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On the Trot L By MOR1UE KURLANSKY -J Progressive Policy of Langley Eliminating Incompetent Drivers New York Scribe Agrees With Him MAYWOOD PARK, Maywood, 111., June 27. — A policy being enforced by state steward C. J. "Pete" Langley at Maywood Park *■ this season is the sub- , J|p!SWk| well presented article *wmL : -Hm y a fellow member of 1KPWLjiHk the fourtn estate in JHEandfrlH New York. Warren Pack, harness writer -PSrB KikIpIH f or the New York jour_ rfwrnB nal ■mercan recently advocated that respec-■TPPB tive state racing offi-k cials should take steps BBTmR:™ toward ridding the sport of incompetent drivers. During the current season at the North Avenue oval, steward Langley personally has suggested changes in drivers. On each occasion, the performances of the respective horses were improved to such an extent that several old-timers hung up their silks and devoted their time just to training horses. Warren Packs article hits the nail on the head and justly so we feel that .our mid-western readers should be kept in- formed on the feelings elsewhere on this subject. Therefore, with all due respect to Pack and the New York Journal American, we re -print the following article: "Roosevelt Raceways policy of booting out horses that cannot go in 2 : 10 or better is a step forward. Now, if the track would only take some step to get rid of the incompetents who can be found in the sulky, •instead of at the rail, wed really be moving along. "Some of the lads — which is speaking literally, since some of the rarely-wins are well on in life — just dont belong in the sulky at a major race track. This goes double in spades for some owners wh6 delight in steering their own horses around the track. "Well, if they dont get experience, how can they become good drivers? one gny said. "The answer to that is obvious. Let em go the Freehold, or Siberia or East Lynne ~and learn there, in no-betting races, or " where the minor leagues are operating. "It used to be that the owner of a harness horse would automatically be given a license to drive. Imagine Hirsch Jacobs riding Stymie or Alf Vanverbilt taking Eric Guerin off Native Dancer for a stroll in the Belmont Stakes! "The key to the whole problem seems to be that there is a need for the state to step in and take over harness racing in New York. Right now, the United States Trotting Association, a private organization, mind you, issues licenses, collects fines, etc. , "You want to drive a trotter? Okay, you apply to the USTA and, through the mails, you get a provisional license. This entitles you to three count em drives. Then, if you havent killed anybody except the betting public, you get a nice, shiny license. "Some observers have suggested that there be more "amateur" races for green drivers, such as were held at Yonkers last year. This would be a partial answer, but certainly no solution. In the last four weeks, this observer has seen two youngsters out there at Westbury who have no justification for driving a horse in a betting race. Whats the answer? Well, first of all, a stricter control of licensing — by state officials. Second, a minimum standard to be set up at each track on qualifications for drivers, plus a review board to check N on each new driver." Hats off to Warren Pack for a fine presentation of a "serious" situation in harness racing. Our own state steward took ..it "Upon himself to help matters out here at Maywood. However, it shouldnt be necessary for a steward to put himself "on the spot" without a set practice to back up his decision to~take drivers off their mounts.
