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Board Sets California 1955 Race Dates; Schedule Parallels That of Current Year Turn Down Santa Anitas Bid4 For 55 Days; Palm Springs Given Quarter Horse Permit By OSCAR OTIS LOS ANGELES, Calif., June 29. Racing dates for 1955 were allotted by the California Horse Racing Board at its all-day session in downtown Los Angeles on Monday. After giving the dates, which follow pretty jnuch the pattern as has prevailed in recent years, with all tracks taking a cut in their legal allotment, and which saw the denial of a strong plea by Santa Anita for a full allotment of 55 days, the board proceeded to take up a number of other items of major interest. One the most important was the granting of a license to the Desert Turf Club of Palm Springs to conduct quarter horse racing at the desert spa, the board finding, by a 2-1 vote, that the granting of such a license would be in the public interest. At the same time, the board decided, by unanimous vote, that granting, a license to Palm, Springs Turf, Club, which had ap7 41, Continued-n Page -fertySeven l t Board Sets California 1955 Race Dates; Schedule Parallels That of Current Year Turn Down Santa Anitas Bid For 55 Days; Palm Springs Given Quarter Horse Permit Continued from Page One plied for a thoroughbred permit, would not be in the public interest. Commissioner George I. Holmes of Beverly Hills cast the dissenting vote against the Desert Turf Club, but board chairman Dwight Murphy and Bert W. Railey of San Francisco voted for it. The attorney for the Palm Springs Turf Club thoroughbred interests told this writer after the decision that his clients were undecided whether to test the findings of the board in the courts. Under California law, an application for a new track must show that the construction and operation of such track would be in the public interest and subserve the best interests of horse racing under the law, and the burden of proof is upon the applicant. In announcing its long awaited Palm Springs decision, the board made no comment. Then followed a rather spirited and lengthy discussion about so-called "simultaneous racing" between major tracks, north and south. The California breeders and the HBPA representatives spoke strongly in favor of such simultaneous racing as being ah answer to Californias turf problems, or at least many such problems. The three San Francisco major tracks, Del Mar, and the fairs, presented a united front against such racing, and cited the dangers they felt would be brought on by such a program. Chief among these perils brought out, at least according to the tracks point of view, "was cheapening of the racing programs which conflict would involve. The track said that where tried in the past for periods up to as long as two weeks, both northern and" southern areas N suffered. The board next adopted a rule which in the future would require every racing association, as a condition for the granting of a permit to race, file with the board an outline of its fire prevention program, as well as a written clearance from the fire marshall stating that after an inspection made not more than 15 days prior to an opening, the measures taken to protect the plant, especially in the stable area, were adequate. Del Mar asked that its roster of. officials be approved, and the board did so without comment. The only major change from last year was in the personage of the presiding steward. George W. Schilling, veteran western official, will serve as senior steward from the opening until August 6, after which he will be replaced by James C. McGill. Associate stewards are James J. Tunney, and W. Claude Buchanan will represent the state. Placing judges will be Jack P. Meyers, George Zarelli, and John Hartley. Paddock and patrol judges will be Raymond Tremayne, Andrew Ferguson, Alfred Shelhamer, and Lawrence McDermott. Starter is William Mills, clerk of scales, Robert Rossi; timer, Russell F. Brown, and racing secretary, Johnny Maluvius. Dr. H. C. McKim will be the veterinary representing the state. The board also approved the Del Mar .v purse program some ,060,00 as vwell : as a ninth race on Saturdays and holidays, MMUoftiieJilyDoubleThroard : denied a request for a ninth race on Wednesday, however. There was a lengthy dicussion of lead; ponies, and both Hollywood Park and the HBPA agreed that the recently reinstated charge of 0 per pony had failed to produce the desired effect of cutting down on the number of ponies evident in most every race. It was also brought out that some owners objected to paying their fees, after laundry and other costs charges of the track had been deducted, into the HBPA welfare fund. In any event, the 0 fee was rescinded, and the problem was left to be worked out between the HBPA and management. The HBPA also said it did not wish contributions to its welfare fund from non-members who did not wish to so contribute. The board then paused to make a significant statement, to wit, than in the opinion of the board, it did not look with favor upon the purchase by one track of stock in another. This was taken as a hint that the board members felt that any purchase of stock, by a track as a corporation, into another, was not in public interest. The only such case in California at the moment is the 10 per cent stock purchase in Bay Meadows by Golden Gate Fields. Charles Coughlin, vice-president and general manager of Golden Gate, was asked by this writer to make a statement and comment, but he refused with the words that he would have to take the matter up with his board of directors. However, in view of the boards remarks, it is probable the Golden Gate Corporation will divest tiself of the Bay Meadows holdings. - The board also undertook to rewrite the rules in the instance of claimed horses and their engagements. While the exact wording has not been worked out, their intent is that the engagements will follow the horse when claimed. Following are the California racing dates for 1955: Santa Anita Park December 28 March 5. 50 days, including five for charity. Golden Gate Fields March 8 May 14. 50 days, including five for charity. California Horse Racing Association at Bay Meadows May 17 June 25. 30 days, including two for charity. Hollywood Park May 13 July 23. 50 days, including five for charity. Del Mar July 27 September 5. 40 days, including three for charity. Bay Meadows September 12 October 29. 42 days, including three for charity. Tanforan October 31 December 17. 42 days, including three for charity. Western Harness Racing Association March 11 April 7. 20 days, and October 13 November 19. 27 days, including five for charity. Los Alamitos April 9 May 7. 21 days, including two for charity. Fair Dates for 1955: Alameda County Fair June 27 July 9. 12 days. Solano County Fair July 11 July 20. .9 days. Sonoma County Fair July 21 July 30 8 days. San Mateo County Fair August 5 August 13. 8 days. Humboldt County Fair August 16 August 20. 5 days. San Joaquin County Fair August 19 August 27 8 days. i State Fair, Sacramento September 1 SeptemberOjays Los Angeles County Fair, Pomona September 16 October 1. 14 days. Fresno County Fair September 30 October 8. 8 days. The following more or less routine business was transacted: 1. Upheld the action of the Hollywood Park stewards in suspending the license of jockey agent Cecil Willingham through the current Hollywood Park meeting. Willing-ham will be eligible for reinstatement with the opening of Del Mar. Willingham had been suspended because of an arrest for drunken driving and discovery of equipment in his car forbidden within the confines of a racing enclosure. 2. Kevoked the owners license of Dr. Philip -V. Ames, who was recalled before the board for questioning involving the sale of certain horses. 3. Denied the application of Clifford Ferguson for an exercise boys license. 4. Approved the application of Thomas Medeiros for an exercise boys license. 5. Granted Robert A. Deponte a temporary license for a horseshoers license. 6. Approved the officials for the Sonoma County Fair and its purse program of 3,600. 7. Ratified appointment of Robert E. "Lanny" Leighninger to officiate as. a steward at Tanforan this fall. 8. Ratified appointment of Dr. O. A. Longley as veterinarian representing the California Horse Racing Board on the 1954 fair circuit with the exception of Los Angeles County and Fresno district fairs. 9. Ratified a previously adopted rule prohibiting certain types of lotteries and raffles in connection with horse racing, as advertised in Daily Racing Form June 24. All three members of the board were present, and representation was widespread among breeders, owners, and track managements. Robert V. King, comptroller at Santa Anita, presented the Los Angeles Turf Club case for 55 days of racing, in which he cited certain facts and figures concerning revenue, population, and percentage of racing days in Los Angeles as compared to the other two metropolitan centers in the state, San Francisco and San Diego. As we said earlier in this story, the commission drew different conclusions from these figures than did the Los Angeles Turf Club. In fact, the positive manner in . .which chairman Murphy took issue pith the conclusions of Santa .Anita caused a few raised eyebrows.
