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Three California Tracks Accept 4-3-2.7 Formula Santa Anita, Bay Meadows and Hollywood Agree to Purse Outlay LOS ANGELES, Calif., June 22.— At a meeting of the California Horse Racing Board today in its offices, Santa Ainta Park, Bay Meadows and Hollywood Park agreed to the purse formula of 4-32.7 as promulgated by chairman Dwight Murphy, who presided today with commissioner John H. Sattler, acting secretary Claire Douglass and with chief deputy attorney general William OConnor also in attendance. Commissioner Fred Pabst did not attend, because of illness. The board also approved Santa Anitas 1953-54 dates and the 1954 dates for Bay Meadows. Santa Anita, in announcing its acceptance of the 4-3-2.7 formula, said it would distribute about ,000,000 in stakes and purses next winter, with approximately ,000,000 for stakes and ,000,000. for overnight purses, which would run" up to 0,000. No specific stakes and purse program was presented, just the round figures. At the last Santa Anita meeting ,567,300 was distributed plus 7,225 in breeders awards. The next program, according to Santa Anita officials, will represent an increase of about 00,000 over last season. The board passed a resolution this afternoon that the 4-3-2.7 formula become part of the Califarnia Horse Racing Code. Final action will be taken on the resolution at Continued on Page Fiye Three California Tracks Accept 4-3-2.7 Formula Santa Anita,,. Bay Meadows and Hollywood Agree to Purse Outlay Continued from Page One the next regular meeting of the board next month. Trainers Willie Molter and Mrs. H. C. Morton, speaking unofficially for. the horsemen, said they believed the consensus of opinion among the horsemen was that the 4-3-2.7 formula should apply to the "major" Santa Anita Park and Hollywood Park, but that the "Tanforan formula," which approximates 40 per cent of the tracks share of the take, should apply to Bay Meadows, Tanforan, Golden Gate Fields and Del Mar. The managements of these four tracks went on record as being against this "discrimination." The 1953-54 Santa Anita dates will run for 50 days within the 10 weeks from December 26 through March .6. Bay Meadows will open on March 9 and run for 45 days within the nine weeks through May 8. The Horsemans Benevolent and Protec- tive Association was not officially represented at the boards meeting. The whole broad question of racing dates in California was opened up by Charles Coughlin, general manager of Golden Gate Fields. Although Coughlin did not file a formal protest.Vhe said that he felt the present set-up of racing dates in the state was unfair and that a greater consideration should be given Northern California tracks. Coughlin also said that he was against rotation of dates in Northern California and believed that the entire dates structure should #come in for a thorough discussion to relieve existing inequities. Most of the morning session was turned over to the hearing of various cases, all of which were taken under advisement for later determination in executive session.
