The Washington times., 1928-12-21
MARYLAND
HAS DIXIE
STOPPED
By Paddock

"
NEW ORLEANS, La, Dec.
21.-Jefferson Park has been
studied from every angle and
the writer is of the opinion
that winter racing here IN
Craw Fish town is far below
the grade on tap during the
spring and fall sessions IN
Maryland.
What's more, it is my opinion that
the Jefferson Park and Fair Grounds
arrangements will do welt this winter
to make expenses. There seems to
be a lack of money here this winter.
Business men-and this group in
cludes hotel managers. BARRIERS. res
taurant proprietors, theater man
ayers and even guardians OF the
law-say it is due to the closing OF
the gambling houses.
n Z =
upen. although some semblance OF
nriyacy was made by installing the
layouts in the rear of gilttering
roadhouses. These gambling houses
brought the money men from New
York. Chicago, San Francisco ana
every other big city in America.
They played the races in the
afternoon and gambled for high
stakes at night. In between
times they ordered the best.
whether it be room. board or
clothing. but now that Is All
missing.
AZ one business man told me. in
stead of plenty of money being
available. crime has sprung up. SO
That scarcely day passes tnat
the newspapers doin't carry scream.
ing headlines of four or five holo-
ms. Ali Of which. according to my
informant. was missing when the
big money menl were in town
and spending.
Jefferson Park In the past two
weeks did not handle as high as
500, 900 in single afternoon. Iney
saw that the forthcoming meetlhs
at the fair grounds will be better.
as it is virtually in the heart OF
the city and the people viii loosen
up after the holidays.
Hereabouts, no track or a Inile
dimension would consider keeping
fits gates open with SO small
handle as 500. 900. At Pimlico Il
is nearer 100000 daily that is
handled, while Bowie, Hayre de
Grace and Laurel all consider 1t
poor day If the total amount
wagered in a single afternoon Is
anywhere near 100000.
One thing the writer must say
for the Jefferson Park meeting,
there were no form reyersa1s such
as was led to expect by. horse
men, who had been going to New
Orleans for years.
If my work tab showed a. thor
oughbred to be doing nicely in the
morning. he came pretty near run.
ming to that performance the first
time he started.
In the first II days here it was
my good fortune to put across rs
winners and many of them were
at double figures.
The price on only one horse,
Anthony, was padded. Given as my
best bet the day before, Anthony
went postward at 3 to 5. lie re-
mained that way during the run
ming of the race, but when he got
inside the final sixteenth pole the
approximate odds boards suddenly
showed to /, with Anthony pay
ing off at $3.50.
or course, the short early
price kept many fans off the
colt, but building up price is
not the fault Of the track man.
agenent, and is done wherever
the iron men, are functiOning,
although the practice is not
common in Maryland.
No MARYLAND track can hold
candle to the Fair Grounds at New
Orleans in beauty. 1t is hard to
describe Col. f. r. Bradley's plant.
The infield is dotted with minia-
ture lakes, and beautiful marble
fountains, which send forth every
color of the rainbow as the sunlight
plays on the falling spray. The
grass early this week was the color
any Irishman would yell with Joy
over, while tall trees with heavy
foliage dot the course. A golf
course. also in the infield, completes
the finest race course the writer
has ever seen.
The Fair Gounds grandstand is
enclosed in glass and steam heated,
while beautiful marble walks have
been laid from the paddock to the
grandstand on to the clubhouse,
which would do credit to any Mary.
land country club.
The writer has never seen such a
beautiful race plant and MARYLAND
associations could do likewise, for
they all make money, but few of
them spend it.
Outside of Bowie none of the State
tracks seem to care to spend only
what the law requires, and Maryland
race fans, not being used to the
splendors available at the Fair
Grounds in New Orleans, are salts
fled.