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HAWTHORNES BEST RACING Judge Murphy Predicts Great Sport for Cicero Course Tanforan Big Success. Joseph A. Murphy spent yesterday in the city in conference with the directors and officers of the Business Mens Racing Association arranging the preliminary details of the Hawthorne meeting, which opens in August. He and president Schank visited Hawthorne and found that the improvements are well on to completion. "Hawthornes meetings this year will be the greatest in the history of the track," said judge Murphy. "We shall not only have the pick of the western stables, but will also have the cream of those from the Pacific Coast, and divisions from the big eastern establishments. Superintendent Miller already has applications for over 1,200 horses. Secretary Joe McLennan has been instructed to have the stake blanks printed at once for the summer meeting, although the closing time will be set for either the last of the Washington Park meeting or early during the Arlington meeting. The policy of the association- has always been against early closing of stakes. "The Tanforan meeting was one of the sportiest ventures with which I have ever been connected. It was absolutely refreshing to see the enthusiasm of the spectators over the racing. We expected a big deficit in the meeting, but found that it was not necessary to call upon any of the underwriters and the size and quality of the crowds indicated that racing may be on its way to a permanent home in northern California. Each day of racing the club house was crowded with the best citizenship of California, and the last day, after two weeks of trial, and in the face of some great counter-attractions, including an athletic meeting between Stanford and California, and exhibition at Mills Field of the Army Aviation Department, and the baseball we had over 16,000 actual people on the grounds. When it is considered that racing has been practically away from San Francisco and its environ for nearly twenty years, the gathering was a tremendous tribute to the popularity of the thoroughbred horse. It was also amazing how quickly the public fell into the plan of paying refunds only on the winner. The whole system seemed revolutionary, but the public took to it quickly and kindly and there is no question whatever but that racing can be built up without place or show betting of any character."
