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■■: ■ r-i LjaBtJ™ ; i si Ak-Sar-Ben — ■ By Hugh J. McGuhe ■ : 1 State Gets No Direct Tax- From Racing Tracks Must Aid Livestock Improvement Moyer, Isaacson, Boomer Come to Fore AK-SAR-BEN, Omaha, Nebr., June 3.— It may come as a surprise as it did to this tenderfoot that the State of Nebraska derives no direct revenue from rac-f ■■: ■ r-i inand ing wagering wagering within within its its confines. confines. inand ing wagering wagering within within its its confines. confines. Under the law the track operators are permitted to retain 10 per cent and breakage from the mu-tuels, but licenses to conduct the sport are granted only to county and state fairs and other civic organizations whose existence is" dedicated to improvement in livestock. In turn, the operating organizations must use all profits for improvements to their plants or or for for agricultural agricultural advancement. advancement. LjaBtJ™ or or for for agricultural agricultural advancement. advancement. Ralph E. Boomer, steward representing the Nebraska State Racing Commission, pointed out that in this way, the benefits derived from the sport are applied to specific improvement in or allied with racing and are not lost in the shuffle of the states general fund. Income for the operation of the commission is derived from license fees, small admission taxes only at Ak-Sar-Ben, and from fines. Operating license fees are controlled by population and range from 00 daily at Ak-Sar-Ben, 0 at Lincoln, and down to 5 for the smaller organizations. Racing commissioners serve without salary and when, the expenses of the commission have been deducted the balance of the revenue is divided equally among 93 counties witluthe stipulation that it be used for livestock improvement. This appears to be a most healthy and sound arrangement for the betterment of the sport. Former President of NASRC Actually, racing operations in Nebraska are one of the smallest in the nation, but are perhaps the most closely knit, to the general economy of the area in which the sport is offered. Yet from this comparatively modest background have come, in recent years at least, three men whose unselfish work in the interest of the sport has propolled them into national recognition in racing. Earl J. Moyer, chairman of the commission, served with that body for several years before becoming chairman in 1947, a position he still holds. A prominent Madison attorney, Moyers ability and interest in the sport, found him elected president of the National Association of State Racing Commissioners. Although his term in that office has expired, his advice and counsel are still eagerly sought by fellow commissioners. Contributing considerably to the success of the Nebraska commission is that the personnel of that body has remained unchanged since 1947. General manager J. J. Isaacson of Ak-Sar-Ben is another Nebraskan who has come to the fore in the national racing picture. Isaacson probably is the only manager of a flourishing racing plant and other large interests who personally knows every laborer on the grounds by his first name. Isaacsons ability was-quickly recognized by operators of larger race courses and he was elected a director of the Thoroughbred Racing Associatoins. The third Nebraskan to gain national recognition is Ralph Boomer, secretary and steward of the Nebraska commission. Boomer was elected a director of the newly formed Society of North American Racing Officials. Barrett Takes In Omaha Sport In Brief: Sep S. Barrett came "on from his Ryan, Okla., home to see the winning performance of his . three-year-old Sonny Time, who is a full brother to the mare Auntie, who was well known in this and other areas before her retirement for breeding. Barrets son Richard won the national intercollegiate all-round rodeo championship last year. . . . S. D. Chestnut sold Flying Gilda to J. P. Janson, and Walter Merriclc-is the new trainer. Chestnut, a breeder from Fort Worth, suffered an illness and plans a rest. . . . When White Spot Farms Reighoma won here the other day it marked the first time that a Nebraska foal by Omaha had won at this Omaha track. A rarity occurred in a recent race here, when ihe first three horses to finish were Royal George, Royal Ball and Royal Splendor. The trio of juveniles are all by Royal Red, whos tands at the nearby Valley View Farm of A. H. Hans. The winner was a first-time starter and is trained by David Stone, who also saddled Reighoma earlier on the program. . . . With so many races in the condition book- filling "promptly, trainers are able to point their charges for specific races with some assurance. . . . The roof of the large modern brick barn in which many of the horses racing here are stabled, is flooded regularly to reduce the heat as much as 10 degrees. Mr. and Mrs. Troy Kight are visitors from their Phoenix home and are awaiting the opening of the meeting at Madison. Kight serves in an official capacity on the Nebraska circuit. ... A morning line has been introduced on the local program for the first time. . . . Flags in a series atop the grandstand spell out Ar-Sar-Ben in international code. The hyphens are supplied by the tracks own pennants. ... In offering free parking in the infield for 5,000 cars, the local management believes that the public is given more consideration than if an artificial lake was built there.
