Evening star., 1938-06-05
FILM FOLK TO RUN
OWNRACE COURSE
InfieId With Water Falls,
Indoor Paddock Novel
Features of Plant.
Ry FRANCIS ]. POWERS.


LOS ANGELES, Calf, June g.
The kings and queens of the motion
picture industry have taken over
the sport of kings in Southern Cali
fornia and next Tuesday will open
their own track-Hollywood Park, in
Inglewood
There was a smattering of movie
money invested in Santa Anita, the
first plant built in this vicinity after
racing was legalized, but that time
few of the cinema stars were thor
oughly acquainted with horses and
racing. Del Mar, to the south, near
San Diego, was openLd last summer
with motion picture people in the
majority, but it was a minor track.
Hollywood Park, large and beauti-
full track, is owned almost entirely
by celluloid people, and in accord
ance with Hollywood precedent and
tradition is more "Supercolossal" than
any other on the West Coast.
Sunken Infield Is Feature.
Hollywood Park has no mountains
for a backdrop like Santa Anita,
which has more natural and rugged
beauty than any track in the country.
1t Is removed from the ocean, south
of the Baldwin Hills, but its artificial
beauty will rival anything in the
country, with the possible exception
of Hialeah and Tropical. at Miami
The track is elevated above the in
field, and inside the racing circle are
swells and ravines that have been dec
GRATED with water falls, lakes and
flowers of every variety. The infield
will be rather raw for the first meet
ing, but eventually it will rival the
Miami tracks in brilliancy of color
and plumage.
The greatest innovatio at Holly
wood Park is an indoor paddock This
has been built under the grandstand
and is surrounded by an amphitheater
from which $500 spectators may
watch the horses saddled and led to
the track. The paddock is sound
proof, has a tanbark floor and is
Illuminated by sun arcs. There was
talk when the track was started of
a revolving paddock, but the idea of
giving the horses a ride before the
customers were taken for one was too
colossal even for Hollywood. The
stands and walks will provide ac-
commodation for close to $4,000 spec
tators. and there is room for expan-
sion.
Soda Fountains Installed.
Another Hollywood Park innova-
ton is the installation of five soda
fountains between the clubhouse and
grandstand, where patrons may drown
their reverses at the mutuel Windows
in nut sundaes and milk shakes. This
startling introduction is being charged
against Francis Albertanti, the park
publicist, whose shadow once was
heavy on Broadway in the days of
Tex Rickard. Since becoming ac-
uuainted with and accustomed to
sunshine Mr.. Albertanti has gone
strongly for banana splits.
Hollywood Parks entries will mainly
be California horses, and no fewer
than 33 stables owned by movie peo-
pie will have entries in the 33-day
meeting. The Hollywood Gold Cup
with S50,000 added, for 3-year-olds, |
will be the main event of the meet
ing. but due to the competition from
Eastern tracks, with their well-estab-
lished fixtures, it will not attract
many nationally known horses.
Can't Wait, owned by Myron Selz-
nick. which did well in the winter
racing, already has been made a
favorite for the event.
New Breeding Center.
Several South American-bred horses
owned by Bing Crosby, Lin Howard |
and Joe Brown will be ready for the
Hollywood season, while Raoul Walsh
has string of French imports for
the meeting.
At the rate Hollywood people are
buying and developing stables the
center of American breeding eventu-
ally may change from Maryland, Ken
lucky and Virginia to California, |
which was great racing State in |
the days of Lucky Baldwin and |
Riley Grammar and is becoming all |
of that once more.