The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-05-09
(Reg. U. 6. Pat. OH.) By JACK CUDDY
(Uninted Pres staR Correspondent

(Uninted Pres Stan Correspondent)
 New York, May 9-(UP)-The first page of a fabulous new chapter in racing hmistory was written with robust restraint yesterday at the opening of Belmont Parks 24-day spring meeting.
 Spacious Belmont-which has been called the American Ascot"-was only about half filled with 5,4l9 be- Mevers in the betterment of the breed of hayburners. And they wagered only q, ,060, ,044. This mutuel handle hit close to the $2,o36, ,995 averaged during the proceeding 25 days of competition at smaller Jamaica.
 But such restraint was only the calm before the Belmont storm that is certain to shatter all-tine world wide records for turf attendance and betting.
 Although the 2S,419 crowd was ale most double the attendance at last years Belmont opening, 1t was far below the out-pouring of 45,796 race glngry fans who swarmed into Jamaica on April 8 for the launch ing of New York states 1914 racing campaign. This was to be expected on Monday from the turf enthu- siasts, whose appetiteS had been somewhat appeased by 25 days at Jamaica. And the betting on the eight-race card ('compared to the daily seven events at Jamaica) hit only @, 06o, ,044, because the opening day throng at Belmont traditionaly is not betting crowd.
 The debut of the gee-gees at Bel mont annually Is a social event that is a must" for the society clans who really should be seen there, my deah! Many of the social-registrar bluebloods do not bet as much upon the registered bluebloods as Henry, the soda jerk from the corner drug store. Moreover, one of the races was a steeplechase which drew only four timber -toppers, for whom the chal keaters do not battle to the windows. Also there were three events down the detested straight away Widener chute"
 It was a restrained opening. ale though in pre-war times both crowd and mutuel handle would have been hailed as noteworthy. But don't let this opening fol you. Before the current Belmont meeting closes, June 3, virtually all crowd and bet ting records will have been broken. And we're positive that racing will have had its first four million dol lar day.
 Racing had its first three-million- dollar day during the Jamaica meet ing, which closed Saturday. On April 22, the Jamaica mutuel handle was $2,l7e,553. The total might have been larger had the fans been able to fight their way to the limited number of windows at Jamaica.
 Imagine what will happen at big Belmont, where there are plenty of windows, on May 90, for example. Last Decoration Day, Belbont hung up a new record for attendance at a New York state track when 52,O1i fans participated in improving the breed. Because of improved trans portation facilities and because of the mounting interest in hosses. sev- eral crowds of more than 5000 will be at Belmont during the current meeting-perhaps for the running of such events as the Suburban. the Withegs, the Belmont Stakes. and the Metropolitan Handicap. Turn 5000 loose on that sweep Of Bei- mont windows with the money they now have heating thier pockets, and you'll get 5000, 900 in 2 hurry.
 During 26 days at Jamaica. the hoss followers wagered e50.e23. .3ei, Twenty-four days at Belmont should approach kIO0, ,O0O, 900.