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Hr and There on the Turf Pimlico Votes for Progress. New Grandstand Likely in 1S38. j Rceneshifter to Go in Shevlin. ! Pompooa Due for Good Best. Pisalicos progressive program, instituted since Alfred Vanderbilt became interested in tke track, is steadily moving forward, as was indicated by the optimism manifested at the recent directors meeting. The ten-day session this autumn -will he featured by a. stake daily and for next spring the value of the Preakness will be considerably more because of the change in conditions whereby the race will close next month with supplementary entries being permitted next spring on payment of ,500. At least 0,000 should be added to the value of the Preakness in this manner, but when the mile and three-sixteenths affair to which the Maryland Jockey Club adds 0,000, is a yearling-closing event it will be worth a great deal more. It is significant that the Belmont Stakes, to which the Westchester Hacing Association gives 5,000, enjoyed a gross value of more than 0,000 for its recent running. Construction of a new grandstand and clubhouse at Pimlico may be accepted as a certainty, although no work will be done until after the spring meeting next year. The Pimlico directors are agreed that the Baltimore track should have modern accommodations for the public and probably after the fall meeting they will make up their minds how much money they intend to spend for a new structure and how they will spend it. They felt there "was not sufficient time for plans to be drawn, the old structure to be razed and the new one constructed before the fall meeting, although the interval is nearly five months. If- the Preakness is to become a greater classic than ever before, it certainly may be expected to attract larger crowds than Pimlico can accommodate at the present time. The absolute limit is 40,000 persons. One of the winter promises of improvements that would be found at Aqueduct this meeting, and the most important was a promise that was not fulfilled. It was that the so-called straight course would be made straight and the elbow eliminated. No such change was made and there remains the elbow, which almost amounts to a turn in the course. It has always imposed an unreasonable handicap on the horse with outside positions and just as long as the course is of its present construction these races cannot be truly run. To make the change that had been promised would have meant the moving of some stables, but it had been announced they were to be moved. It would also make it impossible to have a full five furlongs, but It would have been infinitely better to shorten up the distance for the improvement that would come with the Gontinued on twenty-fifth page. HERE AND THERE ON THE TURF .Continued from second page. elimination of the elbow. Some other changes were made for the comfort and convenience of the public, but there was nothing else that made the old course look materially different than in other years. It had been brightened up with paint but the racing strip proper remained the same after all that was to have been done. It is impossible at Aqueduct to make any Improvements in the paddock, which is nothing more than a saddling-shed, but it surely would have been possible to make the "straight" course really straight. Earl Sande intends to start Sceneshifter in the Shevlin Stakes, Aqueducts Saturday feature, even though the star of Maxwell Howards modest stable was a starter in the Belmont Stakes. The Shevlin is at a mile whereas the Belmont was at a mile and a half but the son of Sickle and Stagecraft will be called upon to carry only 110 pounds or sixteen less than was his recent burden. Fencing also may go postward in the Shevlin and the two of them should make the Howard entry a strong favorite, even though their opponents will include some fair milers. Moonton displayed a creditable effort in finishing third to Strabo and Fencing in his first start of the season and that seasoning should send him into the Shevlin in sharp condition. Black Looks sprint victory at Suffolk Downs Tuesday may cause him to be shipped to Aqueduct for the Shevlin and Rudie is expected from the same point. Other Shevlin probables are Billionaire, Chicolorado and No Dice. Pompoon probably will not perform again for more than a month, as Cyrus Field Clarke believes the son of Pompey and Oonagh is in need of a good rest. The Jerome Louchheim colt has lost about seventy-five pounds in recent weeks, and Clarke believes the relief from hard training for several weeks will permit Pompoon to regain his normal weight. If Pompoon gets such a vacation, his next engagement probably will not be until the Classic at Arlington Park on July 24. In this mile and one-quarter event, he would be entitled to some of the allowances because of not having won a three-year-old stake this season. Trainer Clarke denied the rumors that anything was wrong with Pompoon following the Belmont other than that he had lightened up somewhat and he still is confident that his charge will prove himself again as a good colt before the season is over. Heelfly qualified for his engagement in the Latonia Derby Saturday by his victory over the mile and one-sixteenth course at the Milldale course Tuesday when he took the track at flag fall and led all the way. At his heels as the Texas-bred colt crossed the line was Dellor, a fair performer himself. The son of Royal Ford and Canfli, by Campfire, from the Three Ds Stock Farm Stable of Guy and Paul Waggoner, came from well back to take the Inaugural Handicap at Latonia, but in his latest effort he .had the speed to go to the front. However, he was not called upon to set a fast pace as his three opponents all are of the come-from-behind type, yet he was going strongly enough at the end to cover the final sixteenth in six seconds, or at the rate of :12 to the furlong. Heelfly may have to display more speed than that if he wishes to take the pacemaking job away from Flying Scot in the Derby Saturday.
