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I ; i Arlington Notebook By J. J. MURPHY ARLINGTON PARK, Arlington Heights, 111., June 28. Long before he could say, "We need one more to fill the eighth race," Ivan Thomas, Arlington Parks 39-year-old racing secretary, was bitten by a horse. Ivan lived with his parents at a South Dakota army post where his father was stationed with the 12th Cavalry. Horses used to stick their heads in Ivans nursery window and one day one of them nipped him. He did not know he had been infected with horse-itis until he was a grown lad and had majored in a pre-medical course at Junior College, worked as a motion picture projectionist, and graduated from Santa Clara University with a bachelor degree. Then one day Ivan obtained a position running press copy at the Tanforan track and his duties called for him to tour the stable area. On occasions he stopped to give a horse a friendly pat and they seemed to know he had been horse-bitten, because they reacted kindly. Abandoned were the ideas of becoming young, Dr. Thomas, another Cecil B. DeMille or even a bachelor. Thomas got himself a job with horses on a ranch near Santa Clara. He later acquired a couple of claiming runners to race at the California fairs and he ceased to be a bachelor. He was married in 1939 and he and Mrs. Thomas have two children, Michael, 2, and Kathy, 7. Neither have as i yet, been bitten by a horse. Ivan served in the U. S. Army Air Force from 1943 to early 1946, and then went to work for Bill Kyne in the racing secretarys office at Bay Meadows. Kyne appointed him racing secretary at Portland Meadows in the autumn of 1946 and since then he has served in a like capacity at Tanforan, Golden Gate, Bay Meadows, Centennial, at Denver, and at the California State Fair at Sacramento. His fine work attracted the attention of Benjamin F. Lindheimer, head of Arlington and Washington Park, and we are pleased to report that Mr. Lindheimer made no error in judgment in hiring him. The boy from South Dakota has made good in a big way. Ivans hobbies are tennis and dancing and his favorite dance tune is, "Im just crazy over horses, horses, horses." Wouldnt you know it! Jockey William Passmore, who arrived here this morning to ride General Staff in the Equipoise Mile, will fly back to Delaware Park this evening-. General Staff and trainer Jimmy McGee will go to Monmouth Park. . .Apprentice John Heckmann, who has been riding in fine form here, has been engaged by Knoll-wood Sarm for the Hyde Park Stakes. Knollwood has Paytu and Guy eligible for the event. Apprentice Ronnie Baldwin will have the mount on S. A. Alexanders Sids Pride in the Hyde Park. . . Jockey Doug Dodson has been engaged to ride for J. P. Keezek in the Matron Continued on Page Forty-Five Arlington Notebook By J. J. MURPHY Continued from Page Three and Arlington Lassie Stakes. . .DeVerne Emery has resigned as trainer of the Emerald Hill Stables horses effective July 1. He will then journey to New York or New Jersey with two horses for the Jerry McCarthy Stable and two for Leonard L. Emery. Otto H. Pohlman is visiting from his home in East St. Louis, 111. He. has some racing stock here in charge of George Nugent. . .Trainer Charlie Sanborn has sent Nightmarish, Covey, and Parting Day to the farm at Manchester, Ky. . . . A. P. Weller has purchased Miss Black from William Hal Bishop and will personally conduct the training of the mare. . .Chris Wood, Jr. and Carter Brown served as honorary stewards for the running of Fridays hurdle race. . . Andrew Crevolin, from California, lunching with Marge Lindheimer and Bob Henderson. ..Owner-trainer J. D. Francisco has shipped Desert Ruler to Fairmount Park . . . Charlie Sanborn has purchased the contract on apprentice Dudley Vanderboore from Jess Byrd . Another apprentice rider showed to good advantage when Gale Hatcher rode two winners yesterday. Hatcher is 20 years old and a native of Iuka, HI. Cinda, winner of the Betsy Ross Stakes at Garden State and a division of the Regret Handicap at Monmouth, is expected to arrive Monday to prepare for her engagement in the Arlington Matron ... Trainer Bob Mattingly has shipped Uncle Emory and MaryB. T. to Detroit... The five-year-old Futuramatic, owned by Mrs. Emil Denemark, has been sent to the farm at Hinsdale, HI. . . . Trainer A. E. Mettz has sent Mais Boy, John Bauer, and Bockalay, the property of Mr. and Mrs. G. B. Holman, to Fair-mount Park where they will be trained by John D. Mikel. Jockey Jimmy Stout, rider of Spartan Valor, will return to Delaware Park Sunday. . .Warless, a two-year-old gelding recently purchased from Calumet Farm by Mrs. O. S. Deming, of Cynthianna, Ky., was an arrival from Xexington and will be trained by J. P. Keezek. Ike Bassett is distributing an interesting little booklet on the requirements necessary to become a member and hold membership in the Jockeys Guild. . .Wise Hoop and Princess Dare, of the John Gibson Farm Stable, checked in from Detroit in charge of Pete Francis. . .Bennett Creech has shipped Grey Mike, Sassy Suzanne, Tricky Maude, Leapolino, and Balitown to Fairmount Park..:Horse owner, Ben En-dovina, who conducts a produce business, has a painting of a horse and jockey on the side of his trucks instead of a replica of. an artichoke or a cabbage. . .The publicity department is in receipt of a poem from my old contributor, Dashing Dick, that concerns jockey Arcaro and was written in 1942. Space does not permit its reproduction here.
