Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-08-21
CURLEY BROWN SELLS
LAUREL RACE TRACK
James Butler of New York Re-
ported as Purchaser at
Large Price.

BALTIMORE, Nd. August 21.-After
losing out in his battle to obtain an
injunction against the New York Jockey
Club for refusing to grant him license
to hold meeting at Laurel, Md, II. D..
Curley) Brown, proprietor of the Mary
land State Fair and Racing Association,
has disposed of his plant, according to
advices from New York last night Per-
sons closely identified with the Jockey
Club acquired the controlling stock, and
plans are under way to conduct a fall
meeting at the southern Maryland
course.
James Butler. the prominent New
York sportsman, is said to represent the
purchasers, but there is a strong i'm
preston prevailing in Gotham racing
circles that he is probably the principal
purchaser. Butler formerly owned the
Empire City track, at Yonkers, n. y,
world when the sport thrived in New
York. When the lid was clamped down
on the tracks of the Empire state he
passed out of the limelight. but since
racing has been. revived there he has
bobbed up again.
The sale of the Laurel track follows
closely the dismissal of a petition for an
injunction made by Brown in the United
States district court Of New York against
the jockey club after the organization
which controls racing refused to license
any meet held at Laurel. Brown was
placed on the black list by the jockey
club for failing to give up the 1 per cent
of the winnings Of the horsemen claimed
by the stewards. When the organization
outlawed his track Brown instituted Il
strenuous fight against IT. action. He al
legged that the Jockey Club was race
track trust. The organization, through
It's counsel. however, showed that the re-
fusal of the license had not been to dis
criminate against the Maryland State
Fair and Racing Association.
Though the report Of the, sale is not
authentic. there is a strong belief among
local turf followers that Brown has dis
posed of his holdings at Laurel. 1t is
thought that he realized the impossibility
of combating the Jockey Clubs action
after having lost out in court and de-
cided to sell the plant. on which he spent
a small fortune. At first Brown planned
to conduct meet without the sanction
of the Jockey Club. but it is said he
realized that few turfn1en would start
their charges at Laurel knowing that
they would be outlawed for doing So
Against the Maryland State Fair and
Racing Association was also placed by
the Jockey Club charge of holding up
portion Of a 5000 stake won by II. c.
Hallenbach's Adams Express on the final
day Of the first meeting at Laurel in 1911
The plant at Laurel, which is q modern
expense. and it is thought that he got
a good sum for 1t.
Just what effect the invasion of James
Butler and his associates will have upon
the racing situation of this state. if it be
true that a New York delegation is to
take over the Prince Georges county
track, was the theme of much gossip
0Yn tt,r <,c III. .;t,
last night. With New York money in
terests entering into the local racing FIRM
ament, it was argued that the New York
ers were quickly drawing conclusions that
the revival Of the sport in Gotham made
its comeback In anything but a flourish
ing manner, and are looking for an exit
by which they may be able to escape
further money losses which they have
lately encountered by trying to boost the
thoroughbred pastime In the Empire state.
It Is a known fact that the Belmont
Park meeting lately closed was operated
under heavy losses. and the meeting now
In vogue at Saratoga is meeting with
little, il any, better success. Belmont
Park offered the owners of the thorough
breds elaborate purses. and Saratoga is
exceeding the offerings of the Long Is
land course. The present meeting at
Saratoga is sure to terminate with the
loss side Of the ledger far overbalancing
the gain division. With these two meet
ings taken into consideration there is no
doubt a great amount of logic attached
to the fact that the racing promoters of
New York are trying to grab u life line
and once more land themselves safely
out of the sea OF distress.
Laurel, under the management of
Brown. was operated on vast paying
scale. He offered big purses to the horse
men and In accordance the horsemen Of
fered the best of sport to the public.