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1 NARRAGANSETT PARK NOTES Smmer and fall racing dates totaling forty-eight days have been awarded to the Narragansett Racing Association, Inc., by Louis C. Gerry, newly appointed state administrator of racing. Mr. Gerry, who has been in the South on a business trip, announced the granting of dates after a conference with judge James E. Dooley, president of the association. The summer meeting of thirty days will run from August 14 to September 16. The fall meeting of eighteen days will start October 23 and continue through November 11, with the spring meeting of nineteen days already granted and scheduled to open April 22, Narragansett Park will have sixty-seven days of racing in 1939, the greatest number of any New England traqk. The New Haven railroad will run special trains from New York on Wednesdays and Saturdays during the spring meeting. From opening day, April 22, through April 29, the special will leave Grand Central Station at 9:30 a. m., making stops at Bridgeport, Conn., at 10:43 a. m., and at New Haven, Conn., at 11:10 a. m., reaching the park at 1:30 p. m. Post time is 2:15. Trains will leave for the return trip immediately after the races, with a stop at 125th Street, New York, on the return trip. Johnny Shugrue added fourteen to the fast-growing horse colony, with the local pride, Natty Boy, heading the string. Shugrue also has charge of Ferdinand, Prospectus and Erins Sun, owned by J. H. Carr, the Boston sportsman. The good sprinter, Zoic, owned by H. E. Enger of Detroit and trained by Charley Grande, came in with the Shugrue string. Zoic has been galloping at Belmont Park and is reported sharp and ready. This speedster promises to be a factor in the Spring Handicap, opening day feature. Tommy Steele, assistant to racing secretary Bob Shelley, arrived to take care of the advance work of the secretarys office. Shelley and the rest of his staff will arrive April 11. Pat Galliger, who opened Narragansett Park with John JB. Campbell and who since has been officiating as racing secretary at various tracks, will return here with Bob Shelley as pinch-hitter for James Ross, Jr., who is engaged in Maryland this spring. Fred Preece, trainer for Alexander S. Pierce, shipped in four head, including the New England favorite, Rhodium. Trainer E. E. Russell shipped in five head from the Framingham, Mass., farm of Weston W. Adams, Boston sportsman. Horsemen shipping their horses by van should take precautions to have the vehicles weighted to conform with the Connecticut rules. All vans are being stopped, weighed and measured before being allowed to cross some of the bridges believed weakened in the floods that accompanied the September hurricane. Unless badly overweighted, most vans are being allowed to proceed. So far, all horse vans coming have had no trouble in meeting the state requirements. Sol Rutchick wired officials Thursday to have ten stalls bedded down for the Nim-koff string which is expected in late today. Included in the Nimkoff string is Walter Morton, winner of several races here last year. The good campaigner, Beefsteak, reported sound again, is returning to the races after a long lay-off. Belair Stud and the Wheatley Stable will be prominently represented in the stakes and overnight handicaps at the Gansett spring meeting. Trainer "Sunny Jim" Fitz-simmons notified track officials that Belair Stud intended nominating Johnstown, Fighting Fox, Isolater, Challenge, Wise Lady and Anaflame. The Wheatley Stable, he said, will nominate Gilded Knight, Stormscud, Devils Peak and Sea Captain for the stakes, with others as yet unnamed for the overnight handicaps. The string that trainer Fitzsimmons has lined up looks like one of the most formidable to campaign at the Gansett spring meeting. Jimmy Ashcroft, leading rider at Tropical Park, will report to his contract employer, Paul Kelley of Chicago, at Gansett on April 12. Trainer Phil Sage brought in six of P. A. Shaws string from the farm Thursday morning. The bunch include Selmajack, Stage Beauty, Matello, Chancery Lane, Servant and Spring Away. Thirsk unloaded at Narragansett after a van trip from Everett, Mass. The five owners of the three-year-old maiden granddaughter of Man o War watched the unloading carefully and took particular care of the stabling of their protege in barn 6. Thirsk is scheduled for an early workout Friday morning, according to trainer Frank Dunn.
