The Washington herald., 1914-10-18
d. annReE .. MoRRIs.

public as TO the popularity Of the pari-
metuul system OF wagering the SAME
was dispelled today when the largest
ana most representative body Of lovers
Of the thoroughbred horse turned out
at Laurel Park and Witnessed the run
ming OF an excellent card.
The crowd was the largest that has
ever been in the inside OF the park since
Il was built and among them society
folk from New York, Baltimore, wash
ington and other. nearby cities were in
attendance Every available inch Of space
in the new clubhouse was occupied and
not a seat was to be had. Long before
the bugle sounded for the opening event
seats in the clubhouse were at prem
iun1.
/ The track was IN good shape consid-
eriEg the heavy down pour Of rain Of Fri
day morning and good time was record
ed. Toward the last race the track had
dried out and, IL no rain comes over
I Sunday, the course win be in excellent
shape for the running Of Mondays pro-
gram.
The feature event on the program. the
Prince George Handicap. at one mile,
brought a good Geld Of horses TO the
wire.
Gainer Wins Feature.
Gamer, from the Gfeentree stables, won
the event He slipped through in the m
side in the run down the back stretch
and drew away Into an easy lead and
was. well % hand at the finish. Mon
tressor was second. who beat Pomette
Blue. an added starter. by one-half length
for the place.
Mccahey. who rode Pomette Blue, badly
handled his mount and messed him all
over the track. He tired in the home
run. With a better ride he would have
4 bnnr rlOeer n h. winner
| Yodeling won the opening number ON
( the card in easy fashion, winning from
Duke Of Shelby by four lengths. who In
return beat Woof a neck for the second
money. Yodling was well supported,
being a top-heavy fayorite.
/ over the short course. with an added
value Of 1900 was captured by d.
Stevenson's Syosset by a length from
\ Shannon River, while Astute was third
/ The winner was out-run In the early
stages Of the race. but gradually i'm
proved his position after the first mile
I was covered and easily disposed Of all
| opposition in the run home. shannon
River faltered after leading the entire
! distance to the head Of the stretch.
| The third event, selling affair, at enc
mile, was won by Embroidery, who ran
an improved race over his last effort
Borgo was second and Surgeon third
The winner was heavily backed and car
| ried the largest commission Of the aft
/ ernoon. She was well In hand the en-
| tire journey and won going away.
Fifth to Butler.
James Butler saddled the winner OF
! the NTH number. i've and one-half
! furlong event, in Kilkenny Boy. The
/ Butler horse was -outrun in the early
/ stages Of the race. Entering the home
4 6o sT,nr ufA a
] finished gamely under a drive. Harry
/ Shaw avs second and Capt. e. B. Cas-
salts Springboard was third. The VIC
| tory of the Butler horse was a popular
1 one and nearly every woman In the
grandstand had q winning ticket on the
! horse.
(: The Butler horses are very popular
! with the fair sex. as they can always de-
/ pend on getting q run for their money.
The closing number on the afternoons
card went to ]. W. Stroud's Billy Baker.
I; who came from behind to win by a
length. while Mud Sill was second and
Tay Pay third.
| The winner was running over horses at
the end. Mud Sill was a keen factor
| throughout the entire route but faitered
! when called upon. Tay Pay. closed a big
! gap and finished strong
! No better evidence Of the growing pop
/ ularity OF the mutuel machines Is needed
I than the daily increasing attendance at
Laurel. Every day since the close Of the
Bowie meeting the crowds at Laurel Park
have shown gain, and the amount OF
money handled in the pari-mutuels has
grown steadily.
That the pari-mutuels will be unlver-
sally used in this country and will be an
/ important agency IN restoring the AHert-
| can turf Is admitted by many persons
who for personal reasons would probably
prefer the old system Of betting. That
the machines make for cleaner racing Is
undisputed- No better racing could have
/ been had anywhere than that offered at
Laurel during the past week. There was
not the shadow OF suspicion cast upon
I ary Of the riders. and while some Of the
horses showed erratic form. that Is al
waysto be expected.
Machines Become PoPuIaP.
conducted with mutuels as the medium OF
I speculation can be had than the division
Of races among the Jockeys In the week
not less than fourteen jockeys have won
\ races. Turner has been the leading rider,
I with hYe races to ais credit. He is fol-
! lowed by Shilling. younger brother OF
4 the noted rider. who two years ago was
the Acknowledged leader among the
/ Jockeys Of this country. Shilling has won
/ four races. McTagsart, Butwell McAtee.
l Borel, Buxton. Steward, Davis and Schut-
! finger all have a pair OF victories to their
| credit while McCahey. Kederis and Fair
brother each has gained a single victory.
There will be no conflict Of racing dates
next year in Maryland. 1t was unfortuS
nate both for Laurel and Bowie that the
two tracks ran In opposition this year.
The managers Of the Bowie track have
made overtures to the Pimlico and Havre
de Grace owners. whereby, II an agree.
ment II reached the new track at Bowie
VIII take the dates heretofore claimed by
the jamestown Jockey Club at Norfolk.
Laurel win be left out OF the agreement,
for Il will not have a spring neeting.
Racing in Maryland appears to be on a
firm foundation. There is no disposition
10 eliminate the sport. and II there Is
not too much racing and no race track.
wars, there Is no reason Why the sport
should not continue without interruption.
It was unfortunate that the rain OF the
latter part Of the week made the going
at Laurel heavy and holding. thereby pre-
venting meeting between the two great
horses Roamer and Pebbles. Such q
meeting would likely have come about IN
the Prince George Handicap today but
for the condition Of the track. Andrew
Miller and his trainer. Jack Goldsborough,
would have been glad 10 start Roaner IN
the Prince George, but they did not want
TO race their horse over heavy track.
So with Pebbles Mr.. Butler 10 exceed-
lngiy fond Of his great two-year-old. and
he does not want to take any chance
that mfehf bring Injury 10 the son OF