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Beulah to Ask for Two More Days Than Assigned Request Sept. 10 and 1 1 Be Added In Fall; Hamilton to Ask Change COLUMBUS, Ohio, June 22.— Beulah Park has been assigned a 23-day meeting Sept. 13-Oct. 9 for its fall running race season but the management of the Grove City course is hopeful of opening Friday, Sept. 10, and closing Saturday, Oct. 9 — a total of 25 days. In either case, the track will be closed Thursday, Sept. 23, when the Little Brown Jug pacing classic is raced at nearby Delaware. Beulah was one of the tracks whose schedule was trimmed by the state racing commission when that body granted tentative dates last winter. Robert J. Dienst, Beulahs president and general manager, today confirmed a widespread rumor that the track was hopeful of staging a 25-day meeting in the fall. Regarding the two extra days, to which the Beulah management feels it is entitled, Dienst said: "We plan to write a letter to the commission asking the two additional days Sept. 10 and 11 first." Dienst declined to elaborate on whether Beulah contemplated court action should its request* be denied but use of the word "first" in his statement definitely implied that such a move is being considered. The first court case on such a matter, filed by River Downs in Hamilton County Common Pleas Court, was won by the track last May. The decision permitted the Cincinnati course to open its current meeting June 4 instead of June 7. The latter date having been assigned by the commission originally. Meanwhile, Hugh A. Sherer of State Attorney General C. W. ONeills staff, has advised the racing board it must be prepared to cite facts and figures that "an area has too much racing, or it will lose in court every time." Sherer told the commission in the presence of newsmen: "It is not enough to go into court and state flatly that such and such a city has too much racing. You must have evidence —facts and figures — to support your contention." The Ohio Sports Enterprises, Inc., which operates the running races at the Butler County Fair Grounds, is seeking the restoration of the two days which the board clipped from its schedule. Hamilton asked for August 16-September 6 but instead was granted August 18-September 6. It could not be learned whether the Hamilton-track headed by D. E. Cronin, contemplates court action should the racing commission deny the request, which has been made via letter. One member of the commission, Otto Elliott of Millersburg, is openly in favor of a plan to assign dates in proportion to the population of the area to which the tracks cater. Under such an arrangement, tracks in the Cleveland area would receive the bulk of the dates, followed by those near Cincinnati, Columbus and Toledo. Ohio law at present grants a track more than three-quarters of a mile in circumference a maximum of 44 racing dates while those under three-quarters of a mile are limited to 38. Only two tracks — Lebanon and Hilliards — have been granted their full quota of dates by the board. Both are night harness race plants. River Downs also is operating for its full 44-day period, thanks to its court victory. Another development today was. the receipt of an application by the commission from the Toledo Turf Club for 19 days of running races in October at Fort Miami. The Toledo Turf Club, headed by Ralph A. Parachek, conducted a 25-day meeting at the Fort Miami course last spring. If the commission follows its general policy, it will pare two days from Fort Miamis schedule, granting that track a total of 42 days for the 1954 season.
