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Ml — li r f .I Oscar Otis A City Appraises Its Kentucky Derby Event Has Made Louisville World Famous Warner Jones Jr. Cites Races Values CHURCHILL DOWNS, Louisville, ky.— Bruce Hob-litzell, mayor of Louisville, came to his office early this morning, interviewed plain citizens who had re- quested quested a a personal personal audience audience with with quested quested a a personal personal audience audience with with him, greeted a group of visiting brass hats, and then sat down with this writer to speak frankly, -at our request, on the topic of what might be headed, "A City Appraises Horse Racing and- the Derby." The mayor is known throughout the nation as a humanitarian. When he travels about «town, he usually takes a cab so he can find out what the cabbies cabbies are are thinking, thinking, and and the the cab- — r .I cabbies cabbies are are thinking, thinking, and and the the cab- cabbies here, as everywhere, know almost everything. The humanitarian approach lie made at the city jail, when serving as sheriff, has made penal history in the South. The Derby is perhaps the most momentous thing that Louisville has and speaking as a citizen as well as the mayor, I can say that I am proud of it and that the city is proud of it. The Derby has made Louisville known throughout the. world, and while the direct benefits to the city through the huge volume of Derby visitors who stimulate business in every category .are obvious, the long range benefits, through making Louisville a well-known name around the world, -are perhaps even greater. It is quite probable, for instance, that we get conventions and just visitors here at other times of the: year simply because Louisville is so well known. No Problem of Traffic Control -"The Derby does not pose a problem. The city does everything possible to make everybody comfortable, and "we- have received many commendations on our system of traffic control on Derby Day. As for a police problem, there really isnt any. The pickpockets were beaten years ago, and while one may slip into town, the climate here is riot very healthy for them and they . know it. The big crowd is probably the most orderly sports crowd in the .world. I know this from-experience when I was the sheriff and in charge of the jail. "Everybody comes to Louisville for a good time at _ the Derby and they sliould have it.- About the" only trouble is the few who maybe have too much to drink, and if they make the jail, mostly for their own protection, we take good care of them there because even under those conditions, we want our visitors to leave with a good impression of us. It is remarkable the number of letters I received as sheriff, saying, "Im sorry I made a fool of myself , but many grateful thanks for taking care of me." "My major "regret about the Derby is that because -of the large crowds, many people who come in just for the-Derby cannot savor the true Louisville hospitality. We have many fine restaurants here, with traditional fine southern servicet but when these restaurants are jam packed, the sen-ice may not be as prompt. And as mayor, absolutely my worst governmental headache id~ the polite requests, or even demands, made upon me for tickets. Frankly, while Ive been to Churchill Downs on many Derby days, I never really SAW a Derby until last year. It was impossible for me to buy a box until I became sheriff, and in that box, everybody stood up and I -just couldnt see the race. His Honor Must Pay, Too "Now that I- am mayor, I am given one box, and have the privilege of buying seven others. This is money from my own pocket, and with those seats, I have to try to supply the demand from family, friends, and officials who must think that as mayor, I can get most any favor in the way of a box at Churchill. My first Derby? Why, like all the other kids in Louisville, I • climbed the fence. To summarize, the great influx of people puts Louisville on a spot to live up to its tradition of hospitality. The challenge is great, but we are meeting it to the best of our individual and civic abilities. And as for the Derby, and horse racing, Louisville loves it." From another viewpoint, old Kentuckian Warner Jones Jr., master of nearby Hermitage Farm which has produced morei than eight 00,000 winners, including the Kentucky Derby winner. Dark Star, analyzes the~classic this way: "The Derby, because of its prestige, has become something of a stabilizing inf lur ence in breeding because of a certain fickleness -with the breeding business. While succeeding stakes, and in fact, the entire career . of a horse is taken into account in appraising a potential sire, there nevertheless is a subconscious tendency to return to the Derby as being the most substantial guide. "There is good reason for this. It can be assumed without question that any owner or breeder would rather win the Derby than any other race. The odds are better than 8,000-1 against him, that being the. number of foals arriving every year. It is a signal honor to have as much as a Derby starter. In a day of fashions and fads in some segments as breeding, the Derby field, and the outcome of the race, classes as bedrock. And while the setting of the Derby, with its bands, fanfare, and hordes of people, may fool the casual onlooker into thinking the Derby is more of a spectacle than a horse race, just the reverse is true. The breeder sees straight through the trappings and analyzes the race for what it really is, a true champion test. "These championship, aspects of the Derby have been accentuated- by modern developments rather than harmed, and the date, the first Saturday in May. Is ideal. In the old days, before widespread, or first class winter racing, a greater premium was placed on training than on the intrinsic merit of the horse."
