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THISTLE DOWN RACING DATES Cleveland Track to Stage Meeting of Thirty-Five Days. Joseph A. Murphy Selected as Director of Racing Announces Staff of Officials Selected. DETROIT, Mich., May 29 That the city of Cleveland is on the way to take its place as one of the outstanding thoroughbred racing centers of the Middle West, was definitely established today when announcement was made through Joseph A. Murphy, who will serve as director of racing and presiding steward, that he had been authorized by the syndicate of wealthy men who have taken over the Thistle Down track, to outline the plans and purposes of the new organization. The Ohio State Racing Commission has authorized a meeting of thirty-six days, beginning July 7 and ending August 15, thus absorbing all the time between the two Detroit meetings, the present one closing July 4 and the fall meeting opening August 15, the closing day at Cleveland. Harry Allshouse, president of the Thistle Down Association, has advised judge Murphy that there are over 100 men at work thoroughly remodeling the track, and that over 0,000 is being spent in bringing it up to all modern zequirements. These improvements will be finished by June 15 and the track will not be open to horsemen until after that date. It has been decided that the minimum purse will be 00, with a feature of 00 each day and one at ,000 each Wednesday, while on the six Saturdays of the meeting there will be a stake of ,500 added value. Charles F. Henry will act as racing secretary and has been instructed to draw these stakes at once and also to prepare the first book of the meeting, which will be in- the hands of horsemen within the next ten days. With the meagre details which have already leaked out in respect to the meeting, there have been applications already for stall room from all the leading racing establishments at Detroit and many from Latonia, Chicago and the East, and there will be assembled without question at Thistle Down when the meeting opens the greatest aggregate of thoroughbreds in the history of the Forest City. Judge Murphy, who will be in complete charge of the racing, has gathered together a complete staff of officials, which is as follows: Stewards, Joseph A. Murphy, Jack S. Young, Harry Allshouse; placing judges, Charles F. Henry, John Carey, James F. Gallagher; racing secretary, Charles F. Henry; starter, George "Buddy" Winyfield; patrol judge, Frank Otis; paddock judge and timer, George Peterson; clerk of scales, James F. Gallagher; custodian of jockey room, William F. Kelly.
