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Notebook: Case to pay price for missing drives
Wednesday, September 18, 2002
Brad Schmaltz
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH





DELAWARE, Ohio -- One of the biggest questions at the Delaware County
Fairgrounds this week has been: Where's Walter Case Jr.?

Case, the second-winningest harness-racing driver in history with more
than 10,000 victories, has not shown up for any of his scheduled drives Sunday,
Monday or yesterday.

Not only that, he hasn't contacted Delaware County Fairgrounds officials.

He was scheduled to drive seven races Sunday, 10 Monday and seven
yesterday.

His absense left trainers scrambling for replacement drivers at the last
minute.

Director of racing Tom Thomson said Case will not be allowed to race
today, Thursday or next year at the Delaware County Fair.

"You can't treat the fans at Delaware like that. No phone calls. No
contact of any kind,'' Thomson said. "He has an obligation to the fans and
owners.''

Presiding judge Tim Schmitz said Case will be fined $50 for every missed
drive the last three days and today. Case already has accumulated $1,200 in
fines, and another $600 will be added today when he's down to drive 12 races.

Case, second only to Herve Filion in career wins, is currently driving at
Northfield Park near Cleveland. He won five races there Monday night.

Schmitz told trainers who expected Case to drive Thursday that they were
to take him off their horses. Schmitz said four trainers resisted, and they, not
Case, will be fined.

Among the races Case will miss will be the $618,625 Little Brown Jug in
which he had drives in all three eliminations.

Case, who has battled alcohol and drug addiction, has missed driving
assignments on several occasions during his 25-year career. In 1997, he was
suspended the entire year.

He had to receive special permission from the Ohio State Racing Commission
before the 1999 season to drive at Northfield.

Changes galore

The Little Brown Jug Society yesterday made some changes in stake
conditions starting next year.

First, a horse that wins the North America Cup and Meadowlands Pace may
supplement into the Jug, if he's not eligible, for a fee of $45,000. That gives
a horse the chance to continue a quest for the $1 million Grand Slam bonus to
any horse that wins those three races and the Breeders Crown.

Also, the society approved a change in purse distribution that sets aside
20 percent instead of the current 10 percent to the Jug winner.

Forty percent will go to the eliminations and 60 percent into the second
heat.

The change was prompted by Jug winners Blissfull Hall (1999) and Astreos
(2000) receiving less money than second-heat winners Looking For Art and George
Scooter, respectively.



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