Los Angeles herald., 1908-07-14
BY JAY DAVIDSON
| ccoRDING to the exper

A CCORDING to the expert opinion
u of Col. A. w. Hamilton, stock
- holder in the Los Angeles Racing
association and presiding judge at
Santa Anita, local patrons of the sport
of kings will witness the greatest season
of high class racing at the Arcadia
track next winter than ever has been
pulled off on the coast.
Col Hamilton is staying at the Hotel
Van Nuys, having arrived in Los An
geles a fortnight ago on combined
business and pleasure visit. He has
been keeping so close to shore since his
arrival that only invited guests have
been able to get glimpse of his stately
figure, and he has preserved his incog
most beautifully. But / nailed him
yesterday by lucky cnance. and pos
sibly through the assistance OF Dit
of carelessness on the part or the
judge.
he was invited to talk at length upon
the local and eastern racing situation,
the probability of changes in the official
family at Santa Anita, the possibility
of legislative interference with the local
game and the possibility of the substi-
tuition of pari-mutuel machines for the
present and unsatisfactory system OF
| bookmaking. He gave record-preak-
| ing interview upon all these subjects
by saying:
! Really and truly do not know any
thing any time, anywhere or at ALL
Now, please excuse me, as you never
would have seen me had seen you
/ first. 1 am here for a rest and hope
you, as my friend, will see that am
not disappointed. Talk about anything
else but racing, but please do not mem
| ton the turf incidentally, insinuatingly,
directly or otherwise, If you value my
friendship"
i Pleased with Outlook
With this intended alibi the judge
switched the subject, but was warmed
up to the subject by teasing insinua-
tions regarding the local outlook and,
in an unguarded moment, he said:
"Never before in the history of the
turf on the coast has the outlook ap-
peared so rosy as now. We will have
| the greatest season of high-class WIN
ter racing ever attempted west of New
York, and the great horses of the east
and the leading owners will be in at
| tendance. The situation in New YORK
! has caused these horsemen to cast
| longing eyes this way, and right now
they are impatient for the beginning
of the winter racing season.
| WlII TdcllB d uCdQ AooQC III AO0iot
ana the California tracks will get all
the horses that will be raced during
the winter. This means that such
horses as Chapultepec, Pinkola and
others equally as great, that were
raced at New Orleans last winter, will
be shipped across the Rockies next
| fall for racing on the coast. 1t would
not surprise me a bit to see the ma
jority of the great horses of the east
| in the stake events at Emeryville and
| Santa Anita.
Does Not Know Plans
"Since arriving in Los Angeles have
| tried to keep away from racing folk
and reporters, and 1 really have no
| definite idea regarding the plans of
the racing association. 1t may be that
| it will increase the number and value
of the stakes, but that subject never
has been discussed so far as l know.
! That is a matter for the directors to
settle when they hold their business
meeting in October.
"As to the rumored changes, l know
nothing. 1t is true I have heard of
these rumors and according to them 1
am supposed to be slated for the ak,
but | am ignorant of any contemplated
action in this regard by the directors.
The rumors seem to have reached Ed
Cole in New York, as 1 recently had
a letter from him, inquiring about the
proposed changes that are rumored to