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BETWEEN RACES ByoscMom HOLLYWOOD PARK, Inglewood, Calif., May 31.— One of the most fantastic stories of American xacing has developed in Arizona during the last several weeks, and while the story is by no means concluded, it has progressed sufficiently that a clear picture may be discerned. Of all American racing states, in many ways Arizona is among the. most progressive, its standards are high, and its racing excellent. Not so long ago, the turf world was startled to read where the Arizona Racing t Commission suspended the stewards at Tucsons Rillito Park, two of the officials, James Owens and Bernie Roth, being disciplined for only one day, but Van Smelker, Jr., the steward representing the state at Rillito was fired. The ruling was made over the action of the stewards in permitting one Dink Parker, a Tucson cattleman, to race the horse Parkers Pride, after a positive test came back from the state lab, the test showing the presence of procaine. The facts seem to be about as follows: Parker is one of the best known, and most respected citizens of Tucson. He breeds a few horses, and races a few, mostly quarter horses. The horse, Parkers Pride, incurred some severe cuts, and a Tucson veterinarian prescribed pen-" icillin. This treatment was given. Parkers Pride ran, and the evidence came back that the horse had had some procaine. The state authorities launched an immediate investigation, discovered that a lapse of memory on the part of the vet was responsible for the positive. The man simply overlooked the fact that penicillin, a iministered in Steward Suspension Stirs Arizona Tempest Tucson Solidly Behind Rillito Management Rancher Dink Parker Seeks Court Recourse Colonel Hamilton Poses a Turf Mystery certain of its most effective forms, is suspended in procaine. Once it had been determined that there was no evil intent, and that the procaine had been injected because of an oversight, the stewards took away the purse of the race in question, but permitted Parkers Pride to race again, and took no action against Parker. The action of the Arizona Commission followed. A A A To say that consternation reigned in Tucson following the commissions announcement would be putting it mildly. One of the commissioners, Melville Haskell, Jr., was in the hospital recuperating from a broken hip incurred when his stallion, Spotted Bull, lunged at him in the paddock. The stewards, of course, were replaced, Clancy Wollard taking over for the state, Bob Nason, who operates a guest ranch near Tucson, and Virgil Bond, the announcer, acting as associates. The response of the Tucson dailies was not unexpected. Knowing the facts, the papers not only lambasted the racing commission, but called upon all citizens to attend the races the next Sunday as an evidence of the pride the City of Tucson had in the racing, its intergrity, its management, and its general operation. "We have utmost confidence in Rillito," thundered one paper, "and you can show the world what we think of Rillito by attending the " races." The good citizens of Tucson did turn out en masse, and Rillito had its biggest day in history. There is a feeling in Tucson that the suspension of the stewards, especially that of Van Smelker, Jr., was occasioned by a long-standing difference of opinion between the thoroughbred men and the quarter horse people. Rillito Park is known as the capitol of the quarter horse world, offering about three thoroughbred races, an afternoon as against five or six of the quarter variety. Moreover, its entire stakes program is carded for quarter horses. If this is Ntrue, it is most unfortunate, inasmuch as commissioner W. H. Haskell, who breeds both quarter horses and thoroughbreds, has been working closely with Marshall Cassidy of The Jockey Club, and also with the National Association of State Racing Commissioners to effect a liaison between the two groups, with regard to registration with the Club, and to pleasant relationships with the various states in which quarter horse racing is offered along with thoroughbred. Arizona, of course, is such a state, and more lately, California. In this state, Bay Meadows offers one quarter horse race a day, all major tracks may if they wish, but their growing emphasis seems to be at the fairs. The Solano County Fair, for instance, which opens Californias great "Punkin Circuit," has carded two a day in its condition book. The "Punkin Circuit," it might be added, is the greatest small wheel in the nation. The Los Angeles County Fair has in some years been the third-ranking track in the Continued on Page Thirty-Five — BETWEEN RACES I By OfCAR OTIS Continued from Page Forty -Four v state in the matter of total dally average handle, surpassing such well-known tracks as Bay Meadows and Tanforan. It can be reported that Haskell, representing the powerful American Quarter Horse Running Association, and the clubs Marshall Cas-sidy, see eye to see on registration problems and an announcement of procedure will be forthcoming when Cassidy returns from his European tour this Indian summer. AAA The legal aspects of the Parkers Pride case are not over. Parker is suing tne commission to enforce payment of the stakes purse his horse won at Rillito after the procaine incident on the theory that inasmuch as the states agent allowed the entry to be taken and the horse to start, he was entitled to. this purse. At "the moment, Rillitos management has refused to pay the purse to anyone, holding the sum in escrow at a Tucson bank. Haskells friends describe him as "fit to be tied" after the incident, which he was forced to witness, helpless, from his hospital bed. AAA Speaking of Arizona, one of the most engrossing mysteries of the state at the moment is the person being represented by Col. Fred A. Hamilton, retired U. S. Army officer youll recall his arguments with The Jockey Club over the thoroughbreds captured by his Army unit in Germany and Hungary in the planned purchase of yearling stock at Keeneland this summer. Colonel Hamilton showed up at Lexington a few weeks ago, asked to see the "top 20 yearlings" consigned to the vendue. "This is wonderful," Hamilton confided to a friend. "When I was with the Army and was engaged to purchase horses, I had a ,000 limit. Now Ive got the sky. Going into Lexington with what amounts to an unlimited bankroll is the thrill of my life." Colonel Hamilton has made arrangements with Melville Haskell, Jr., to board about a half dozen yearlings at the Iatters Tucson farm, one of the show places of Arizona. So far as we know, the coming vendue will mark the first time that Arizona money has ever competed for the top offerings in Keeneland bidding, and hence well may prove a landmark in the continuous and earnest effort to improve the breed in that state, an item about which this writer commented at considerable length last winter. A AA It is a foregone conclusion that whoever is in the market being represented by Colonel Hamilton will send the stock to stud at Tucson when their respective racing careers are over. There is an intense state pride in Cactusland, and there most, everyone is a qualified horseman or horse judge in his or her own right. The best guess as to the Hamilton patron is a Midwest millionaire .industrialist who has adopted Tucson as his or her winter home.
