The Washington herald., 1911-10-03
AuspiciouS Opening
For Laurel'S Track
Lawton Wiggins Captures Inaugural Handicap.
Big CROWD on Hand-Six Well
balanced EpentS
snocial to The Washington Herald.

Laurel Md, Oct with the Inaugural
Handicap, a mile race for three-year-olds
and up, this afternoon! the Maryland
State Fair Associations new track open
ed with a large crowd in attendance.
The meeting marks the renewal of racing
in the vicinity of Washington with the
exception of Marlboro since the closing
of Benning track.
The card was made up of six events,
all we'll balanced. The feature event,
the Inaugural Handicap. which sent fif-
teen starters TO the flag. and which re-
suited in an easy win for John Butt
shells Lawton Wiggins which was play
ed down from to l to to l. He won
as he pleased going away.
The track. while heavy, was not in as
bad condition as was expected after the
continuous rain for the past twenty-four
hours.
The work on the new track is being
rushed to completion, and the manage
ment is in hopes that it will be COM
pleted within the next two weeks. The
buildings and stands are of the latest
models. and will accommodate 5000 peO-
pie in the inclosed parts Of the stands
The public Jared well, three favorites
winning. while several good things" were
put over. Lord Wells, opening at to
and closing at 9 to l, was the medium of
a plunge just as the horses were going
to the post. on in front. Lord Welles
showed his heels TO the balance of the
field and went away. winning easily.
The facilities of transportation to the
track are all that can be wished. The
railroad trains stopped Immediately al
the gate entrance. The railroad company
having provided ample means of trans
portation, no pushing or crowding was
necessary.
Baltimore sent a contingent of $500 to
welcome the opening of the new associa-
tion. while Washington sent about the
same number.
Many of the most prominent horsemen
in the country were on hand, and all
agreed that the track when completed
will be the most popular in the East.
Management Is Pleased.
Considering the inclemency of the
weather. the management of the associa-
ton is more than pleased with to-day's
showing.
The work has been rushed with such
energy that many were OF the opinion
two weeks ago that it would be impos-
siblc for the new track to throw open its
doors to-day.
During the running Of the Inaugural
Handicap, FL ORC, while passing down the
back stretch. fell and threw her jockey.
The hoy escaped with a slight shake-up.
There is a graded space between the
front Of the grand stand and the outside
fence of the track, about fifty feet in
width being graded down from the floor
of the stand to the track. At the east
end Of tho stand is the row of offices.
Rcvond that again is the saddl!nG pad
dock and the patrol and paddock judges
Offices The paddock has eighteen rOomy
stalls in il. where the horses may be
seen by the public without interfering
with the trainers and owners while sad
ding. Bcy ond the paddock is a road to
the rows Of stables, where more than
GTo horses can be housed. The stables
are about half mile from the paddock.
Public Well Cared For.
At the west end of the stands there are
a number Of clubrooms for the club
members. Under these are smaller din
ing-roOms. There is a larger room for
the accommodation of the general public.
From the back of the stand, where the
main entrance to the track has been
erected, there is an overhead bridge, to
be used by the public who come out by
rail This reaches from the entrance |
to the grand stand. and does away with |
persons having to cross the road in front |
Of vehicles. Automobiles and other We
hiCles will come through a gate at the |
west end of the grounds and under the !
bridge to the gate.
Every facility for handling a large |
crowd has been arranged. There will be |
enough ticket offices to look after all |
and prevent crowding on the arrival Of |
the trains.
The stretch is ninety feet wide. while |
the back stretch is eighty, and it is !
ninety-five on the turns. This eliminates |
all danger of crowding in turning into !
the stretch run for the wire.
From the timers stand there is a long |
pratfOrm reaching out to the edge Of the |
track, so that the presiding steward |
may watch the boys as they come down |
the stretch Following are the sum- |
maries
FIRST RACE-Pursc 500: five and une-hsn fur
'ongs. Royal ONYX. los lByrne TO s. won; Brighton
lack, lO3 tGOrdOn to !, second Belle Mawr. l05 |
CSchwitacrD, out third. Time. lis IS. Only three
starters
SECOND RACE-sin furIongs Lord Wells. IO5
Peak. to l. Double Five. lO4 Gordon. |
to !. second: Husky Lad, % Nolsnl. ? to J. !
third. Time. - l-5 Ben LOmond. Top Rock !
Snirk Day Relle Cloud, and Fort Worth also ran :
THIRD RACE-Purse 500 for two-yearolds; hTe |
and OnN-half furongs MOss2nt. ll9 CDuganl to ), |
won; Emi. lOs (Byrnc). to 5 second: Mad River. |
IO6 Peak. 2 to l. third Time. l Is 25. Molly |
Krarney. Fireball. and Eos also ran.
fOIRIh hAIE-lnauguIal hAnuiCap' Ion Lnree~ |
year-olds and up; $500: mile LAWton Wig |
gins lO6 tDuGanl. to l. won; Lahore, l03 (Byrne)
IN s second; Kormack 81 DigginSl. to l, third |
Time. 80 IS. II Orc, Rsgman, and Star Char
ter also ran.
FIFTH RACE-Purse $500; for three-year-olds and /
up; mile and seventy yards Helene, l0l iNolAnl. 1
4 To l. wor: Ideweiss. lO4 Peak. to !, second; |
Joe Rose. lo4 (Hopkinsl. to /, third. Time |
IS Is Gay Deceirer. Ten PAGES, Chief Bartlett, |
Joe Gatens. and Hberuica also ran.
SIXTH RACE-Purse, 500; for ce-year-ods |
and up: one and one-slxteenth miles. TroyweiEht |
l0 (Byrnel, { TO /. won; Michael Angelo, lol |
81. s to s. second; Ducare, lis (schuttingeT). |
out third. Time, 2ol Joe Kenyon and L. Grania !
alSa
HARVARD RUNNERS REPORT.
Alfred Schrubb Takes Charge of