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r i Here and There ! on the Turf Tropical Has Smart Opening Galapas Good at Sprinting J Hopkins Hits Stride Again Santa Anita to Scatter Stewards j L Tropical Parks f ullhouse at its opening Monday augurs well for the new Florida season, particularly when the amount wagered was above that for the inaugural a year ago, even though by only a few hundred dollars. More encouraging, however, was the brand of racing, which was interesting and exciting, even though cheap horses performed in several of the events. The horses may not have been of the best class, but they were ridden by such boys as Arcaro, Wright, Peters, Robertson, Merritt and Nash in; itself a strong recommendation for the sort of sport provided. The meeting at the compact and comfotrable Coral Gables course now is well on its way, with the prospects "for solid success on the increase. More than ever before racing secretary Robert S. Shelley has the sort of material at his command to offer diversified programs and he can be counted upon to make the most of his opportunity. The customary Inaugural Handicap headed the program and time moved back a year when the silks of young Townsend B. Martin were borne to victory by Galapas, as they were in the 1937 edition of the race with Stubbs. Galapas, like Stubbs, a son of Sir Gallahad LTI., has been tried at both sprinting and staying, and trainer Walter Burrows still may have hopes he will go a route, but just now middle distances appear to be his favorite role. In the Inaugural the three-year-old toyed with his nine rivals after going into the lead on the turn. While he wasnt up against the best sprinters in the country, Galapas encountered tough enough opposition. The Long Island-owned colt required 1:12 to cover the six furlongs and with the time for the other events off slightly it is apparent the Tropical Park track isnt quite as fast as formerly, a point of much interest to the speed chart experts. Off to a good start along with Tropical Park was Freddie Hopkins of Equipoise fame. The former Whitney trainer, who developed Equipoise into one of the best horses of the generation, has had the Sage Stable horses and a few for Mrs. F. A. Clark during the past few years, but luck wasnt with him, just as it failed several other well known and capable trainers. During the autumn upon relinquishing the Sage and Clark thoroughbreds, Hopkins assembled a small band for the Boston-owned Larch Hill Stable and by continuing to knock off doubles, as he did Monday with Wrenace and Histrionic, he may find his band expanding. Histrionic may prove a very useful campaigner under the Larch Hill silks, as the Masked Marvel n. three-year-old handled 120 pounds in setting nearly all the pace and drawing out toward the end. Santa Anita is introducing something new this winter in locating its stewards at various points around the track rather than in a -group occupying quarters opposite the finish line or atop the grandstand. A board of five stewards will supervise the sport at the Arcadia course during the forthcoming meeting and one each will be at the four corners of the track with the odd official midway on the second turn. They will occupy small stands, probably like those introduced .at Hollywood Park, and the positions Continued on fifteenth page. HERE AND THERE ON THE TURF Continued from second page. will permit them to serve as their own patrol judges. Such an arrangement will permit the stewards to view the races from all angles, except that of the public, and the writer doubts if it will prove successful enough to be revolutionary. Complete and satisfactory judging of a race can only be done from a point commanding a full, panoramic view of the entire race course, and, of course, by competent stewards. The tentative program, sixth annual convention of the National Association of State Racing Commissioners at Miami next month indicates one of the most interesting meetings in the organizations history. Only a few of the persons asked to speak need comply to make the cotnvention a success in this respect as all are outstanding in their connection with racing. A new phase of the associations "program will be a report of the racing activity in each state so that the various commissioners may learn more about each others problems. Under president Edwin J. Brown, the commissioners will attempt to get as much done as possible during the three-day session and a reduction in social activity may be expected, although as usual the visitors will attempt to pick as many winners as they can at Tropical Park and Hialeah Park. Several have been quite successful in the past
