Los Angeles herald., 1909-09-28

That persistent attempt will be
made to reopen the winter race tracks
in California, WAS outlined in The Her
aid two months ago. Two weeks ago
it was learned from sources regarded
as official that the directors of the
Santa Anita Racing association are
planning the opening of the magnif-
icent Arcadia plant with from five
weeks to seventy days of racing
Plans were made in q secret meeting,
and it was divulged that an attempt
will be made to experiment with the
oral system of betting. Prompt de-
nial was forthcoming from the racing
officials and those interested in Santa
Anita, but this was expected, as the
race track men have been keeping un-
der cover since the passage of the
Walker-Otis bill.
The announcement quoted above
from San Francisco, giving the first
definite and open statement by the
leader Of racing In California that the
turf men are ready to come into the
open and give out plans for a race
meet, indicates that the horsemen
consider their position so we'll defined
that they are ready to meet deter
mined opposition which is bound to
spring up, backed by the same forces
that brought about the passage of the
Walker-Otis bill.
Exclusive Announcement
When the exclusive announcement
was made in The Herald that the
Santa Anita directors were planning
for a winter race meet, it was a fore
gone conclusion that the Emeryville
officials would take similar action, for
that Tom Williams would permit the
Santa Anita track to reopen without
an attempt being made to put his
af no1r int iFra
operation was unbelievable. AS rec
ognized czar of racing in California,
Williams announcement is considered
the open defiance of the horsemen and
their determination to fight the anti
race track element. The dispatch
states that Williams is not yet ready
to outline the details Of his plan in
reopening. He will start east soon
and will make a thorough investiga-
tion into the eastern racing situation.
That means that the oral system of
betting will be investigated. A prom
inent racing official who was in Los
Angeles two weeks ago, summed the
situation up as follows, stating what
appears to be the gist of the present
indefinite state of affairs:
Oral System Last Resort
"The oral system of betting is a last
resort. 1t has proved a marked sue
cess in the east,> but there is a ques-
ton whether it would pay here. How
ever, the racing officials are consider
ing this step merely as a means of
opening the track and bringing the
followers of the game. It is the In
tention to re-esta blish bookmaking,
and there isn't a doubt that the horse
men will make a fight by injunction
or other legal process for power to do
this. They don't want oral betting
and they do want bookmaking, but the
oral system will prove a life-saving
substitute to them in the interim be-
tween the opening and the settlement
of their fight for bookmakng, in case
such decision is not made before the
winter dates begin.
Though the sentiment seems to be
general that there will be racing in
California, there is a marked ten
dency among the horsemen, particular
ly among the larger owners, to hold
back until some definite action has
been taken. The expense of shipping
from the east and from the north is
large, especially for the large string
of the higher class thoroughbreds, and
the owners are not willing to take this
trouble unless assured that there will
be racing and betting at both Emery
VILE and Santa Anita"
The offices of the Santa Anita Rae
ing association were closed last night
and no statement could be obtained
as to the effect of the official an
nouncement of President Williams on
the situation in the south. Persistent
denial has been made at the local Of
fees of any attempt or consideration
of an attempt to reopen at Arcadia,
but despite this the fact has been
learned that the association at pres
ent is planning to reopen winter rae
ing in Southern California with a
meeting which 1t is proposed to start
on Thanksgiving.