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Measure for Rotation Of Dates Is in House HouseSenate Senate Approves Bill Which May Be Amended by Assembly AssemblyA A bill providing for a rotation of Illinois racing dates among the various tracks in this area is to be put to a vote in the house of representatives at Springfield after hav ¬ ing passed the senate The vote in favor of the bill passed was 27 to 8 Opponents of the bill however believe it will be de ¬ feated when presented before the lower house of the state Igislature IgislatureUnder Under the bill if it passes the various tracks within a radius of 50 miles of Chi ¬ cago periodically will be given the choice midsummer and holiday dates most of which in recent years have been held by Arlington and Washington Parks ParksSenator Senator Frank Ryan one of the sponsors of the measure said that he would be agreeable if the bill is amended to apply only to the mile tracks in the area and thus exclude halfmile Sportsmans Park ParkProponents Proponents of the bill argue that with a more equitable distribution of choice dates Chicago would still be the seat of racing of national importance and that Hawthorne for instance would card stakes compara ¬ ble to the rich and attractive features at Arlington and Washington Parks if it were granted the more desirable midsummer dates datesOn On the other side of the question it is contended that such famous fixtures as the Classic American Derby and other big Chicago stakes would be lost in the rotat ¬ ing shuffle of dates that would cost Arling ¬ ton and Washington Parks their custom aryvJuly and August meetings In addition to the fact that these plants are better equipped to accommodate the large crowds that turn out at that period the arbitrary assignment of dates it is held would de ¬ prive the Illinois Racing Board of the authority vested in comissions by legis ¬ latures in other states and it would disrupt the stake schedules of owners of outstand ¬ ing horses horsesUnder Under the present stake setup champion thoroughbreds can compete in such impor ¬ tant races as the Kentucky Derby Preak ness and Belmont before moving on to Chi ¬ cago for the Classic and American Derby The dates of these events are now so fixed that horses can compete in all of them without hardship It is extremely improb ¬ able say opponents of the measure that owners of such a horse as Count Fleet for example would ship from the more lucra ¬ tive fields iff the East to the Chicago area for stakes of lesser caliber than the Clas ¬ sic and American Derby if Arlington and Washington Parks were unable to stage them in July and August
