The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-06-11

tied by the railroads. If the trains keep running, the spa will prosper and fatten. If not, well, who knows?
 The situation is tinged with irony. There are a greater number of horses in training now than ever before. There are @ greater num- Der of customers and these custo- mers are weighted down with ready cash. But the ways and means of bringing the customers and the thoroughbredS together are fast dis- appearing. The automobile is gone; the special trains are going.
 All Have Trouble
 Saratoga isn't alone in this mis- cry. Every track in the United States is faced with the same feast or famine proposition. Unlike ball parks and boxing arenas, they are not readily accessible. They lie anywhere firm four to 28 miles from the center of their mother cities. The average would be approximate ly seven miles something more than walking distance.
 Col. Matt Vim holds that the folks will always get to the Ken lucky Derby, even if they must crawl. His situation, however, is eX- ceptional. The Derby is Americas greatest race and Louisville is a ma jor city. If necessary, the towns folk could support the Bluegrass epic themselves. Churchill Downs is nly four miles away from city hall, and may be reached by street ca.
 Other tracks are not so fortunate. Tn Chicago, for instance, distance is a critical factor. John Jackson, manager of Arlington and Wash- ington Parks, told me that as long as the railroads ran his tracks would thrive-no longer. Tn Florida, many observers doubt that there will be a 1942-1943 winter season. In Maryland, sonly Pimlico is req sonably close to the customers.
 The case of Saratoga is particu- larly unfortunate. In theory, the spa is supported by local clientele. Actually, it draws heavily from the metropolitan areas of New York city-125 miles away. That is, 1t did draw heavily. This season, the Vanderbilts and Whitneys will have to hoof it. If they don't, the mu- tuel windows fate rests with the home folks.
 The three-gallons week limit on gasoline along the eastern coast eliminate weekend jauntS to the spa. A round trip from New York requires 2O-25 gallons, and a Quan- tity such as that is fabulous in these times. Automobiles are definitely out. The railroads have complica- ted the situation by announcing that special trains will be elimi- mated, too.
 George Bull, the ruddy, roly-poly head of Saratoga, was given only two choices. The first, which he and his associates accepted, was to plug ahead despite difficulties. The second, which they forcefully rec jected was to shift their meeting lock, stock and photo finish camera to Belmont Park. They decided to choose sentiment rather than realism.
 Tradition Preferred
 A Saratoga meeting at Belmont wouldn't be quite the same, but what is these days? Bull and his mates wuld have made profit the recent Belmont run hit a new world record of approximately $i,- 100000 per day - and the lengthy transfer of horses would have been unnecessary. But they preferred tradition to certain success-wtsely or not.
 Actually, Saratoga is all tradition The trip is hot and dusty, the To- cal merchants make all their profits from the tourists in one month and the only entertainment available aside from gambling on horses must be obtained at stream-linec and high powered night clubs or the outskirts of town. It Isn't easy fun, in any sense, and 1t isn' cheap. |,
 But to thousands, the visit | worth the cost in money, time ane nervous energy. Or-again keepini the chronological clements in or der-the visit was worth 1t. Fol there are limits to everything, in cluding tradition. Saratoga has sur viyed three wars and will survive 8 fourth, but not, l hope, at thu expense of gasoline and trains whicf could be put to better use in bet