Evening star., 1952-03-22
10000 Expected At Laurel Opening Despite Weather Outlook
Two Maryland Stars,
Florida sensation
Choices in Feature

Z :.
Despite q forecast Of showers
and scattered thunderstorms,
about 10000 racing patrons are
expected at Laurel today for the
opening Of the major Eastern
season. with the combined Laurel
Bowie meeting slated to run 80!
days. Post time for the first race,
ito be preceded by q parade and
fanfare. was 1850.
The racing strip is expected to-
be good" despite the weather.
Heading the nine probable
starters in the days feature. the
l$7,500 Capitol Handicap at s fur
longs, are Repertoire and senator
Joe. familiar to Maryland racing
fans for their victories at Laurel
last year, and Woodchuck, q SEN
|sation in Florida during the early
winter. Repertoire carries 122l
pounds, the other two 100 each.
Repertoire, owned by Mrs. Nora
Mikell Of Wilmington, Del, started
out as the hottest 3-year-old inl
the East at Laurel last spring byI
winning the Cherry Blossom and
Chesapeake Stakes. Then. to the
amazement OF many, he went onl
to win the Wood Memorial andI
Experimental No. / in New York
and was, strongly backed in the
Kentucky Derby. Strictly al
sprinter, he never figured again
among 3-year-old topflighters be-
yond 6 furlongs.
Senator Joe Fleet.
Senator Joe. owned by Alan T.
Clarke Of Maryland and named
for Senator Mccarthy of Wis
consin, also Is a crack sprinter
and won a creditable $33, 900 last
year. Clarke turned down SIS, 600
for Senator Joe early in his career.
Palatine Stable, owner of Wood
chuck, refused 100000 for the
colt after Woodchuck equalled the
Tropical Park 6-furlong record
of 1:092s in January and dealt
Spartan Valor his only defeat in
five Florida races.
A 4-year-old now, Wood
chuck didn't race until last De-
cember. then won his first three.
He goes into the Capitol Handi-
cap of another winning effort
two weeks ago at Gulfstream.
Another surprise package, in re-
verse, among the other en-
tries Is Algasir, for whom Mrs.
F. Ambrose Clark paid $106, 900
as a 2-year-old, record price
for a gelding. Algasir has never
fulfilled expectations.
Eleven horses were entered ov-
ernight. but Whiffenpoof and
Daylight Time were scratched
this morning. The other likely
starters, all getting weight con-
|cessions from the top three, are
Early Heath. The Pincher, Eat
ontown, Hi Billee and Atalanta.
The Pincher and Early Heath are
coupled as an entry.
Derby Hopefuls Meet.
Four Kentucky Derby hopefuls
are entered in a secondary fea-
ture, the $4,000 Congressional
Purse. They are Emerald Hill
Farms Blue Dare, J. L. Fried
mans George Davie. Montpelier
Farms Pintor and F. e. Dixon's
Metal Mike.
Pintor was most highly rated in
Derby winter books, being ninth
in weights for the Experimental
Handicap. Today's race is the
colts first start as a 3-year-old.
AS juvenile. he raced six times
and won twice. including the Ire
mont Stakes at Aqueduct.
Laurel is expecting a banner
meeting from the standpoint of
betting and attendance, what
with the new deal" for Maryland
racing promised with the purchase
of Bowie by interests headed by
Larry MacPhail. and other favor
able circumstances.
A labor union seeking recogni-
ton as representative Of the
ticket sellers and cashiers is
pieketing the plant. but did the
same last year and business
was up.
Some Of the steam was taken
out Of the unions campaign when
Laurel announced yesterday that
1t was raising the pay of its en- |
ployes by 81 to 81. Sellers now
receive between $3.50 and $3.50
"a Gay and cashiers between $14.5O
and $3.50.