Lebanon Daily News from Lebanon, Pennsylvania • Page 46

They're Off and Running at Penn National "If we're going to have horse racing in Pennsylvania," said John Shumaker to Ed First in the summer of 1967, "we ought to have it right here in the greater Harrisburg area so our people can benefit." Now, five years later, professional thoroughbred horse racing will become a reality in central Pennsylvania with the opening of Penn National Race Course at Grantville in East Hanover Twp. Penn National will offer nightly thoroughbred racing at the newest track in the nation beginning Wednesday and continuing until Dec. 23. Post time for the first race is 7:15 p.m., with eight races run Monday through Thursday, and nine ol Friday, Saturday and holidays. Located on 614 acres of countryside immediately adjacent to Exit 28 of U.S.

Rt. 81, Penn National is just 13 miles from downtown Harrisburg, seven miles from Hershey and within 20 miles of the Pennsylvania Turnpike and the Lancaster County tourist area. Credit for the Terminology About Horses Is Explained Among thoroughbreds a horse is a male animal five years old or more. Tbrwigfa his fourth year he is called a colt. The female of the species is a filly until the age of five when she becomes a mare and when she becomes a mother she is termed a broodmare.

Prior to his first birthday, which, to avoid confusion is universally established as Jan. 1 of each year, a thoroughbred is known as a foal. When, in the fall of his first year, he is separated from his mother he is a weanling. After his first New Year's Day, he is a yearling and on the following Jan. 1, he becomes -a 2-year-old and eligible to race.

In speaking of a thoroughbred's parents his father is referred to as a sire and his mother a dam. A dam's offspring is referred to collectively as her produce. The collective offspring of a stallion is known as his get. A mare is termed a producer when one of her sons or daughters has won a race. By the same token, a stallion is not of- ficiallly a sire until one of his get has won.

The female side of a thoroughbred pedigree is known as the family. Horses traceable to a common paternal ancestor are said to be from a particular line. Facilities for Racing Fans The spacious clubhouse-grandstand at the Penn National Race Course has a seating capacity of 8,924. There are 904 clubhouse dining room seats facing the race track. A total of 25,000 patrons can be accommodated and future expansion plans will increase that capocity to 35,000.

track is largely due to the fore- In 1967, Shumaker and First development for the area. sight and efforts of a group of were officers of 'the Chamber Act 337 of the 1967 General area businessmen and attor- of Commerce of the Greater Assembly had just opened the neys led by Shumaker and Harisburg Area and interested way to bring the sport of thor- First. in economic and recreational oughbred Jiorse racing with pari-mutuel wagering into the commonwealth and four public hearings were being held relative to the issuance of four track licenses. Shumaker and First agreed that the Harrisburg area should attempt to secure a H' cense and they quickly formed a 10-member board of directors of area community leaders. The board, which has remained together with just one change since its inception, is composed of: John J.

Shumaker, president and director, attorney, Harrisburg; Edward C. First, vice president, secretary and director, attorney, Harrisburg; R. E. Hirschman, vice president and director, contractor, York; Jack B. Gross, treasurer and director, businessman, Harrisburg; Joseph H.

Jones, director, 'attorney, Pottsville; George B. Gaul, director, businessman, Wyomissing; Joseph Sansone, director, publisher, Lebanon; Morris A. Stoltzfus, businessman, Talmage; J. Rine Strohecker, director, businessman, Harrisburg, and Lindy Vicari, director, promoter auto races, Reading, who replaced a former member in 1970. The Penn National Turf Club, was incorporated in March, 1968, and on Nov.

20, 1968, the group was notified by the Pennsylvania State Horse Racing Commission that it would receive one of the four licenses. The $13 million Penn National complex that has resulted will bring professional thoroughbred horse racing to central Pennsylvania. Racing at a Glance Penn National Offers Five 1972 Racing Dates: Aug. 30 through Dec. 23 (100 nights).

Location: Grantville. Address: Penn National Race Course, Box 100, Grantville 17028, Telephone: Office and Track (Area Code 717) 469-2211. Officers: John J. Shumaker, president and director, attorney; Harrisburg; Edward C. First, vice president, Secretary and Director, attorney, Harrisburg; R.

E. Hirschman, vice president and director, contractor, York; Jack B. Gross, treasurer and director, businessman, Harrisburg; Joseph H. Jones, director, attorney, Pottsville; George B. Gaul, director, businessman, Wyomissing; Joseph Sansone, director, publisher, Lebanon; Morris A.

Stoltefus, director, businessman, Talmage; J. Rine Strohecker, director, businessman, Harrisburg, and Lindy Vicari, director, promoter auto races, Reading. General Manager: Barclay C. Odell. Director of Racing: Lawrence J.

Abbundi. Racing Secretary: Peter Kosiba, Jr. Pari-Mutuel Operations: R. T. Donovan, Jr.

Public Relations Director: John F. Currie. Track Caterer: Harry M. Stevens, Inc. Nearest Cities: Harrisburg 13 miles, and Hershey, 7 miles.

Track Data: One mile, sandy loam oval with one-quarter mile and three-quarter mile' chutes. Length of stretch 990 feet. Stable accommodations, 1,078 horses. Total acreage 614. Mechanical Equipment: -Jones Precision Photo Finish; Vis- umatic Timer; Automatic Totalisator, Sports View, Inc.

Closed-Circuit Color TV and Video Tape Patrol. Seating Accommodations: Grandstand-Clubhouse, 8,846. Total capacity, 25,000. Price of Admission: Grandstand $2, Clubhouse $4. Minimum Age Admitted: Ten years, if accompanied by parents.

Pari-Mutuel Minimum: 18 years of age. Parking Facilities: Capacity Fee for general 50 cents; Fee for preferred, $1. Fee for valet, $1.50. Group Admission Particulars. Five special group plans, Monday through Thursday.

Minimum 75 in Party Room; Minimum 35 all other group plans. Pari-Mutuel Wagering: Daily Double, Quinielas, Exactas. Races': Eight races, Monday through Thursday; Nine races, Friday Saturday and Holidays. Post Time: 7:15 p.m. Special Group Party Plans Special party and dining facilities are available for groups of 35 and more.

Individual group arrangements can be secured by civic, social or community organization, complete with dining, parking, admission and seating directly facing the finish line. Three special plans are available, offering buffets, individual group entrees or individual a la carte selections from a nationally-known caterer, Harry M. Stevens, Inc. For those who prefer to arrange for their cwn dining, two additional group plans are offered, providing admission, seating and free program. AH five groups plans are available Monday through Thursday, beginning Sept.

5 and continuing until the Dec. 23. In charge of group promotions is Mrs. Jeannette Kinney' and reservations for a party may be secured by contacting Mrs. Kinney at (717) 469-2211, or writing in care'of Group Plans, Penn National Race Course, Box 100, Grantville, 17028.

The following plans are available: Plan A. Buffet. In Dauphin Party Room. Minimum group guarantee of 75 Monday through Thursday, $8.75. Plan B.

Entree. In Dauphin Party Room. Minimum group guarantee of 35. Monday through Thursday. Prices from $8.75 to $10.50, depending on selection from menu.

(In Mountainview Terrace, from $9.75 to 'Prkes for Plans A and include admission to clubhouse, seating charge, dinner, tax and gratituties. Plan C. A La Carte. Dinner in Mountainview Terrace. Monday through Thursday.

Min- imum group guarantee of 35. Three dollar charge covers admission and seating. A la carte payment according to selections from menu. Plan D. Clubhouse.

Includes admission, reserved seat in clubhouse plus program. Monday through Thursday. Minimum group guarantee of 35. $3. Plan E.

Grandstand. Includes admission, reserved seat in grandstand, plus program. Monday through Thursday. Minimum group guarantee of 35. $1.75.

Track Security Is Guaranteed Ancestor of Horse Preferred Leaves The ancestor of the modern horse was a hump-backed, runty animal with a short snout and a preference tor leaves instead of grass. This ancestor was not much fcigger than a modern beagle and he had paws inste.a.d hoofs. Aerial View of Racing Facilities An overall view of the Penn National Race Course is shown in this aerial picture. The modern fire-resistant stables in the foreground provide accommodations for 1,200 horses. The clubhouse-grandstand facilities and the one-mile loam, track are.sharply outlined, PS.

WQlT.as the auto racing track at the upper right. Penn National Race Course has been, recognized and approved as a full-fledged member of the Thoroughbred Racing Assn (TR A). In addition to membership in the TRA, Penn National has established arrangements for professional, on-track security with the Thoroughbred Racing Protective Bureau (TRPB), an independent security and investigation agency with a quarter century of serving the racing public and thoroughbred racing industry. Penn National general manager, Barclay C. Odell, was recently notified by Spencer J.

Drayton, TRA executive vice president and president of the TRPB, that Penn National had been approved by the TRA board of directors as the organization's 54th track member in the United States and Canada. Under the Penn National- TRPB security arrangement, Penn National Race Course will have its own year-round, Anthony J. Sordoy State Police from 1949 to 1972. He served with the criminal investigation division, and also as aide to former Pennsylvania Governors, William W. Scranton and Raymond P.

Shafer. Sarday and his staff will work in conjunction with, and under the supervision of a TRPB agent. In addition, Penn National's stable area will be under the direct supervision of on-track security led by Antho- an Hest, who will ny J. Sarday, director of track a so be on grounds for IJ tattooing of any horses which have not been previously tat- securlty. Sarday, from Lebanon, was a member of the Pennsylvania tooed:.