Calling all oldtimers....

[kooter for hipin]

I knpow there was an incident very early 70s ( I started going late 74 ) that my family told me about where they threw garbage cans through the glass doors going into the clubhouse. no way I would remember a horse involved. I thought possibly Webster and Insko were involved  Only know of it in long forgotten stories.

It was referred to as the Moonstone Bay Affair. Programs were rolled up and set fire and thrown in the trash cans. The FBI who always maintains a presence, shut down the track when it became a total riot. The drivers involved were police escorted from the paddock. The meet was shut down and finished at Roosevelt along with the payment of all outstanding mutuel tickets. Every outstanding exacta ticket was held until sequences were found. Mike Santa Maria cashed $26,000. in exacta tickets himself. There are close to that in tickets that are still outstanding. The race involved Charlie DeMore's horse Moonstone Bay @13-1 after a considerable bet down in the final moments and Billy Meyer with Mr. Ace @ 9/2. The Exacta came in at $42.60. Basically, the whole story can be seen at Harnesslink under"Harness driver beaten by Mob at Island Inn."

[Fuguzzi]

Never cared for Mike Santa Maria one bit or his cronies who seem to contribute a lot to that terrible RR nostalgia website

[The Thorn]

I found an article about it.  It didn't mention "fire" which is why I couldn't the first time I looked.  Interesting thing about the affair is that Billy Myer who was part of this one was one of 2 drivers suspended for his role in the 1962 Yonkers riot.  Gamblers must really have hated him back then.

YONKERS, June 7—Several hundred fans among the 17,799 present for the $25,000 final of the Pandora Pacing Series at Yonkers Raceway tonight de layed the start of that one‐mile test for 15 minutes with a near‐riot that was quelled by the appearance of a half‐dozen city police cars from Yonkers.

Before Miss Conna Adios, the 3‐to‐10 choice, defeated Adios Corinne by three‐quar ters of a length in 2:01 and paid $2.60 for $2 to win, the customers showed and voiced their displeasure over a “low” return on an exacta in the fifth race.

That one‐mile pace was won by Moonstone Bay, a 13‐to‐1 shot, driven by Del Insko. Mr. Ace, a 9‐to‐2 shot, handled by Billy Myer, was second and the return was “only” $42.60.

With the flashing of that pay off—many apparently felt it should have been in the area of $200—some bettors tossed seven garbage cans on the track. They burned programs and newspapers, and threw other debris over the fence. One or two even jumped onto the oval.

At one stage, large groups of dissenters headed toward the paddock, where more debris was thrown, aimed at the horsemen. It was then that the po lice appeared and in a few min utes had the situation under control.

Only one arrest was re ported. Anthony Eichert of Ridgewood, Brooklyn was charged with disorderly con duct and inciting a riot.

Some of the customers con tinued to throw objects at the drivers in the seventh race. In that event, a 9‐to‐1 pacer won, a 7‐to‐2 shot was second and the exacta was $159.60. This brought more booing from the crowd.

The picture was reminiscent of the night of May 29, 1962, when a riot prevented the card from being completed.

Tonight's disorder was not as dangerous as one at Roose velt Raceway some years ago. On that occasion, the tote board was burned and glass doors were smashed by irate losers, who resented “no re fund” on a race in which five horses did not finish. The Nas sau County police, with guns drawn, eventually stopped that riot.

[LAW AND ORDER]

Fuguzzi my friend,
I know you will like this because you are such a fan of Wisc fair racing.
Where was Branch Dan Prince first owned, where was he bred and raised, and where did he make his first starts?
That's right, that hot bed of racing Wisconsin.

NELSON WILLIS HAD HIM IN CHICAGO FOR AWHILE

[Fuguzzi]

Am I the only person on Earth who remembers an incident where an alert security guard walking the barn area at Monticello on a Sunday afternoon sported a man laying prone on the hood of his truck with a rifle. The truck was parked with a clear view of the top of the stretch from the high point along the road into the backstretch. The man, once confronted surrendered peacefully and said his plan was to shoot John Gilmour as he sat in the bike. MId 70s?

[MIKE CAMPBELL]

Am I the only person on Earth who remembers an incident where an alert security guard walking the barn area at Monticello on a Sunday afternoon sported a man laying prone on the hood of his truck with a rifle. The truck was parked with a clear view of the top of the stretch from the high point along the road into the backstretch. The man, once confronted surrendered peacefully and said his plan was to shoot John Gilmour as he sat in the bike. MId 70s?

He wanted to shoot Sep but it had nothing to do about racing. I heard it had something to do about his wife.

[Fuguzzi]

I never heard the motive   Relieved you know the story too.. I have mentioned on occasion and some people in racing looked at me like i dropped in from fucking Mars

[MIKE CAMPBELL]

I never heard the motive   Relieved you know the story too.. I have mentioned on occasion and some people in racing looked at me like i dropped in from fucking Mars

Sep was the man back then. He had women throwing themselves at him. I guess this guy found out his wife was one of those women.

[Fuguzzi]

Throwing themselves at Sep Gilmour?  Hmmm.   Interesting. In looks alone, I woulda thought maybe John Desimone, but I'll take your word... John was funny. He used to sing and whistle to his horses sometimes. on;y woman I knew him to be with my whole lifetime was Vitas Yakin, but I was a "distant observer"  LOL

[JIDGE]

He wanted to shoot Sep but it had nothing to do about racing. I heard it had something to do about his wife.

I will also confirm this. Shooter was stationed on the "grassy knoll" at the head of the stretch. Rumor I heard at the time was JG was messing with the guy's wife -- which didn't come as a surprise.

[JIDGE]

Throwing themselves at Sep Gilmour?  Hmmm.   Interesting. In looks alone, I woulda thought maybe John Desimone, but I'll take your word... John was funny. He used to sing and whistle to his horses sometimes. on;y woman I knew him to be with my whole lifetime was Vitas Yakin, but I was a "distant observer"  LOL

Gilmour spent many nights roaming the local establishments like the strip joint down the street "Johnnies-a-go-go"  He was an excellent persuader -- but they were far from Julia Roberts'.

[Fuguzzi]

    Thanks buddy, I guess i was safely tucked in my bed by that time or still shipping home.

[Fuguzzi]

I will also confirm this. Shooter was stationed on the "grassy knoll" at the head of the stretch. Rumor I heard at the time was JG was messing with the guy's wife -- which didn't come as a surprise.

Grassy knoll     Good description, yeah  that high ground. I can see where the guy was angry but what a crazy, desperate plan.

[SeattleSlew]

It was referred to as the Moonstone Bay Affair. Programs were rolled up and set fire and thrown in the trash cans. The FBI who always maintains a presence, shut down the track when it became a total riot. The drivers involved were police escorted from the paddock. The meet was shut down and finished at Roosevelt along with the payment of all outstanding mutuel tickets. Every outstanding exacta ticket was held until sequences were found. Mike Santa Maria cashed $26,000. in exacta tickets himself. There are close to that in tickets that are still outstanding. The race involved Charlie DeMore's horse Moonstone Bay @13-1 after a considerable bet down in the final moments and Billy Meyer with Mr. Ace @ 9/2. The Exacta came in at $42.60. Basically, the whole story can be seen at Harnesslink under"Harness driver beaten by Mob at Island Inn."

[SeattleSlew]

It was referred to as the Moonstone Bay Affair. Programs were rolled up and set fire and thrown in the trash cans. The FBI who always maintains a presence, shut down the track when it became a total riot. The drivers involved were police escorted from the paddock. The meet was shut down and finished at Roosevelt along with the payment of all outstanding mutuel tickets. Every outstanding exacta ticket was held until sequences were found. Mike Santa Maria cashed $26,000. in exacta tickets himself. There are close to that in tickets that are still outstanding. The race involved Charlie DeMore's horse Moonstone Bay @13-1 after a considerable bet down in the final moments and Billy Meyer with Mr. Ace @ 9/2. The Exacta came in at $42.60. Basically, the whole story can be seen at Harnesslink under"Harness driver beaten by Mob at Island Inn."

1.) Mike was from North Bellmore (where I went to high school many moons ago) and definitely was a "player" back then.
2.) Gilmour is the one who was beaten by the "Mob" at the Island Inn.  Brutal!!