Sport: 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: ¶ 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. ¶ 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. ¶ 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. ¶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.