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I Here and There on the Turf Tropical Meeting Big Winner Later Season Helpful Gulfstream Wants Share Commission Given Problem - - Tropical Parks most successful meeting officially comes to a close tomorrow with presentation of a program headed by the 0,000 Tropical Handicap, richest race annually offered by the Gables Racing Association. A Charity Day program will be staged Monday. Wagering at the mid-winter session at Tropical was off, but the increase during the current session is so great that a new record is being established, much to the gratification of the management. The Tropical Park increase wasnt so surprising, although Hialeah Park suffered a decrease, as the Miami Jockey Club course was off to a slow start in its forty-five-day meeting, but just when full momentum was achieved the end came and this enthusiasm was extended to the Coral Gables track. Making the Tropical Park increase more noteworthy Continued on fifteenth page. HERE AND THERE ON THE TURF Continued from second page was the fact that favorites didnt fare so well over the newly resoiled track. Between now and next winter Hialeah and Tropical Parks will be troubled with the presence of Gulfstream Park in the picture. The latter course undoubtedly will ask for a share of the Miami dates, now divided between the two older tracks, and the latter can be expected to oppose the application. Under the Florida racing law, Gulfstream Park was entitled to the franchise granted by the state racing commission. Whether it has a right to ask for a portion of the dates now held by Hialeah and Tropical is a question for chairman Joseph Stein and his associates on the Florida commission to decide. They may be expected to base their decision on their own viewpoint and not what racing people may think or wish the situation should be. Whatever the answer to the question, it will not be satisfactory to every one. Not even Solomon could give a decision in this matter that would appease all. By virtue of its position as the pioneer among Florida tracks as well being the most beautiful and representing the greatest investment, Hialeah Park believes itself entitled to the best dates, which are substantially those it has been using right along with the opening in mid-January and closing the first Saturday in March. Tropical Park for several years sought a share of this time, but being unsuccessful finally obtained a change in the law to permit operation beyond April 1. A mid-December opening of its early meeting was not so satisfactory, but the later closing of the season has proven a good winner, even though April 1 generally finds most of the horses ready to go north. Now Tropical is satisfied with the date arrangement. It was thoroughly demonstrated when Gulfstream Park attempted to operate in opposition to Hialeah that two tracks in the Miami area could not run successfully at the same time. The new course near Hollywood had a fine opening, but patronage then fell to such a low point that one of the leading sponsors withdrew his support and the meeting collapsed. John C. Horning, builder of the course and its principal stockholder, will want his money out of the venture and his only chances are to sell the plant or obtain the opportunity to operate it at a profit. This only can be done with dates not conflicting with any other track, but with the Florida season only so long, the other courses may be expected to object in their most strenuous fashion to any division of the time now held between them. Gulfstream probably would not encounter much trouble getting the greater part of December for a meeting, but this period is long before the influx of tourists reaches its peak. Many visitors reach Florida about the first of December, but very few of them can be counted upon to give racing the sort of support necessary for its existence. The time may be coming when a track can operate successfully during December, but that would not have been possible this winter, judging by the results of Tropical Parks early meeting. That track did all right, but not until after the session was well under way. Whatever action is taken by the Florida commission on the dates, it should be done as early as possible, certainly by early autumn, so that the associations may formulate their plans in order that the horsemen may be properly advised.
