inclined
to regard the Jockey Clubs authority as
obsolete.
Meanwhile it is said that jamestown,
Va. will hold fall meeting. but the pro-
moters may fall in line with the South
ern Jockey Club this time as a matter of
policy. for the meeting will depend upon
horsemen who viii race in Florida dur
ing the winter Jacksonville will open
November L. ierhaps earlier il is
said because of Ia. expected curtailment
Of the eastern racing season, while
JuareZ Mexico, will open its gates about
the same time for hundred days. All
OF which means that there will be plenty
OF racing for horsemen, after the New
York tracks vivid up the present season.