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ON THE .W.I RE By HUGH J. McGUIREl THISTLEDOWN, North Randall, Ohio, June i7. — Sitting in on a meeting of the Ohio division of the Horsemens Benevolent and ana Protective protective Associa- and ana Protective protective Associa- Association held here to consider a proposal made by Thistledown manager Lou Pondfield for a reduction in purse distribution to compensate for a drop, in mutuel handle at the current meeting from the figures of last year, we could not help but br impressed by the understanding understanding of of the the understanding understanding of of the the situation displayed by the great majority of the horsemen of an unpleasant situation. Pondfield suggested that as the decline in mutuel handle found the track paying in purse distribution 64 per cent of its share of the handle, a revision downward was necessary. This in itself was not an unusual situation but when Pondf ields proposal was found to affect principally the earning power of horses in the lowest categories, opposition could have been expected. AAA In a group of horsemen such as are assembled here there are many who own or train horses in these lower claiming brackets and it is to the credit of these men that they had vision to see that any lowering of the standard for the better class horses would result in additional declines in wagering and would remove the incentive to induce better class horses to race at this course. It is true that few of the members in attendance would have demanded that the advertised and closed stakes values here be slashed in favor of the cheaper horses but these were quickly voted down. We thought it a very healthy sign that here were many men vitally interested in the earning power of cheap horses but who nevertheless voted to go along with the program of better purses for better horses that is generally believed to be in the best interest of the sport over a period of time. Eventually these same horsemen may find that they have done themselves a favor. Perhaps nowhere in racing than right here in the Cleveland area is it more apparent that the sport has literally been Norsemen take Purse Cut in Stride* Cooperate Fully With Management Aim to Uphold Standard of Sport lifted from the doldrums to a point at which it can command respect and appreciation. The climb has been long and arduous and is still in progress. A great deal of the credit for this situation can be laid to the stakes programs that give patrons opportunity to see in action horses of comparative quality. If such a program has been responsible for the success of the sport in this area it is a reasonable assumption that abandonment of such a policy would result in a drift back to conditions which would find the owners and trainers of cheap horses in a much less desireable position than they now find themselves. AAA - The origin of a stable racing here at present came about in a most unusual manner.. This is the Galerost Stable, which was formed by three members and trainer Tommy Stevens of L .lgton, Kentucky, when all four were prisoners of war in Germany. Members consist of Ernest Galloway, of Dixon, Kentucky; Gus Roessler, of Clarksville, Miss., and Sam Levinson, who has since dropped out of the alliance. The organization has had considerable success while operating on a small scale, and Stevens, who at this writing is leading trainer at this meeting, stated that the closest they came to having a "lemon" in the string was when they campaigned Hoop Parade through his three- and four-year-old years as a maiden. Starting as a five-year-old non-winner, Hoop Parade won eight of 12 races. Stevens now has 14 horses in his charge and some of these race for W. J. Sprow, Jr. This string includes Pie Bid, purchased from Louis Lee Haggin m., and Pick and Play, bought just the other day from Sam E. Wilson in Chicago and brought here for stakes engagements. * * A Stevens has had considerable success also with two juveniles and a three-year-old, the property of Howard Rouse, manager of the King Ranch Farm in Lexington. The three came to Stevens as maidens and all have ►won. They include the filly Beta, Ray, a miss in the first crop of the King Ranch stallion Beau Max, who is a nominee for the Susan Stakes. Four other Kentucky owners have horses in Stevens charge. These are Gene Shuck, of Bowling Springs Country Club, Lexington; Ray Mullen of Paducah, Fred Allen of Elizabeth town, and W. M. Wickham of Blumfield. Wickham is also the owner of the top sprinter White Skies. Associated with the stable is jockey Donal Bowcufc, of Phoenix, currently tied for third in the local jockey race. A A A In Brief: Chuck Bang, track announcer here, doubles in the same capacity in the evening at nearby Painesville trotting track. He will fill a similar dual role during the Randall Park and Grandview meetings. In addition he assists with publicity at several ovals and handicaps for newspapers. He is the son of Ed Bang, sports editor of the Cleveland News. . .The local division of the HBPA is working on a purse schedule to present to the management of Randall Park, which will include a request that purse distribution in stakes be limited to a percentage of the total distribution. . .There is no television coverage of racing here, but an Akron station tapes and airs three races daily. . .The East India Cup is on display at department stores in Cleveland. A replica of this trophy goes to the owner of the winner of the Ohio Derby. The original was made in England in 1807, but is itself a replica of the vase given to Lord Collingwood by King George m. following the battle of Trafalgar. Collingwood succeeded Horatio Nelson. AAA Irving Gushen, national president of the HBPA, is expected here Saturday. . .Charles "Martingale" Stefanek, patrol judge here, received pictures from his wife Lisa of the track at Milan, Italy. Mrs. Stefanek is touring several countries in Europe... The horses here of W. J. Sprow, Jr., are trained by Frank Fitzgerald. . .Trainer Marvin Greene received Jerry Lynchs Raintree from brother Stanley at Detroit. The son of Hypnotist n. has an engagement in Saturdays Shakertown Handicap. It now seems likely that there will be considerable traffic between these two cities for stakes engagements.
