view raw text
Find No Irregularities I In Golden Gate Racing p Attorney General Howser Makes [5 Report Following Investigation LOS ANGELES, Calif., May 11.— There are no indications of irregularities at Golden Gate race track, attorney general Fred N. Howser reported today. On the contrary, an investigation conducted by chief special agent G. W. Griffin showed the track to be operating at an unusually high level, Howser said. The investigation followed complaints that a tip-off system is operating out of the track, and that bookmakers have been driven out of business by the unusually high percentage of favorites winning. Assistant attorney general Kenneth E. Lynch, who is in charge of racing problems for Howsers office, said that virtually every jockey at Golden Gate had been interviewed in the investigation as well as stewards, the track management, and other sources. The investigation covered the winning of the first race on May 4 by the horse named Vim Rose that paid 12.80 to win. Lynch said the investigation showed there was nothing irregular about the running of the race. "I am glad to see the public getting a break," attorney general Howser commented, with reference to the high percentage of favorites winning at Golden Gate. Howser asserted that complaints about the track undoubtedly were inspired by bookmakers, after 37 per cent of favorites won at the track up to May 6. Lynch interviewed jockey Jackie West-rope and Bert Thompson, president of the Jockeys Guild, here yesterday in a continuing phase of the investigation. In his report, chief special agent Griffin said the long odds on Vim Rose probably resulted because no form had been established on it, as this was its first race. His conclusion was based on testimony taken from presiding steward James G. McGill. Steward Chester C. Jones, representing the California Horse Racing Board, and associate steward R. E. Leighninger were present during this interview. Griffin said Robert R. Talbot, in charge of the Bureau of Investigation of the Horse Racing Board, agreed with this statement. Col. F. L. Carr, trainer of Vim Rose, and jockey Michael Caffarella were also interviewed. Carr said he knew the horse could run but did not expect it to win. Caffarella said that the horse showed inexperience but that when he got it into the open, he had no difficulty winning. "Jockey John Longden, who rode the No. 1 horse, a favorite in this particular race, explained that his horse simply ran out of wind during the race. Both he and Caffarella stated that there was nothing unusual about the running of this particular race," Griffin informed Howser. Longden, Caffarella, Westrope and Carroll Bierman, all jockeys at the track, stated there had been no irregularities in the running of the races at the track to the best of their knowledge. Motion pictures of numerous races at the track were again reviewed. Presiding steward McGill told Griffin that if the bookies were losing money on races at this track, it probably was that 37 per cent of the favorites had won their races to May 6, 1949. McGill said he considered it a healthy condition if 33 per cent of the favorites won. He stated that on May 6, 50 per cent of the favorites as selected in Daily Racing Form won and that, in his opinion, bookies preferred the favorites to run out of the money, and that there is no justification of rumors of a tip-off system emanating from Golden Gate Fields.
