Pony Parade

After four months and six days of pinch-betting on everything from basketball to turtle races, gambling money had an eager new jingle. When the V-E gun lifted the horse-racing ban last week, everybody who had a nodding acquaintance with the nation's richest sport industry was straining at the post.

First off the mark was Rhode Island, which depends on racing for 8% of its state revenue. The betters jammed Narragansett Park 25,000 strong, could hardly wait to stuff $1,153415 (almost twice what they wagered on opening day last year) through the betting machines. In Chicago, a meager 13,673 turned up at Sportsman's Park, wagered an average $50 (against $37 on the same day last year). Other tracks joining the pony parade: P: Race-hungry Hollywoodish Santa Anita had planned to open up the day after the ban was lifted, found trouble getting help to man the mutuel windows and hot-dog stands, settled for an unceremonious start on V-E day plus seven. P: Non-profit-making Keeneland will usher in Kentucky's season. Colonel Matt Winn hemmed & hawed, regretted that unbeaten Pavot was not among the 155 Derby eligibles, finally scheduled the 71st Derby for June 9. P: Baltimore's Pimlico planned to top an abbreviated ten-day meeting with a one-day special show on June 16. On that day, Pavot is scheduled to meet the Derby contestants in what may be the race of the year--the Preakness. P:New York tracks, which had professed to be ready for a flying start, put off the Jamaica opening until May 21. Forehanded bookies who gave 5-to-2 odds that there would be no racing in New York by May 5, even money by May 15, were raking in their winnings.

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