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, r,#wMr™mm ThistleDown r —By Joe Hirsch : Retention 0arn Setup Pleases Horsemen Plan Was Put Into Effect Last Season Mr. Fantastic Makes Impressive Debut THISTLEDOWN, North Randall, Ohio, June 3.— Weve talked with Ray Pollock and Steward Bullock, the president and secretary of the HBPAs Ohio division, vision, and and found found both both men men well well , vision, and and found found both both men men well well pleased with the progress made toward implementing the retention barn program sponsored by Buckeye horsemen. Briefly, this calls for the winners of all races and any other horses designated by officials to be brought directly to a segregated barn where urine or saliva samples are taken by employees of the state racing commission. Trie horses are then returned returned to to their their respective respective returned returned to to their their respective respective r,#wMr™mm stables and the samples forwarded to a laboratory for analysis. Most states presently follow a similar procedure, the chief difference being that the samples are taken in at each horses home barn. Two years ago, the Ohio division of the HBPA, sponsored a bill in the legislature at Columbus calling for such a retention barn program on the grounds that it would provide a more effective, accurate and speedy means of collecting samples. Fair Grounds Followed Suit Last Winter After a vigorous struggle, in which the program met opposition from several quarters, the plan finally went into effect last year and Louisiana liked it so much that a similar measure was instituted at the Fair Grounds last winter. Pollock and Bullock pointed out that while the retention barns at all tracks in the state do not fully measure up to. the desired standards, at least progress in this direction is being made and that eventually the program will be operating as originally conceived. Pollock and Bullock work closely together and give the HBPA strong and able representation in this area. Ray, who has raced stock locally for quite a while, is in the construction business, yet still manages frequent visits to the track and is active in the organizations Affairs. Bullock, a veteran horseman who conditions a string here, handles much of the detail and paper work. His secretarys job is particularly demanding as there are eight race tracks in the state plus Wheeling Downs, and Waterford Park in West Virginia, all under the Ohio division for administration. W. P. Smith, the Kerituckian, turned out a striking colt named Mr. Fantastic the other day, and this one raced as good as his name. The .fleet son of With Pleasure— Blue Hedda, owned by Seeley Kilpatrick, drew out from his field of maiden two-year-olds to win by nine full lengths, and cracked a track record that stood for 18 years by covering five furlongs in :58%. It was only the third outing for Mr. Fantastic, • who still shows traces of greenness. On his previous efforts at Keeneland, he was in constant trouble the first time, accord to Smith, and broke from the outside post to run a creditable second in his last effort. • Smith is quite pleased -with his youngster as you might expect and has nominated him for the Ohio Endurance, a three-quarter mile test nere on July 4. Smith Handles Active Public Stable Smith, who has campaigned in just about every section of the country, has four horses for Kilpatrick, a liquor retailer from Lexington, Ky. He also has stock for William Woolin, master of the Le Mar Stock Farm in Lexington: P. A. Shanklin, an air conditioning man from Louisville, -and David Knox of Georgetown, Ky. Smith has held a license for 15 years, and at one time conditioned the string of Eddie Anderson, Jack Bennys celebrated "Rochester." He lias quite a background in his own right, makes his home in Lexington, Ky. Smith was a star athlete in high school, was a member of the all-state football team at tackle and guard and also played basketball and did some boxing. In the offseason, he works with youngsters and poaches a crack Golden Gloves team which sent several of its fighters to the national finals. He also coaches a, championship basketball squad. Around the Track: Harry Newcombe of the Leslie Jane Stable was a visitor and reports that of his nine two-year-olds, a pair of colts by Best Seller and Adaris appear to show the most promise. Newcombe, who has a string here with E. J. Haslett, as well as divisions in Delaware and New Jersey, returned to the east last night. . . . Stewart Bullock reports hell have an interesting feature for Ohio horsemen at the HBPAs. annual dinner at Randall Park later this summer. An expert in deep X-ray and radium therapy is coming up from Ohio State University with movies and charts to explain this healing process which had drawn much favorable comment in national turf circles. . . . Allen T. Simmons, master of Idle Hour Farm in Lexington, Ky., came over from his home in Akron to see his good two-year-old Sickle Bull run for the first time. The- homebred gelding is by Eternal Bull from the Agrarian mare, Jean Sickle. B. S. Littrell has the Simmons horses here. . . . Russell Stein, who lost an eye in a recent spill at Ascot Park, is receiving gifts, from all over the country, according to agent George Esrich. Stein, at Akrons St. Thomas Hospital, wishes to thank all his friends and says hed appreciate and answer any mail they send his way. . . . Joe LaMonte checked in from New Jersey and will ride here for H. E. McKnight.
