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. ON T H E WI RE By HUGH J. McGUIRE DETROIT RACE COURSE, Livonia, Mich., June 9. Operating on a long-range plan to foster good will and make new . .friends .friends for for the the track tracK .friends .friends for for the the track tracK and for racing, the management of Detroit Race Course is. carrying on a program that is certain to reach the attention of many people who otherwise might never have occasion to give the" sport a thought. Under the guidance of public relations director Paul Chandler, Chandler, the the track track last last Chandler, Chandler, the the track track last last year had made a 17-minute, sound motion picture in color titled, "The Michigan Mile," featuring the 0,000 stakes of the same name which is the richest race in the history of racing in the state. Luncheon and service clubs, union and fraternal groups were contacted and, as a result, in the first five months of this year the picture has been shown to about 6,000 people in every section of the state, including some remote corners 500 miles from the track. Wherever the picture was shown, the group was invited to come to the track as guests. AAA As a result, there are now on the books of the track 85 clubs, groups and conventions who are having their special day at the races this year. At the track, there is a new, private dining room set between the executive offices and here the guests are tendered lunch. This room is newly furnished, air-conditioned and can handle groups up to 250 visitors. The guests include Kiwanis, Lions, Rotary, Exchange and other clubs; Masonic lodges, Legion posts, fowling leagues, fair associations, military organizations, political groups and many ladies clubs. Coming as they do from scattered locations throughout the state, the host association feels that the story of the Detroit Race Course will be carried back in a favorable light. With the meeting just nicely under way, it is expected that during the 57-day session there will be an average of better than two such groups in attendance each day. AAA James P. Ross Jr., a placing judge here I and recently appointed racing secretary of the Atlantic City track, plans a trip to the New Jersey course over the week end of June 20 to confer with the track management over the details of the 50-day meeting which opens August 10. Ross tells us that racing over the turf will again be featured throughout the session and that the United Nations Handicap will once more be the final goal for horses who like to race over the grass. This race, which guarantees 0,000 to the winner, is be-coming to Atlantic City what the -Kentucky .1 iR.Kt .biltL T3i Detroit Race Course Publicity Wise Sound Color Film Widely Screened Atlantic City Features Turf Races Derby is to Churchill Downs, and the Preakness to Pimlico. AAA It will be recalled that, prior to the running of the United Nations, the best American-bred grass racers are matched and also the best foreign-breds that can be mustered. The first four to finish in each of these two allowance stakes are then invited to meet in the United Nations under handicap weights. There is a provision that should any of the first four to finish in either of the eliminating races be unable to keep his United Nations engagement; the fifth horse may be invited. The United Nations is only one phase of the grass racing at Atlantic City. Ross informs us that there will again be a diversified program of such contests throughout the meeting for all age and sex divisions, including a stakes for two-year-olds at one mile. The dirt track at Atlantic Cty is a mile and an eighth in circumference, which permits ample room for the inner grass course. AAA Among his many official track positions, Horace Wade holds the post "of racing secretary at Hazel Park, and he was here consulting with the management on plans for the meeting to follow that of the Detroit Race Course. Wade told us that he is somewhat perturbed over economic conditions in this area and that he plans to ask the HBPA to permit the opening of Hazel Park with a minimum jiurse of ,000. This is the same minimum purse that last years meeting started with, but. this would be increased if volume of business warranted such a move. Hazel Park has always operated under the policy of better purses for better horses, which has been accepted generally as fair procedure. Wades schedule calls for no less than 27 handicaps and features with values of from ,000 to double that figure and embracing a total outlay of 70,000, exclusive of his series of endurance races which are to be renewed. Wade left yesterday-for Chicago and then was to return to his Florida home. AAA One of the officials at this track remarked to us that there was an apprentice rider here who looked rather well on a horse and after watching the lad astride a mount we were inclined to agree. He is Billy Phelps, a 16-year-old boy from Erlanger, Ky., whom we had seen undergoing some of his training at Keeneland during the winter months. Phelps is under contract to James S. Jones, himself a former rider and now a successful trainer, and the boy put in well over a year a 00 VloJa?5i -i learning the rudiments of his profession before he was permitted to accept a mount in a race. After riding a half dozen races here, he brought home Mrs. Joe Tomlinsons Angledozer on June 1 for his first saddle success and he has now ridden three winners. Mrs. Tomlinson, whose horses are trained by Jones, has leased the lads contract for the meeting here. Phelps has a nice seat on a horse and appears to be able to think. Assistant Trainer Milton Kite of the Jones-trained menage believes that one of the lads best recommendations is that he listens to orders and rides to them. Phelps is a natural lightweight and, as long as he maintains his ability to listen to and act upon instructions from the proper sources, there appears to be no limit to the progress he can make in his profession. AAA In brief: In a shipment of horses that arrived here from New Jersey, trainer! Allan Dyson received Mrs. B. Milbergs Ann Jarvis, Buster Bedwell got Mrs. S. Pis-torios Sir Rhymer, and Nick Gonzalez accepted Astronomic, Crown Winner and Drive Over, who are the property of An-gelo Di Giacomo. . .". Mike Morrissey graduated from the Christ the King School in Lexington, Ky., before coming here to spend some time with his starter-father, John T. Morrissey. . . . Mr. and Mrs.. Joe Tomlinson plan to be at this course from their Toronto home on Saturday to witness the race of Mrs. Tomlinsons Chain Reaction in the Wolverine Handicap. This horse won the Connaught Cup Handicap at Woodbine Park last Saturday. Tomlinson and trainer James S. Jones were grounded at Lexington due to ah engine failure of the formers private plane, while Chain Reaction was winning the Canadian stakes and Loose Rock was successful in the Livonia Stakes here Saturday. . . . Trainer E. E. Russell added Polo Racoon and Head Draftsman to his string here. The horses came from Miami. ... A. J. Lombardi arrived from Wheeling with George W. W., Colony Dame, Brownstown and Manator. AAA Eddie Miller, announcer at sthe Hazel Park trots, is a frequent visitor. . . . Frank ONeill, one of starter John Morrisseys assistants, is the son of Pat ONeill, manager of the Bwamazon Farm of Millard Waldheim at Winchester, Ky. . . . Wade informs that the Gulfstream management is considering changing the conditions of the Florida Derby to permit the horse that finishes fifth to save his. nomination and starting fees, which amount to ,250. This race now guarantees 00,000 to the winner, with 5,000 to second, 2,000 to third and ,500 to fourth. The Florida Derby and the accompanying show provfd so popular last season that Wade tells us there were 15,000 people in the grandstand at 10 a. m. ,on the day of the race. i
