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LATOKIA REORGANIZED. Important changes in the organization and i ownership of the Latonia Jockey Club and track have recently been effected. The particu- i I lars were presented a6 follows in yesterdays Commercial-Tribune : "There was a shake-up in the directory of the famous Latonia Jockey Club yesterday, and, as a result, one of the biggest racing magnates in [ the west retires from the active management of the association. Colonel W. E. Applegate, who, 1 with Charles Bollinger, has for some years past held the controlling interest in Latonia, steps 1 down and out and will have no further voice in 1 conducting the affairs of the association. With 1 Colonel Applegate also retires Mr. Bollinger. • The directory underwent a complete reorganization and yesterday secretary Ed Hopper announced " that the following would in the future J have control of the Latonia Jockey Club : "President— John C. Sherlock. "Vice-President— E. F. Clay. Secretary and Treasurer— E. C. Hopper. "Directors— L. P. Tarleton, Brent Arnold, W. . H. Jackson, John B. Taylor and George G. . Perkins. "From the above it will be seen that Colonel 1 Applegate and Mr. Bollinger are entirely out of f the Latonia track. Their stock has been sold to j a Cincinnati man whose name Mr. Hopper did 1 not care to tell, for the present at least. Latonia - was purchased by Colonel Applegate from l George G. Perkins some eight years ago, the b price being in the neighborhood of 40,000. Of f this amount about 6,000 was paid and there a i 1 | j | j i i I i [ 1 1 1 1 • " J . . 1 f j 1 - l b f a still remained an indebtedness of 5,000. It is said that one of the conditions of the sale was that in case the full amount was not paid the track was to revert to its original owner, Judge i Perkins. For the past few years Latonia has i been a losing venture, and the purchase price i has not been paid in full. There were rumors ] last fall of the track reverting to Judge Perkins, i but Colonel Applegate denied there was any ] truth in it. However, Colonel Applegate did i not deny he was anxious to dispose of his and Mr. Bollingers stock. The transfer was made some time ago, but it was not made public until 1 yesterday. I "Latonia will now start off the coming spring i meeting with an infusion of new blood in the I directory that, it is hoped, will do much to re- store the sport to its former high standard in this section. The new Board of Directors will I hold an important meeting inside the next few days and select officers for the next meet, which begins May 28. Two judges and a starter will be selected, as will also a number of stockholders, prominent in business and social circles, who will have absolute control over the club-j house and the social features of the association. "It is a certainty almost that L. P. Tarleton of Frankfort, Ky„ and Charles Price, the former secretary of the Louisville track, will be the judges elected. Just who will be the starter is a matter of doubt. The new directors have already discussed the starter problem, but did not arrive at any conclusion. Morgan Chinn, who has been the starter at Latonia for the past two seasons, has no cinch on landing the position, and, from the present outlook, hewillhardly land the job. There has been some talk among the directors of bringing James Caldwell or Pettingill here. However, no one as yet has been agreed upon, but a selection will be made inside a week. "The change in the management of of the Latonia track will not occasion much surprise to well-informed turfmen, for it has been expected for the past few months. The new men in the Latonia directory are well known and beyond a doubt will do much toward placing the sport in this section on a higher plane. "John Sherlock has been the president of the track for a number of years, and, under his management, some notable social events have taken place at Latonia in connection with the racing. By his re-election as head and front of Latonia it can be safely relied upon that there will be one or more gentlemens races this spring, which society always supports liberally. "Ezekiel F. Clay is a prominent breeder liv- ing in Paris, Ky. For many years he has been one of the biggest breeders in Kentucky, and he has always been deeply interested in Latonia. He will add strength and dignity to the new directory. "Ed Hopper, the Secretary and Treasurer, is too well known to need much comment, except that he is considered about the best racing sec-" retary in the west and has made a wonderful record at Latonia. He is also the secretary of the American Turf Congress. "Brent Arnold is the well-known railroad man, and he will be of much aid in building up , Latonia again. "George G. Perkins is the former Judge of ! Kenton County, and his return to the turf will I be hailed with delight, especially as under his guidance in former years Latonia was the most famous and prosperous course in the west. "L. P. Tarleton lives near Frankfort, Ky., where, for a number of years, he has been a breeder on a small scale. He is also a lawyer, but during the summer he is in demand as a racing judge, and for a number of years has been the presiding official at Latonia. Judge Tarleton will be elected to serve in a similar f capacity by the new directory. i i i ] i ] i 1 I i I I "Secretary Ed Hopper, in speaking of the coming meeting at Latonia, said: * The new management of Latonia will do all in its power to restore racing in this vicinity to . its former high plane, and at the coming meeting social features that will delight all will be a part of the racing. Our chief race will be the rich Latonia Derby, which will be run Monday, May 28, and will have all the crack three-year-olds of the west in it. It will be the first Derby of the year run over the real Derby distance — one mile and a half. It will be the true test of the colts that have Derby pretensions, and such good ones as Lieutenant Gibson, St. Ivor. Flor-izar, Sam Phillips and a few others will probably be in the field. The race promises to be one of the best ever run at Latonia, and I expect to see an immense crowd on hand to witness the event. I am confident Latonia will have a great meeting this spring, and the new management will exert itself to make a first-class showing.
