view raw text
BETWEEN RACES * «e« om HOLLYWOOD PARK, Inglewood, Calif., June 7. — Hugh Blue, secretary of Santa Anita, has returned from an extended stay in England and reports some progress in British acceptance of a new and bold Santa Anita plan to encourage international racing. Blue, who was the guest of Lord Sefton, milled for weeks with ranking British sportsmen, and expounded a" theory which is simple enough and one designed to aid the English out of their embarrassment over shortage of dollars, which to date has just about precluded their racing any horses under their own silks in this country. Blue has proposed, with the full backing of Los Angeles Turf Club, that British owners and breeders send over some of their younger stock, i.e., weanlings and unbroken yearlings to this country, where they would be leased to selected and responsible California owners, and whose trainers would take over the development of the young stock. The British horses would race at Santa Anita and other West Coast tracks in the silks of their owners, and their earnings, in dollars, would be sent to England. To make the arrangement attractive to American owners, the lease arrangement would provide a plan whereby they could become financially interested in the horses in question. The Americans, of course, would pay all shipping bills, thus relieving the necessity of our overseas cousins paying transportation costs in the United States. Space does not permit an exhaustive study of the plan in detail, but suffice to say it has been pronounced economically sound for both American and British interests, and it would not be surprising if some announcements regarding shipments were made in the not too distant future. Of course, it is obvious that if some of the horses were Anita Sponsors International Race Plan American Owners to Lease British Stock Aiden Roark Leaves for Arlington Post Has Brilliant Future as Turf Official to turn out of stake calibre, they would* find a ready sale and might make a better entree into the export market for the British than that which they have enjoyed to date. Of all overseas imports in recent years to the West Coast, only a few, including Noor and Mafosta, have stood up under long training and made good. The approach through the method outlined above would give Santa Anita more realistic International racing, which is where the club would benefit through the additional public interest created. AAA During our recent swing of the East, most everyone asked us about the progress of jockey John Gilbert toward recovery. We saw Gilbert at the races yesterday-and can report that he is getting along rather well, but no time limit has been set by the medics as to the date for his eventual release from treatments. He still has not regained complete use of and feeling in his fingers, but he can hold up a program and a pair of binoculars. Gilbert, pluckily, refuses to concede that he is through riding, prefers to wait a while yet before making up his mind and see how the therapy treatments pan out. Gilbert is now 36 and has been urged by his friends to "retire" to a career as a trainer. In fact, he has been offered several posts of importance, both here and in New Jersey, but at the moment he has refused them all and is continuing to mark time and waiting to see how his hands respond to medication. x Aiden Roark leave next week for Chicago, where he will assume his new post as a steward on the staff of Arlington and Washington Parks. Roark served his apprenticeship as a patrol judge at Santa Anita last winter, but he has a background which many deem ideal for a stewardship and West Coasters believe he will make something of a name for himself in turf circles by the time the two Lindheimer meetings close. Indeed, one high Santa Anita executive describes Roark as "one of the most outstanding younger officials we have ever seen." Roark was born in the Jiorse country of Ireland, County Kildare, where his father owned and raced thoroughbreds. He started riding himself at the age of 12, had some success on the flat, an even greater measure of the same when he became heavier and converted to steeplechase riding. Roark also gained great stature as a polo player, attaining a nine-goal rating, and played in some international classics, in 1939 for England against America, and later for the United States against the Argentine. Roark settled in this country by choice. "I started a tour of the world in 1927," explains Roark, and after trotting around the globe, decided that I liked America best of all, and California the best in the United States. Thats why I made my home here and became a citizen." AAA As might be imagined, Roark is an able horseman, an excellent judge of conformation, and has a personal stability and incisive thinking which will serve him in good stead in the Arlington-Washington stands. In both the Santa Anita and Chicago appointments, it was a case of the job seeking the man. Dr. Charles Strub, executive head of Santa Anita, decided he would be a good prospect Continued on Page Thirty-Three BETWEEN RACES I By OSCAR OTIS 1 Continued from Page Forty and invited him into the official family of the Los Angeles Turf Club. His work during the winter came to the attention of Lindheimer, who in turn invited him tp serve on his staff at Arlington and Washington. We rather think Roark will be an asset to racing in Chicago. He was only there once before in his life, that to play polo, and what he saw of the city, he liked. This corner can reveal that Roark is going places at Santa Anita, being in line there for early advancement solely because of his personality and demonstrated ability. Roark has some rather positive and constructive ideas about racing, its conduct and its relationship to the public, but he has asked the writer not to quote him at the present time because he has not as yet met his associates. He does make the observation, however, that in Europe the races seem to be run for the horses, with the public secondary, and has the notion that a proper balance between sheer sport and utmost consideration for the comfort and welfare of the public might be the ideal turf set-up. AAA A stewards job is not the sinecure that many imagine it to be, and it is a tougher job than it was 20 or 30 years ago. The days are gone when stewards can tell people to "move on" without having a real and in some case, as racing commissions, instances, the courts, sit in review upon all official actions. .The job calls for experience with thoroughbreds, an ability to understand a race as well as merely "see," and great judgment. This doesnt sound like too much to ask from a man, but when it is remembered that the individual also must have great tact in dealing with people, and a genuine sympathy and understanding of their problems, youll discover that really top stewards are not to be found in profusion.
