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3 t ------ DENIED ILLINOIS LICENSE Don Meade Jockey Don Meade, currently heading the American riding list, today was denied a license to ride in this state by the Illinois Racing Commission, members of which issued their ruling without further comment. The South Dakota reinsman, who made a surprise trip here from New York to make a personal appearance before the commission, would have handled "Mr. Frenchs" Boy Angler in the Arlington Futurity at Arlington Park had he been granted a license. Under todays ruling by the Illinois board, Meade still stands suspended in this state for his alleged betting activities in Florida over three years ago. The action came as somewhat of a surprise, in that Meade was reinstated in Florida last winter, and holds licenses in a number of other states, including New York, Maryland and Rhode Island. Whether the Illinois commissions refusal to follow the action in other states and reinstate Meade would cause a rift between this turf body and others was a matter of much conjecture at Arlington Park this afternoon. The wording of the ruling, which the commission released after its session, follows: Continued on thirty-ninth page. ............. ....... . ... I DENIED ILLINOIS LICENSE I Continued from first page. I .--.....4 "At a meeting of the Illinois Racing Commission, held Saturday, July 29, 1939, at 1 P. M., at its offices, 208 W. Washington Street, Chicago, 111., the application of Don Meade to ride as a jockey, filed in office of the commission at 12:25 P. M., was considered. , "Attending meeting were commissioners Walter C. Peacock and William Schlake, chairman Leo C. Spitz being out of the city. "The commission entered an order denying application of Don Meade for license as a jockey to ride in state of Illinois. "Signed, "Illinois Racing Commission." Meade was suspended on March 4, 1936, by the Florida Racing Commission for allegedly having wagered on horses which ran against those he rode. This was at Hialeah Park, when he was under contract to E. R. Erad-ley. After repeated attempts to obtain reinstatement, the riders suspension was lifted by the Florida board on August 12, 1938, and in the order restoring him to good standing, the commission gave no reason for its action. After his reinstatement, Meade received his first license at Tropical Park on December 19, 1938, and he was given permission to ride in New York on April 11, of this year. RIDER UNDECIDED. As late as yesterday Meade was undecided as to whether he would come to Chicago and seek a license to ride at Arlington today. Although he had reservations for the trip West, he was said to have told friends he wasnt sure he would come out to fill his Futurity engagement. He was said to have reached a decision late in the day, having received permission to cancel a mount in the seventh race at Empire City yesterday. That he presented himself before the Illinois commission suggested that he had received some intimation that his license request would be granted, but this conjecture could not be confirmed at Arlington Park this afternoon. Boy Angler, which Meade was to have ridden in todays Futurity, is owned by Mrs. Charles Freeman Shelden, whose nom de course is "Mr. French." Earlier in the afternoon Boy Angler, as well as E. R. Bradleys Bimelech, were withdrawn from the stake. They were to have performed as an entry, but they were withdrawn when it became apparent that the track would be no better than slow. Alex Gordon, who brought the horses from New York, said he had positive instructions from trainer Will Hurley that I the colts were not to start in the Futurity unless the track was fast. Meade, incidentally, was at Arlington ! Park as a visitor this afternoon. He declined j to discuss the commissions action. I
