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J J BURKE TO PRESIDE IN FLORIDA Louisville Ky October 3 J U Strode general manager Of the Pensacolu and Tampa Fla tracks arrived today from Toronto Ont where he solicited shipments of ho cs to take part in the racing on the Strode circuit the coming winter While at Wood ¬ bine Mr Strode was successful in engaging J J Burke of New York to serve as presiding judge at Pensacola and Tampa The appointment of Judge iurke is in line with the policy of Mr Strode to se ¬ cure for his tracks the liest officials obtainable Judge Bnrke will give the Pensacola and Tampa tracks prestige He is a capable and conscientious oUical well versed in matters pertaining to the sport known favorably to horsemen and has been regularly employed as presiding judge at Canadas most pretentious courses Woodbine and Blue Bon ¬ nets netsMr Mr Strode is negotiating with another wellknown eastern official to serve as racing secretary James Milton will in all probability be reappointed as starter J B Campbell now assistant secretary to Edward Maglun at Latonia will till the position of clerk of the scales The minor officials will also be selected with care Discussing the outlook for his coining meetings Mr Strode spoke encouragingly of tlie prospects The Pensacola venture looms up promisingly and has the moral and financial support of the best element of that citv said he They look forward with a great deal of anticipation and pleasure to the opening as I have promised them a brand of racing that will compare favorably with that at any other track None of those connected with last years racing at Pensacola will be in any way associated with me I have rebuilt the track and plant A comfortable grandstand and betting ring have been constructed and 300 roomv stalls pro ¬ vided The track proper has been widened fifty feet all around and there will be little danger of crowd ¬ ing I have secured promises from many wellknown horsemen that they will ship part or all of their strings to race with us Our opening date at Pen ¬ sacola will be Thanksgiving Day and we will con ¬ tinue the sport for thirty days going on then to Tampa for a stay of sixty days and returning to IVnsacola for another session of thirty days This will give the horsemen opportunity to race 120 days continuously on our tracks There will be no purse of less value than 200 at Pensacola and only one daily of that amount The other purses will grade to 300 and this amount will lie increased if condi ¬ tions warrant At Tampa there will l e a substan ¬ tial increase of purse moneys over Pensacola for we exjRct a good meeting at that point as racing there is beyond the experimental stage stageWe We Intend to have racing that will lie clean and creditable As a means to that end we will abso ¬ lutely bar touts
