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; . 4 Cut in Minimum Asked by HBPA Plan of Detroit Horsemen • Applies 00 Reduction to Better Races; Re-Elect Lindy DETROIT RACE COURSE, Livonia, Mich,. June 19. — Horsemen at the Detroit Race Course have approved a new purse plan where the minimum will be cut from ,000 to ,800 and the extra 00 applied to better races. Both the HBPA and MRA officials said the adjustment was to create "better purses for better horses," in other words, to create a bigger outlay between the worst and the best thoroughbreds. It was the first time here that owners and trainers had taken the lead -in seeking a reduction of the minimum. Even when stakes and other overnight purses were trimmed recently, the Michigan Racing Association retained the minimum at ,000. As it becomes more obvious that the betting would not approach last years 55,-000 daily average, Dr. Harry Lindy and his HBPA executive committee decided to take a cut to ,800. They also sought to reduce the Michigan Mile to 0,000, since the money was coming out of the 48 per cent of the tracks betting receipts allotted for purses. The MRA, anxious to maintain the Michigan Mile as the highlight of its meeting, countered with an offer to put up an extra 0,000 toward overnight purses and keep the mile at 0,000 at .least for this year. Once the horsemen accepted this arrangement, they backed Dr. Liridy in his criticism of the purse scale. "There is a very poor spread in purses — a very unhealthy situation," said Lindy. "Actually, the policy of better purses for better horses, cannot be followed with a ,000 minimum. Both the track and HBPA agree on this. Expect 00,000 Average j "From all indications, the MRA is going to handle an average of 00,000 daily and, as a 00,000 track, it should have an appropriate minimum — which we believe is ,800. At the same time, more money should be offered in other purses to attract good horses." The horsemen decided to submit the new claiming rule to a vote next week after many of them protested the change which requires all claimed horses to be moved up 25 per cent. Mail ballots will be sent to all owners and trainers who cannot vote at the reg-. ular HBPA election Thursday. Ten days after the election, all the votes will be tabulated and the results turned over to racing commissioner James Inglis for consideration. Dr. Lindy was re-elected to his fourth term as president of the Michigan division by acclamation, while the names of 13 owners and trainers were put up for the executive committee. Running on the trainers slate will be Walter Coleman, Charles Kranz, Frank Grand, Sr., Ray Grundy, Henry Johnston, C. P. Sowers, M. H. VanBerg, William Zakoor, George White, V. R. Wright and Fred Pohl. Nominated to run as owners were W. O. Bridge, Arthur Rose, Leo Herts-berg and Tremon McDermott. Near the end of the meeting Mrs. Audrey Gabel asked the HBPA to accept her resignation as secretary-treasurer, at least temporarily. In a voice shawing with emotion, the hard-working horsewoman explained that her health had been failing recently.
