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Shift First Week Of Aqueduct Meet Transfer Initial Six Days To Belmont; Construction at Home Track Not Completed NEW YORK. N. Y., May 29.— At a special meeting this afternoon, the New York State Racing Commission, with chairman Ashley T. Cole presiding, has decided to permit the Queens County Jockey Club operators of the Aqueduct Race Course, to shift the first week of its 18-day spring meeting, which is scheduled to open on Monday. June 3, from the Ozone Park plant to Belmont Park. The commissions statement explained that the Queens County Jockey Club was permitted to make the transfer because strikes have interrupted the construction going on at Aqueduct and that the work could not be completed in time for the opening. The commissions announcement also revealed that if this construction program was not completed by June 8, the end of the first week of Aqueduct-at-Bel-mont, the Queens County Jockey Club may be given permission to shift additional days of its meeting to Belmont Park. The commissions complete statement follows: •The New York State Racing Commission has considered the application of the Queens County Jockey Club to change the place of its race meeting for the week beginning June 3 and ending June 8, inclusive, from Aqueduct to Belmont Park Meeting Opens Monday The commission has made a comprehensive inspection of the work in progress at the Aqueduct Race Course, which is intended to materially increase the public facilities, both as to seating and comfort However, in view of the strikes which have interrupted the work, it is manifest that the improvements cannot be completed by June 3. the day for which the meeting was originally licensed to begin at the Aqueduct race course. "In order to serve public convenience and probably public safety, the commission has determined to permit the first week of the Aqueduct spring meeting to be held at Belmont Park. Unless material progress is made at once, in completing the improvements at Aqueduct, the commission may, under the necessity, direct that some further part of the spring meeting of the Queens County Jockey Club be transferred from Aqueduct to Belmont Park." As a result of this shift in courses. New York City will be a big financial loser When racing is held at Aqueduct and Jamaica, both of which are within the city lines. New York City gets all of the 5 per cent tax recently put into effect. But when the sport is conducted at Belmont Park, most of which is located in Nassau County, the city collects only one-quarter of the 5 per cent tax and Nassau county gets the other three-quarters.
