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.. ON THE WIRE By HUGH J. McGUIRE DETROIT RACE COURSE, Livonia, Mich., June 10. James H. Inglis, the lone racing commissioner of Michigan, was to .. have have gone gone to to the the state state have have gone gone to to the the state state capital at Lansing this week to have written into the racing laws two minor rules, the original wording of which did not cover the intent of the rules. In writing the rule that permits an owner who has lost his last horse through claiming to enter a claim for another another horse, horse, it it was was another another horse, horse, it it was was written When a stable has been eliminated by claiming, the owner so affected shall have the right to claim during the next 30 racing days at any recognized meeting in this state, even though all or a portion, of the next 30 racing days take place in the following calendar year." It is our understanding that the rule is to be altered to read, in effect, "When a stable has been eliminated by claiming, or accident," etc. The inclusion of the words "or accident will grant to such stables as those who lost their last horse through jbhe recent fire, the right to claim. AAA When commissioner Inglis attended last years conference of midwest commissioners at Lexington it was left to him to draft a set of uniform rules for the area concerned, which embraced some eight states. Although it was understood at the time that the draft to be drawn by Inglis was for study by the various commissions, several of them took the draft at face value and adopted it. One of the rules under consideration was making it mandatory that all claims on the days program be filed before the running of the first race each day. A canvass of horsemen racing in Michigan led Inglis to believe that the horsemen preferred the present rule, which calls for the deposit of claims 15 minutes before post time for the race to which they pertain, and this rule will continue in this state. AAA The other rule which Inglis will have adopted in Michigan is the acceptance of the new contract clauses for apprentice jockeys as recently put into force in New York and elsewhere. This is the rule that permits the apprentice to claim his allowance until he has ridden 100 winners rather than the 40 winners generally stated in previous apprentice rules. It also carries special weight allowances to the original owner of the contract on the apprentice. lnglis Seeking Change in Two Rules Michigan Claiming Clause Stands To Adopt N.Y. Apprentice Standard The exact wording of the rule was not immediately available, but it is believed to follow verbatim, or in essence, the rule adopted in New York. A, A A Another rule which is under consideration, but will not be acted upon at this time, is the edict that would prohibit a horse that had been claimed from shipping to another track and racing there for a period, of 30 days, or to the end of the meeting at which the claim took place. This rule was in effect here last year after the horsemen had insisted upon it, but it was not one of the rules adopted by the convening commissioners at the Lexington conclave. The arguments of the horsemen in favor of such a rule are based on the claim that the owner of a horse so claimed, and removed from the track at which it was claimed, has no opportunity to reclaim the horse. We recall that at the commissioners convention this rule was considered, but abandoned when it was held by some that such a rule might be contrary to civil law covering the control of personal property in interstate commerce. Inglis was of the opinion that such a rule could be quite legal and operative through cooperation ofx the various racing commissions, and he would consider adopting such a rule in Michigan at the end of the season if it is found that there is need for it to protect horsemen who race in this state. A prominent horseman here pointed out one of the new rules of the Michigan Racing Commission, and questioned the wisdom of it. Over a, period of years, we have found this man to be honest end ethical and the fact that he pointed out this rule, knowing that we intended to write about it, rather than take advantage of it, would confirm our opinion of his character. While he is honest and ethical, this man is also alert to the possibilities that this rule might offer others less conscientious. He referred to rule 108, section B, which reads as" follows: "A claim may be made by ah authorized agent or trainer, but an agent or trainer may claim only for the account of those whom he is licensed as agent or trainer." a a a The original rule 107 was more protective to all concerned. It read, in part: ". . . Any starter is subject to claim by any owner or by his authorized agent." Our friend pointed out that the addition of the words "or trainer" in the rule quoted above left fI0Cr, . Adr.,6 alfiO ixivV the gate open for nefarious practice, hinging on the fact that the trainer need not be the authorized agent for the owner, but could claim for him. Our horseman cited two hypothetical cases where the rule might be flouted and cause considerable trouble and financial loss. In the "first case, he considered a trainer not overburdened with scruples, who foresaw a parting of the ways with his owner. The disgruntled trainer could convince another of his ilk to enter the latters ,000 horse for a claiming price of ,000 and then claim it at this advanced figure and split the difference between the two claiming prices, leaving the innocent and duped owner with a very expensive horse. AAA The second hypothetical case was as follows: The trainer who was not an. authorized agent enters a claim in the name of his owner. During the running of the race, the horse involved falls and breaks a leg, bows a tendon, or is incapacitated in anyl manner. The owner, either in collusion with the trainer or genuinely innocent, re-j fuses to honor the claim, stating that the trainer had no authority. to make it. Who owns such a horse under the rules of racing, or, perhaps more important, under the law of the land? Our horseman friend admitted that the two cases were not likely, to happen, but the-possibility was present and stranger cases have been argued. It is our understanding that this rule also is in effect in other states. The element, of riskj could be eliminated by simply reverting to the rule that stipulates that claims bej made either by an owner or an authorized agent. The latter could, of course, also be the trainer. AAA In Brief: Former jockey and outrider and now trainer, Harold. West, .is conditioning the horses of the Southland Stable of New Orleans, which is also Wests home. In his charge here are Major Event, Kissin Kate and Flash .Red and West expects three or four more that have been turned out to augment his string ,-. . . Trainer Kenneth Noe has a dozen horses here in a public stable. The horses race for C. C. Ortlieb, Mrs. H. A. Campbell, C. H: Mayne, J. Mal-lia, John Gibson and Tom Girdler. Noe had sworn to himself never -to train for so many owners, but finds to his surprise that he is enjoying thoroughly the present situation. He plans to ship the string to Arlington Park about June 22 where Girdlsrs good filly, Gambetta, has an engagement in the 0,000 Arlington Lassie on July 24. This is the miss by My Baby Rough Shod IT., who won Churchill Downs Debutante Stakes. - . iOCO.SS . twtimtauO .O Q , j j i j ! j j . j
