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Harness Horsemen, Hazel Park Raceway Stalemated on Purses DETROIT, Mich., May 7.— Michigans opening harness racing program for 1955, scheduled for Monday night at Hazel Park Raceway, faces an indefinite delay pending solution of stalemated negotiations between the track and the Michigan Harness Horsemens Association over purse distribution. Entries for Mondays card were scheduled to be in the entry box by 10 a. m. Thursday. Only two blanks dropped out when racing secretary Bill Connors opened the lock. The two were from stables owned by track president Donald D. MacFarlane and i general manager Edgar C. Greene. Other than that, members of the MHHA I I remained adamant in their demands and I | indicated that they will continue to ignore i ! the entry box until the track reaches a settlement with their negotiators. As a result of Thursdays action or lack of it by the horsemen, there is a possibility that racing commissioner James H. Inglis and Don Millar, executive vice-president of the United States Trotting i I I I | i ! Association, will be asked to step into the breach as mediators. Neither Inglis nor Millar has any authority over the dispute, but each could serve as a medium of bringing the two groups together for a discussion of the disputed points. Briefly, these are the demands: 40 per cent of the tracks share of the mutuel handle and a ,000 minimum by the MHHA, and the tracks proposal of an 00 minimum of 35 per cent. The track paid 35 per cent a year ago with a 00 minimum.
