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.............. ........... Here and There on the Turf Spring Racing Expands El Chico About Ready I Has Had Long Training ; New York Accepts Meade . With spring racing moving into high gear this week, interest is mounting steadily as matters of importance are reported from various sections. Gaining widespread prominence were El Chicos latest workout and approval of Don Meades application for a riding license by The Jockey Club, while due attention is being given the opening of Keeneland today and Havre de Grace and Jamaica Saturday. El Chico, undisputed juvenile champion last season when he won seven stakes, all his starts, is the number one three-year-old candidate, hence the eagerness with which racing enthusiasts all over the country await the details of his trials. The subject of conversation whenever two fans meet since Don Meade made his comeback in remarkable fashion in Florida was his chances of getting his New York license. El Chico has gone through his training paces steadily all spring at Belmont Park, where he also wintered. He was permitted light gallops when the weather allowed, but otherwise either jogged or walked under the shed. In this manner the son of John P. Grier and La Chica was not permitted to take on excessive flesh while enabling him to grow and fill out naturally. When trainer Matt Brady returned to the Long Island course from Santa Anita he found El Chico weighing about 100 pounds more than when the colt concluded his two-year-old campaign in mid-September, the increase representing natural growth. The William Ziegler, Jr., Continued on twenty-first page. HERE AND THERE ON THE TURF Continued from second page trainer then began his task of making the older more mature El Chico ready for his three-year-old campaign, soon to begin in an overnight event as Jamaica, as a step to the Wood Memorial Stakes. Interspersed with long gallops at regular Intervals were trials, at first short and slow, then increased in speed and more recently extended in distance until El Chicos last was a mile in 1:43 in light mud. This wasnt an outstanding move by any means, but probably all that trainer Brady desired, considering that lie has in mind to start the colt in a six furlongs sprint, probably Saturday. El Chico has had plenty of opportunities to sharpen up on his speed and with his preliminary race desired for its seasoning effect, he will begin undergoing the tightening process necessary to have him in top form for the Wood Memorial. With that race of a mile and seventy yards under his belt, plus the train ride to Louisville and the long workout he may be expected to undergo over the Churchill Downs course, El Chico should be fit indeed for the Derby. Whether he will be good enough for the Derby is something else again, or his progress would not incur so much interest. Don Meade will be in silks at Jamaica Saturday, anxious to do as well on the New York circuit as he did in Florida, He will find the competition much more capable and determined, but that wont prevent him from demonstrating whether or not he is a good jockey. With good horses to ride, he only has to handle them with a minimum of mistakes to prove his ability, and if he does just that Meade will be astride a good share of winners. Meade is being given another chance and so far he has shown his appreciation of that opportunity, meanwhile putting himself back on his financial feet. New York offers good riders their best hope of financial reward, but at the same time, unfortunately, the inducements to hold favorites occasionally are difficult to refuse. No one need inform Meade what is expected of him on favorites and long shots alike and the time may not be so far away when his long suspension will have been forgotten. Jamaica will be inaugurating Saturday what undoubtedly will prove a momentous season in New York, whether or not New Jersey will vote favorably on pari-mutuel wagering in June and the Metropolitan tracks will encounter dangerous competition during late summer and autumn. Racing is more popular than ever in New York and a banner meeting should be enjoyed by Jamaica right from the beginning. Havre de Grace is the second of the three Maryland courses staging spring meetings, its thirteen day term immediately following Bowies close. The Harford Association undoubtedly will do better than Bowie with or without good weather, as of great value to it will be the Chesapeake Stakes and the three-year-olds preparing for it and the latter specials. This 5,000 attraction may have a field including such winter stars as Ciencia, Ariel Toy, Day Off, Volitant and Impound, as well as promising colts like Eight Thirty and Challedon, hence its importance is far reaching.
