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California Board Sets Tentative Date Scheduie for Major Tracks Next Season Approval Will Be Withheld Pending Study of Fair Meets; Santa Anita to Open Dec. 26 By OSCAR OTIS LOS ANGELES, Calif., May 27. California dates for 1953 on both major and fair tracks came in for a lengthy discussion at a meeting of the California Horse Racing Board yesterday. While the dates for the major tracks presented no major problem, that of the fairs did, and the board withheld approval of the entire schedule until further study of the fair matter could be made. However, most major tracks approved the plan submitted by the California Horse Racing Board, and it is- probable that it will be adopted without major changes: The schedule tentative follows: SANTA ANITA, Dec. 26-March 7, 50 days, 5 days per week, 5 days for charity. TANFORAN, March 11-May 9, .43 days, 5 days per week, 3 days for charity. LOS ALAMETOS Quarter Horse, Aprjl 22-May 9, 16 days, 6 days per week, two for charity. HOLLYWOOD PARK, May 12-July 18, 50 days, 5 days per week, 5 for charity. CALIFORNIA HORSE RACING ASSOCIATION combination Quarter and harness racing at Bay Meadows: May. 15-June 20, 27 days, 5 days a week, 2 days for charity. DEL MAR, July 23-Sept. 7, 40 days, 6 days a week, 3 for charity. GOLDEN GATE FIELDS, Sept. 9- Oct. 24, 40 days, 6 days a week, 3 for charity. WESTERN HARNESS, Oct. 6-Nov 28,! 40 days, 5 days a week, 5 for charity. BAY MEADOWS, Oct. 26-Dec. 12, 40 days, 6 days a week, 3 for charity. Under this schedule, both Santa Anita and Bay Meadows would have two dark days, and there will be ho racing at Tan-f oran in the spring on Good Friday. The entire question of the fair dates hinges upon whether or not the state fair directors would be willing to give up admission day, or to race four days in opposition to a major meeting in northern California. The state fair board of directors will consider this problem at a special meeting to be called within the next two weeks. Until this, is held, no dates can be allotted inasmuch as most of the fairs in the state set their dates contingent upon those of the big state show. At the moment, there are two sets of dates, one depending upon an August 28 Sept. 7 run at the state fair, the other upon a Sept. 3 through Sept. 13 meeting. Dwight W. Murphy, chairman of the board, and the top board members, Jack H. Sattler and Fred W. Pabst, announced that henceforth a new type of license for a track would prevail, and this license would be contingent upon charity days being 100 per cent for charity. All income over actual operating expense would be forced to go to charity on the charity day in question. : : No allowance could be made for fixed annual expenses or salaries, insurance, taxes, etc. The various tracks, will be sent copies of the proposed rule, and may protest at the next meeting of the board, if they so desire. In all fairness, it must be pointed out that most tracks in the state already follow this accounting practice demanded by the board. Murphy also .revealed, that the racing commission is considering the adoption of a new rule which will govern the ejection from track enclosures of undesirables. The board asked for the opinions of track managers and newspaper men present on the effects of granting a request for the sale o"I film patrol pictures on a commercial basis. Most present thought such a sale would be a bad thing in that films were supposedly official pictures, and that their indiscriminate use might be harmful. It was decided to leave the rule applying to the suspension of jockeys to remain as is, although we understand the matter will be discussed further in the immediate months ahead. One school of thought favored setting down a rider from stake as well as dvernight mounts. Under the present regulation, a jockey may ride out his stake engagements if said engagements are on file with the stewards.
