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! ; • ; I BETWEEN RACES I By OSCAR OTIS Continued from Page Forty-Eight Saturday. "We can accommodate just under 1,000 head," says Tunney, "and even with this space, we will be forced to refuse stalls to about 700 head through sheer lack of room. We are reserving a few stalls for horses of a caliber to be able to compete in our rich stakes program. We feel that this season will be, perhaps, better than last in respect to quality of thoroughbreds, and it may just be that our stock was underestimated last season. We had Phil D., of course, and he didnt create more than a ripple of excitement at the time. His smashing fourth in the Kentucky Derby has done more to convince, perhaps belatedly, that our inaugural racing season at Denver last summer had far more class than was generally realized at the time. Prior to the Derby, Phil D. established his reputation against the best in California." AAA A number of people have asked why Hollywood Park does not convert its infield into an area of public use, such as prevails at Santa Anita, so we asked vice- president and general manager Jack F. Mackenzie about the matter. Explains Mackenzie: "We dont think the conversion would be worth it for two reasons. First, we havent the mountain backdrop which prevails at Santa Anita, and so have concentrated upon making our infield serve in place of the mountain as a background of beauty. Second, much of our infield is not level, and it would take a tremendous amount of fill to make it even and thus available to the public. The stands have proven quite ample to accommodate the largest crowds, and we feel that what we might gain on a few Saturdays would not compensate for the loss of our infield as an inspiration to our visitors." Hollywood Park has six lakes, a waterfall, trees in the hollow, and which do not interfere with the vision of the race, stately palms and, most spectacular, vast flower banks which are situated on sloping elevations. In the background there are rows of eucalyptus trees, which hide the stable area from view, but not tall enough to screen a bank of oil wells and part of the residential section of Ingle wood. A patron looking for scenery at Hollywood centers his gaze upon the infield rather, as at Santa Anita, of staring up at the mile-high mountains which, on clear days, seem to rise almost sheer from the backstretch.
