Evening star., 1952-11-18
Tomonows Program Off, Status Of Bowie Meeting Undecided
Racing Commission
Considers Movino
Dates 10 PimIico
By Brion Bell, Jr.


Bowie race track, this morning
called off tomorrow's program,
and the future of racing at Bowie
| is still in doubt.
j With today's card already can
celed. MacPhail acted without
waiting for an inspection of the
track, scheduled for 3 pm. by
Steward Joseph Flanagan and
himself to decide whether racing
could be held tomorrow. The
Bowie president issued a state
ment which Cancelled the Wednes-
day card. but shed no further light
on whether the entire meeting
would be Cancelled or moved to
Pimlico, as the Maryland Racing
Commission earlier said might
occur.
MacPhail's statement read
There will be no racing at Bowie
on Wednesday. I do not intend
to risk again mountaineering our
patrons. Racing will be resumed
when we are assured of the ap-
proval of the Maryland Racing
Commission and the cooperation
OF horSemen and riders"
William Ames, the tracks pub
llclty man, interpreted the state
ment to mean that racing would
continue at Bowie as soon as pos
sible. He said the track looked
fine today"
MacPhail Opposed Transfer.
However, the Racing Commits
sion had indicated the rest of
the 18-day fall meeting might be
transferred to Pimlico if the track
appeared unsafe after today. Mac
Phail, on the other hand. told
reporters late yesterday there
would be no shift.
Frank Small, jr., president of
the Maryland Racing Commission,
in commenting on MacPhail's can
ceiling of tomorrow's program
said the commission did not want
to move the meeting to Pimlico
but would take this step if nee
essary.
Flanagan is inspecting the
track for us and we will trust his
Judgment on when and if there
can be racing at Bowie" Small
said. Yesterday was an emo
tional day for every one and if
the track dries up successfully
I'm sure we can settle all the
problems. 1t would be possible
to extend the meeting a couple
of days or add an extra race to
the daily card if we can start
racing again at Bowie soon."
The grand opening of the re-
vamped plant Topped yesterday
with a combination of fog and
a track which the jockeys finally
decided was unsafe, delaying the
first race for an hour and a half
and finally cancelling the pro-
gram after the second race.
Three Courses Open.
Small said there were several
possibilities in connection with
the situation.
"AS I see 1t. there are three
things that could happen" Small
said. "We can continue to race at
Bowie if the strip is safe, Bowie
can finish it's meet at Pimlico or.
if Bowie officials refuse to move,
we can reaSsign its dates to Pim-
lico."
Then as an afterthought Small
added "A possibility is that all
dates would be Cancelled and we
could quit for the year"
Asked further about the can
collation.. Small said he did not
believe it would happen.
Il just said it was a possibility"
Small pointed out. 1--WE have the
State revenue as one of our in
terests and think we would COM
plete as much of the program as
we can somewhere.
Insists on Racing at Bowie.
Donald Lillis, chairman of the
Bowie racing board, concurred
with MacPhail. Lillis, who repre-
sents the New York interests in
the track. said they would run at
Bowie or not at all.
Small said the commission
would be willing to wait if it
seemed likely the track could be
put in shape soon.
Il talked to track MANAGERS,
engineers and horsemen last night
and they seem to feel the strip
could be put in condition to run, !"
Small said. I'm fact, there was
some doubt if the track wasn't all
right for racing yesterday. John
Campbell, the racing secretary,
who is one of the oldest and, I
think. best track officials in the
country. said he has seen many
tracks where racing went on which
were in worse shape than Bowie
yesterday"
Small said that even if racing
could not be held at Bowie tomor-
row. the commission probably
would go along with another days
delay to get the strip in condition.
He said the commission would be
willing to wait if it seemed likely