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Here and There oil the Turf Can Build Suffolk Downs Belair Derby Hopes Get Ready Texas Derby Interest High OHara Stakes Plans Awaited i A permit to conduct a forty-one day meeting this season has been granted the Eastern Horse Racing Association, which plans to construct a track in East Boston to be known as Suffolk Downs. Walter OHara formerly was a principal in this organization, but he withdrew about a month ago with the intention of seeking a franchise for the construction of a race course at another Bite,, if and when the laws governing racing in Massachusetts were clarified. As only one track in Massachusetts within fifty miles of Boston is permitted by the law, it begins to look as though OHara will be confining himself to Narragansett Park, although it will not be surprising if he bobs up with something attractive before very long. Plans for Suffolk Downs were announced last fall when OHara was still interested in the Eastern Horse Racing Association, but whether they will be carried to completion remains to be seen. The original announcement stated that ,500,000 would be spent in the construction of the course. Quite a race track could be built for that sum at this time. Most prominent of the men interested in the Eastern Horse Racing Association is Charles F. Adams, a leading Boston sportsman, and associated with him are Bruce Wetmore and Wesley Preston among others. Ample property is available for the construction of a fine plant, but OHara objected to it because of inaccessibility, and its close location to a group of oil refineries, which is the reason given for his withdrawal from the venture. From Aqueduct, an excellent training I ground because of the sandy texture of the 1 I 1 race track, comes the news that Omaha, Sir Beverley and Gallant Prince, three of the Belair Studs candidates for the Kentucky Derby, have worked a mile and a quarter in sloppy going in 2:17. This is slow work, being fourteen seconds above the time to be expected for the Kentucky Derby, but its example enough that trainer James Fitzsim-mons has his charges well advanced for the Churchill Downs special, which is little more than three weeks away. Omaha is one of the outstanding candidates for the Derby while Gallant Prince showed enough as a two-year-old to be regarded as dangerous. Sir Beverjey is an unknown quantity. While trainers of other Derby hopefuls are stepping them up to mile and a quarter fitness by workouts at increasing distances, Fitzsimmons appears to be following a different method with the Belair candidates in having them go over the full route at slow speed which is gradually raised with. succeeding trials. Both methods are good enough if they suit the horses and Fitzsimmons knows his stuff, especially with members of the Sir Gallahad line, with which he has had more experience than any other trainer. A victory for either Omaha or Gallant Prince in the Derby would furnish the third father-son double in the long history of the Blue Grass event. Halma and Alan-a-Dale composed the first such combination but not until 1932 did another horse duplicate the victory of his sire when Burgoo King exemplified Bubbling Over. Arlington Downs now is enjoying one of the best if not the greatest meeting in its history. The Texas course has perhaps the finest collection of horses ever seen in the Lone Star state and with many of the countrys better jockeys plying their trade there, the Arlington Downs patrons have been treated to some excellent sport. It is no wonder then that the 5,000 added Texas Derby, which features the getaway program on April 20, is attracting so much attention even though Roman Soldier appears a standout. The game-going son of Cohort gave Texas fans an exhibition of his ability with an easy victory last Saturday and trainer Phil Reuter only has to go along lightly with Roman Soldier to have him right for the Texas Derby, a race won last year by his stable mate, Plight. Walter OHara remains silent on the stakes program for his three meetings this year at Narragansett Park, and very likely he will announce one set of features at a time, which will give him the chance to gauge conditions as he goes along and to arrange his headliners accordingly. That he will stage one or more rich stakes during the season is very probable. In fact, a renewal of the Narragansett Special is practically assured, perhaps with the same 5,-000 added value which prevailed last year. This race did not attract the horses last fall which OHara hoped would participate, but it should do better this year, and certainly if it is staged during the second meeting at the Pawtucket course, which will be in late summer. OHaras plans for the first Narragansett meeting opening June 17, and runniiig until July 6, should be forthcoming very shortly. The intrepid promoter has a very good idea of what the other tracks operating during this time will do, and he can arrange his stakes and purse program accordingly. His track will not lack for racing material, but OHara is naturally anxious to have the best horses possible for his daily cards, and to that end he can be expected to feature some very attractive stakes and purses. Whether he will add another Derby to the long list of such events now on the American racing calendar is something of which he never has given any intimation. OHara is in a position where he could make certain other Derbys look very weak by contrast of values.
