Evening star., 1955-05-18
PirnIico Refund
Sets Off Frantic
Ticket Search
BY JOSEPH b. KELLY
Star Racing Editor

BALTIMORE, May 18.-There
was a dead heat yesterday at
Pimlico but not in a race. It
involved Doctor Dick, scratched
from the second race as the field
was lining up for the first race
and set off general scramble
for discarded daily double
tickets.
The stewards we're informed
shortly before the first race that
Doctor Dick had been injured in
his stall and scratched from
the second race. The mu-
tuel department was notified to
that effect although no an
nouncement was made to the
public until after the first race
was official.
At this time, it was announced
on the public address system
that refund was being made
on all tickets which combined
Doctor Dick, No. 6 in the second
race, with any horse in the first
race. Thousands of daily double
tickets already had been thrown
away by holders of tickets which
did not include Sea Siren, the
$3.50 winner of the first race.
$500 Torn Tickets Cashed
The big search started as
refuse cans were turned over to
locate double tickets which were
redeemable, provided the Sec
ond number was a six. Pimlico
sells $40 and IS doubles as well
as So tickets.
1t was reported that more
than $500 tickets torn were re-
paired and cashed at the infor-
nation windows alone.
The Maryland racing rules
state that a consolation be paid,
only if after the first race has
been run and declared official,
q horse is excused or scratched
in the second race.
Since Doctor Dick actually
was scratched before the first
race, it was necessary for a
complete refund to be made on
all daily double tickets which
included Doctor Dick in the sec
ond race. A refund of $18,514
was called for and it reduced the
daily double pool from $71 ,487 to
$52,973.
Loss to Track and State
Financially, it would have
been to the Maryland Jockey
Clubs and the States advantage
to have paid a consolation double
on Sea Siren, winner of the first
race. and Doctor Dick in the
second race as the $18,514 in
volved would have been included
In the double wagering pool.
BY making a complete refund
the track lost approximately
$1,100 gross income and the
state ABOUT $IUU.
Fans who coupled Sea Siren
with Doctor Dick in the double
were chagrined at not receiving
a consolation payoff, but hold
ers of tickets on losers in the
first race with Doctor Dick un-
expectedly received a return Of
their investment on each ticket
provided they had not tossed
them away.
Five 3-year-olds will clash to-
day in the featured Sparks
Purse, a 6-furlong dash, at Pim-
lico.
The emphasis is on quality
and Mrs. B. C Betner, jr.'s Native
Son and Mrs. Royal Firman.
jr.'s Early Warning may vie for
favoritism.
Native Son was unplaced in
the recent Delaware Stakes at
Garden State, but prior to that
race won two straight. Early
Warning was beaten in fast time
in his last start, but has been
training very well.
Making her seasonal debut
will be Starr Ranch Stables
Hidden Ship, who won two
stakes last season and earned
$25, ,525.
Jockey Carlos Gonzalez is run
ming up an unusual record at
the Pimlico meeting. He scored
his sixth victory yesterday
aboard Sea Admiral, and all six
have been for the same stable,
owned by Walter E. Crismer.
Ottowu Signs Gridder
OTTAWA, May 18 (P.-Gene
Rossi, 27-year-old quarterback
from the University of Cincin-