Evening star., 1946-04-07
Maryland Track
Draws 25,000;
Coin Mark Set
Over Million Is Bet;
Double Brings $802;;
Fovorites Suffer
By Lewis F, Atchison


race-goers virtually burned the
hinges of Bowie's turnstiles yester-
day and stuffed enough greenbacks
into clanking pari-mutuel machines
to give the nearby Maryland track
the greatest financial day in its his
tory.
Everything about the place was
green but its scrub pine backdrop
as the mob showed an estimated ST.
l63, 1892 through betting windows for
the eight races and shattered daily
double records by wagering $63, 1924.
But the doubles $802.6O payoff,
earned by Tumble Boy in the first
and Barry NJ, $73 shot, in the Sec
ond, was no record. Seventy three
persons held winning tickets.
Betting probably would have
reached astronomical figures had
facilities been available to accom-
modate the surging throng. Bowie
simply wasn't built for crowds of
more than $4,000, and once the
trains, buses and private cars had
disgorged their anxious occupants
at the gates it was every man for
himself.
There were times when the jam
around windows in the grandstand
was so tight the 82d Airborne prob
ably would have failed to dent it.
You started for' the So place window
and if not trampled on wound up
either at the lower exit or pointed
at the $40 payoff STALL Bartenders,
hot-dog vendors, in fact statesmen
with anything at all, doled out their
wares mechanically, scooping in the
dimes, nickels and quarters that
rained down on them.
Clubhouse Stuffed, Too.
Conditions in the clubhouse, where
patrons usually get whiff of air
and elbow room for the extra tariff.
were no better. Yesterday those
fans were part of the mob, merely
fenced off in their own little pad
dock. While no one appeared to be
shut out at the clubhouse betting
windows, hundreds were left stand
ing in grandstand lines, program
and money in clenched fists, while
the starting bell sent the horses on
their way.
Traffic from the track flowed as
smoothly as State police could make
1t over the narrow, twisting roads,
but 1t was long after dark before
the last motorist arrived in Wash
ington.
Apparently sensing it was no or
dinary day for Bowie, Happy Buckle,
handsome hoss belonging to Gus
tav Ring of Washington, contributed
his bit for posterity by upsetting
the highly regarded Hillyer Court
IN the featured Bowie Handicap.
Happy Buckle had his picture
taken at the finish, but he wasn't
posing. Rather. he was practically
pursing his lips to win by a split
whisker. He led all the way, in
creasing his margin to 212 lengths
at the top of the home stretch
under Shelby Clark's handling, but
he needed that advantage, plus a
l0-pound pull in the weights, to
take the winner share of the purse.
Hillyer Court Close All Way.
Hillyer Court, ridden by Jockey
w. L. johnson, was close all the
way in strictly two-horse race. At
the halfway mark he had overcome
all but a neck of Happy Buckles
initial 12-length lead, but at the
far turn Clark had pulled his mount
length in front When Buckle took
even more ground it seemed that a
rout was imminent, but then John
son turned the Court loose. johnson
came down the stretch failing his
mount with angry bats on his rump
and the horse responded gamely,
but he couldn't make it in the
regulation l mile and 10 yards. Two
strides beyond the finish wire he
was in front.
Catbridge, long shot rated a
chance to win on the prerace dope
sheet, was third. Happy Buckle
closed at 81 on the tote board and
paid $9.40 to win. Hillyer Court
was 3-5 when the machines closed
and paid $3.50 to place.
Favorites took a beating through
out the day and not until Romani-
Gus got neck verdict over Cannikin
in the sixth did a chalk horse score
Over, the peepul's choice, took the
finale.