The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-07-11
(Reg. U. s. Pat. Off) By JACK CUDDY

United Press Staff COrreSpOndent)
 New York, July 1l-(UP)--It is ironical that old-fashioned hay burners in harness have brought prosperity to Roosevelt raceway, the expensively built Long Island plant that proved a financial fiopperoo ill 1886 and '37 when offering the ul- timate in racing automobiles and daring drivers.
 The metropolitan public summed the swanky plant in Westbury when it was staging its internationally publicized auto read" races; but the fans turned back the clock and went for the old-fashioned Sulky- pullers so eagerly that the lights will be turned out Saturday night on the most successful meeting in harness racing history.
 When the Spring" meeting closes at Roosevelt raceway Saturday night, betting for the 38 nocturnal programs Is virtually certain to to- tai more than $7,500,000. Moreover, officials of the Old Country Trotting Association predict mutuel handle of more than $10,000,000 for the fall" meeting-Aug. IA through Sept. 23.
 Already total of 176,442 per- sons have attended B programs of the current meeting, an average of 5,346 a night. The mutuel handle is averaging about $192,100 night. although on five different nights the wagering amounted to mare than $220,0O0 Tops was reached July 3, when the merry mutuels registered $307 ,435, an all-time rec ord for night harness betting.
 These figures naturally are far below the fabulous totals being registered at Jamaica, Belmont and Aqueduct where the running horses perform, because betting on the harness hosses is comparatively new sport for most New Workers. The 5,346 average attendance at Roosevelt raceway is only about 20 per cent of the average at the met ropolitan running tracks; and the average $192, 100 is only about 13 per cent of the daily mutuel handle where the gallopers go.
 Yet the Roosevelt statistics verge on the fabulous in the chariot sport; particularly when one recalls that they are being rolled up without the aid of any Grand Circuit classics, such as the $40,000 Hambletonian which will be staged at Goshen, N. r., Aug. 9.
 Rocsevelt's spring meeting had no connection with Grand Circuit rac- ing-the major league competition of the harness world. But the fall meeting will include two weeks of Grand Circuit rivalry, Aug. 28 through Sept. 9. Because of this Grand Circuit injection, and be- cause of the stimulant that will be given to trotting by the return of the Hambletonian to Goshen, Race way officials are confident that the fall betting total will top $l0,000, ,000.
 Had anyone predicted a ten mill lion meeting handle in 1940, when trotting was inaugurated at Roose- welt Raceway, he would have been sent to the nearest nut-nursery. That was bad, bad season. How ever. in Al, the harness nags went under the lights at the Raceway, and business picked up. During 59 nights, 25,722 fans bet $5,50l ,431. Came the war, and blackout restric- tions forced twilight racing in AZ. This coupled with gas and rubber rationing caused a poor season. Roosevelt didn't operate last year, as all harness racing in New York state pooled it's meets at Empire City. But now the hay burners are back at the raceway; and they're creating an enthusiasm never achieved by the super-charged gas buggies for which the plant orig inally was built.