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N Y Racing Commission Oldest Such Body in US USWill Will Observe 62nd Anniversary May919WasHeadedbyBelmontALBANY May919WasHeadedbyBelmont ALBANY N Y May 4 The New York State Racing Commission which will cele ¬ brate its 62nd birthday May 919 holds the distinction of being the first such com ¬ mission formed in the United States The PercyGray law which created the state racing commission was approved by Gov Levi P Morton on May 9 1895 The bill provided that the commissioners should be appointed within 10 days after the law took effect Within those 10 days Governor Morton appointed as the commissioners August Belmont of New York City John Sanford of Amsterdam and Edwin D Mor ¬ gan of New York City designating Belmont as chairman These men were all members of The Jockey Club and Belmont Avas then its president presidentThe The provision with respect to racing in ¬ cluding the activities of the state racing commission were made a part of the mem ¬ bership corporation law and then later removed therefrom Subsequently the com ¬ mission was made a division of the Depart ¬ ment todayUnder of State as it is today Under the administration of Gov Charles E Hughes a section of the PercyGray law permitting socalled memorandum betting was repealed by the New York legislature and became effective June 11 1908 Thereafter for approximately two years New York had no racing but the commission remained in existence and an ¬ nual appropriations were made for its maintenance maintenancePresent Present members of the New York State Racing Commission are Ashley T Cole chairman William C Langley and Edmond M Hanrahan Harry J Millar is secretary
