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BETWEEN RACES i oxm ore HOLLYWOOD PARK, Inglewood, Calif., May 22. — Perhaps nowhere in America is the miracle of television more appreciated than here on the West Coast, for in this somewhat isolated empire, fans are now avidly tuning in on their TV screens not only the "Triple Crown" classics, but also the Gillette series from New York of a Saturday. The latter is easily one of the most popular programs on the air, and by reason of the continuity of the presentations has gained a tremendous popularity. These telecasts, by the way, have made something of a national figure of Sammy Renick, former rider who came into TV through a series of bizarre circumstances which are worth putting down for the records. Renick, even during his riding days, was always quick with an adjective, seldom being at a loss for words, and, after his retirement from the saddle, while the owner of a stable, was frequently pressed into service as a master of ceremonies at the Jockeys Guild dinners. It was this "gift of gab" which brought him to the attention of Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt when the latter was instrumental in setting up some TV shows at Belmont Park in 1947, and the man, after a few runs, sponsored Renick to take over what amounted to a complete production of the turf shows emanating from Belmont. Renick had a natural flair for the work, and the technical quality of the shows was constantly improved through experience until today, with the backing of Gillette, they leave little to be desired. AAA Renick not only has a knowledge of racing, but has ridden in and won many of the stakes which are now being telecast, as, for instance, the Metropolitan tomorrow. He won that stake for Vanderbilt with Good Harvest back in 1936. A keen observer of racing, he can ask riders pointed questions after the race, as well as owners and New York Turfcasts Popular on West Coast Commentator Sammy Renick Has Gift of Gab Accuracy, Flair for Words, Aids His Career Committee Reports on Subject at Convention trainers, questions which really mean something and add to the color of the show, whereas a MC without racing experience almost invariably asks inane questions, the obvious, and which to racing fans are somewhat annoying. Renick tells us that with the new type lens now being used, the screen picture of the race is about on a par with the visual image of the average fans eyes at the race track, and does not believe that the spotting of TV cameras at the same vantage points as those enjoyed by the film patrol lenses would improve the quality of the show. "You would get a closer up picture than those now telecast," explains Renick, "but at the same time, you would tend to lose an all over understanding of the race, for the film patrol breaks it up into small segments. For public presentation, more would be lost than gained by changing our camera set-up." AAA Renick also has added a great deal of confidence in the TV series by ad libbing everything, a circumstance which is made possible only because of his thorough knowledge of his subject, and his lifetime background in racing. In Florida last winter, he was on a TV program, which he produced himself, for a timed 44 minutes. As a one-time radio turfcaster, we can testify from personal experience that 44 minutes is a lot of talking. And while most good broadcasters and TV master of ceremonies of such shows as the Gillette New York series must have fire and temperament to put over their message, Renick, while he has such a temperament, has it under iron control, a con trol developed through his years of riding. In speaking of TV, it might be mentioned that almost every stable on the Hollywood Park backstretch now has its own TV set, and all hands turn to watching the New York race rather than the dash which happens to be prevailing on the track here of the same afternoon. This occasions no hardship, for, because of the difference in time, the eastern stake race is over and under discussion long before the stake offering of Hollywood Park is ready for presentation. AAA Henry Millars report on public relations to the NASRC convention in Boston next month will contain an exhaustive study of TV and its relationship to the turf, and how best this new medium of "reaching the public" may be utilized for the good of racing. This subject is by no means new, for it has been a topic of discussion in high turf echelons ever since TV made its debut. Hollywood, for instance, is not in favor of any live TV of its races at any time, but does fancy a night show might be okay, but so far no show for evening screening has been produced mainly because no sponsor has been found for such a show. Evening costs in Los Angeles are rated prohibitive by potential sponsors, although there is some talk that several sponsors may share the costs. At the same time, the New York series, as noted above, has aroused a nationwide interest, if the West Coast may be taken as a criterion, which is little short of astonishing. Perhaps one reason for the reluctance of Hollywood to permit a once-a-week telecast live from the track is the example of Coast League baseball, which is in dire condition, attendance-wise. Crowds of 500 to 600 are now commonplace in such a major city as San Francisco. TV has not only made it possible for fans to stay home and see the games, but as Wathen Knebelkamp pointed out in Kentucky, the night time games run into rugged counter entertainment attractions such as the "I Love Lucy" show. The Coast Continued on Page Forty-Eight BETWEEN RACES By OSCAR OTIS Continued from Page Fifty-Two turf attitude, then, may be summed up as "wait a little longer and see." AAA . Those two new portable barns on the backstretch to accommodate horsemen, who, through circumstance, were "frozen out" of Hollywood Park stall space, are being paid for by the HBPA. The amount expended by Hollywood Park in obtaining and erecting said barns is being deducted from purse distribution. It strikes this observer that this was a wise move in an effort to heal up, as quickly as possible, the wounds created by the so-called boycott which delayed Hollywoods opening by four days, days which will be made up at the end of the meeting, through an extension granted by the racing board. The horsemen who were caught in this switch were those who did not sign the "agreement" to race, and hence were" not allotted stalls. Incidentally, the shortage of stalls here was not caused by acceptance of a flock of cheap horses, but rather the failure of the management to cull their stables as in previous years. The reason for this failure was managerial anxiety to get horses on the grounds in the hopes they would open on schedule, an anxiety which sounded good in theory but did not quite work out that way.
