view raw text
SUGGEST CHANGES IN REPORT 1 Arlington Downs Stewards Advocate Adoption of Eeceiving Barn. Suggestion Also Made to Do Away With Jockey Agents Receiving Barn Con- sidered Important. ARLINGTON, Texas, April 19. It was announced by judge J. A. Murphy, Thursday, that the stewards of the Arlington Downs Jockey Club, in their final report to the racing commission of the meeting just drawing to a close, will embody some suggestions, the adoption of which they will strongly advocate. "The most important of these is the establishment of receiving barns at all of the major race tracks," said judge Murphy. "The stewards believe that this certainly would be a tremendous step forward in establishing public confidence in racing" in Texas. The receiving barn, which has been tried with such success in California, not only will absolutely do away with the stimulating of horses, in the judgment of the stewards, but will also give a closer supervision over the bodily condition of horses entered in races for the day, as under the regulations of the receiving barn, horses must be delivered into it at least an hour before the time set for the race, and f rom that time on they will be under the: direct care of the track veterinarian and an official of the association who will be selected with the greatest of care. "The stewards suggest, so as not .to work a hardship on the smaller tracks, to make the rule read that on and after this date any track licensed by the racing commission in cities which have or may hereafter have a population of 75,000 or more, a receiving barn must be erected, and no license will continue until this provision has been met. This will give the major race tracks plenty of time before the fall meeting to provide this adjunct. "The stewards have also recommended the abolishment of all jockeys agents and the appointment at each track of a .competent official to make the engagements of the riders. The suggestion has been made that unless a jockey chooses to make-his own engagement, or the owner or trainer of the stable with which he is under contract chose to do the work, all engagements must be made by the official appointed, and by the racing commission or the association itself. "The stewards have also recommended that licenses of authorized agents be raised from to 5, and that instead of a mere authorization as now exists, a contract, be drawn by which the agent is given power of attorney by the owner, not only to make entries and look after general business of the stable, but also to draw, all moneys credited to the stable in the office. It is believed that in this way the position of authorized agents will really mean something instead of it becoming a mere blind for the purpose of hustling mounts for some jockey. "Under the conditions it is believed that the stewards might be given power to permit such a well authenticated agent to make the mounts of the stable jockey. Provisions could be drawn into the new rule which would not work a hardship on the riders, to the extent that all mounts made by the association representative could be submitted to the contract employer, who would have the right to file any objection to a boy riding certain horses, such as bad actors, or possible bleeders or unsound animals, and such protests would, of course, receive the proper conideration. "The stewards believe that such a rule will go a long ways toward clearing up the general atmosphere not only of the racing secretarys office, but of the entire racing. "The stewards are also very strongly in favor of the establishment at all major race tracks of a totalizator, but they have not embodied it in their recommendations, because installation and operation might prove a burden on tracks in the state not at present financially able to carry it." .
