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Story of Men Who Make Derby Americas No. 1 Horse Race Veeneman and Hugenberg * Head Executive Staff at Historic Louisville Track CHURCHILL DOWNS, Louisville, Ky., May 1. — The staging of the greatest sports spectacle in America, the Kentucky Derby, takes a lot of doing and the staff of president Bill Corum can be credited from year to year with an excellent job. While it takes more than 10,000 people to serve the needs of a Derby day crowd, and while each person plays his part in making it an enjoyable experience for the 100,000-plus spectators, the operation is in the hands of a comparatively few key executives. This story is an introduction, so to speak, of the men who make the Derby what it is. At the top of the executive chain of command are William H. Veeneman, chairman of the board of Churchill Downs, and Stanley F. Hugenberg, executive vice-president. Veeneman does not concern himself with details, but sits in judgment on the Derby as a whole and frequently makes constructive suggestions as to how the operation can be improved. He is an outstanding citizen of Kentucky who retired from business a number of years ago and in recent time devoted his executive talents to breeding, racing a stable, and fostering the growth of Churchill Downs in general and the prestige of the Kentucky Derby in particular. Hugenberg also is an executive and administrator of skill and judgment. It is he who makes prompt decisions on matters affecting the handling of the crowds, the speeding of the traffic to and from Churchill Downs on Derby day, the million and one things which arise during Derby Week and which demand immediate decision. While Hugenberg is more or less in the background, he is nonetheless greatly responsible for what might be termed a "good Derby," and it is to his credit that every Derby is a "good one." Weidekamp Mutuel Department Head Almost everybody who attends the Derby likes to back the horse of his fancy in the great event, and it is the duty of E. A. Weidekamp, supervisor of pari-mutuels, to accommodate them. He is a veteran who rose to his post through sheer merit under the late Col. Matt J. Winn, the "father of the Kentucky Derby." Weidekamp supervises the work of almost 1,200 pari-mutuel — — . — , employes, and provides early wagering facilities for the Derby only. The Derby field has to have a track over which to run, quite obviously, and the condition of this strip is the responsibility of veteran Tom Young, who takes pride in the fact that every Derby since Aristides has been run over exactly the same bit of ground, and tomorrows renewal will be 10 exception. "New cushion" is added about every other year to replace that lost through wind and erosion, but this new footing is always the same. It is obtained from a composte pile which is allowed to mellow for five years before it is used for replacement purposes. Tom Young has an able young aide in Cliff Burke, also an expert on tracks generally and Churchill in particular. Just as the Derby is about to be run, the eyes of the multitude are focused on the horses at the post, and the starting of the field is entrusted to Reuben White, who this year will be sending the horse on the run to fame and glory for the thirteenth time. The last twelve Derby starts have been good, and White takes such particular pains with the Derby, that it would be surprising if tomorrows break is anything but excellent. Assistant Starter for Every Horse White makes meticulous preparations for a Derby start. Be the field large or small, he is prepared. He has an assistant for every horse, just in the unlikely event that every horse might need an assist in breaking straight in the gate. In addition to his own crew, other assistant starters are invited to Louisville for the Derby — just in case. The starting of the Derby field poses special problems, in turn necessitating special precautions, because of the crowds near that point. There are a great many camera men there, not all experienced in Derby work, and protective ropes are set up to make sure that while the lensmen get the pictures they want, there is no possibility of interference with the starters. White must make certain they do not get into an area where their movements, or light from flash bulbs, would cause a horse to swerve. White says the jockeys cooperate fully in effecting a good getaway, for it is obviously to their advantage to do so. Assuming there is a jam, a jockey realizes that the victim could be himself. White cheerfully admits that the task of starting has been made easier by the auto- - matic starting gate, in the case of the Derby, the Bahr Gate with certain improvements developed by the Puett corporation. "But you still have to start a race with the eye," comments White. "Therefore, it is important that the mechanism opening the ! gate responds instantly to the press of a k button, for in a split second a horse can 1 turn or get out of alignment. I have to [ study my field, and learn the personal idiosyncrasies, if any, of the starters. This ! information is passed on to the assistant starters, who are carefully briefed on how to handle each horse. Known slow breakers are singled out for special attention. It should be noted that the Derby starters are the finest of the American three -year-olds, and almost without exception, they are well mannered and well trained." While White operates under great pressure, he steels his nerves until after the break, after which he allows himself to relax. Then the pressure is off — until next year at this same time. After the start, the supervision of the race is under the experienced and calm eyes of the three stewards, Sam H. Mc- Meekin, Jack G. Goode, and Jack S. Young. McMeekin is a former newspaper man who was graduated to the ranks of turf officials many years ago. His stewardship at Churchill Downs has established him as one of the "senior statesmen" in racing. Goode literally grew up on the racetrack. He is the son of the late John M. Goode of Kentucky, one of Americas best known and greatest trainers. Young also is one of the best known and Continued on Page Forty-Seven Officials Behind Scenes at Derby x Veeneman and Hugenberg Head Executive Staff at Historic Louisville Track Continued from Page Forty-Four most respected stewards in racing, serving ias steward representing the Kentucky Racing Commission. He is active almost the Uyear round, for, in addition to his duties in Kentucky spring and fall, he serves in Detroit in the summer, and at New Orleans *m the winter. Mention of the Derby personnel would ,not be complete without a reference to the man who cards the race and arranges for the supporting cast, the other Derby Day vaces. We refer to the racing secretary, Lincoln G. Plaut, a former turf writer, but ,in recent years a racing official. . Still others who contribute to the day and the event are the men who handle ad-kmissions, and the ushers, and, the protective service provided by the Thoroughbred Racing Protective Bureau under Spencer J. Drayton and the agent in charge of the mid-west area, Bob Laughlin; the man who "fcees that everybody gets fed and his thirst quenched, Joe Stevens, representing the JJarry M. Stevens Company, a job, as you might imagine, of considerable magnitude, but which is accomplished with speed and "skill: the Mayor of Louisville, whose traffic men are on duty to see that the visitors get to the Downs and back to their starting point with minimum delay. There are others whom space does not permit mentioning. Everyone at Churchill Downs is imbued with a personal sense of responsibility to make the day one long to be remembered. It is a responsibility to the turf of America that is not taken lightly.
