view raw text
reflections! By Nelson Dunstan 1 Race Fans Will Walk If Necessary Whirlaway, Attention in Suburban They Must Beat Alsab in Withers Bleu dOrJn Friday Belmont Sale NEW YORK, N. Y., May 19. Turf enthusiasts watched keenly on Saturday and Monday as to the effects of gasoline and tire- restrictions. Actually, they have made no. noticeable difference in the attendance at Belmont, comparing the sarnie day with that of last year. On Saturday, over 32,000 were at the Belmont course for the Metropolitan, and on Monday, over 15,000 were in attendance. Approximately 4,500 automobiles were in the enclosure on Saturday afternoon, this being about one-half of the number found on normal week-ends. Of the 32,000, however, some 18,800 arrived by train, and it is our understanding that the Long Island Railroad is prepared to handle even more than that number if necessary. Many veterans, while maintaining that turf fans will get to a course in one way or another, stress that the true test will come at Empire City in New York, and "at Saratoga, Delaware Park and other tracks which are some distance from the heart of the nearest city. The new track at Camden may also find transportation a problem, for while the course is but 15 minutes from the heart of Philadelphia, there appears to be a question of whether buses can be used for taking fans to and from the Quaker City. Star Beacon, winner of the sixth race at Belmont Park on Monday, will carry the Foxcatcher colors in the Withers on Saturday. Ramillies, who ran second, will probably answer the bugle for W. P. Chrysler II. Both of these colts are by Blenheim II., and in Mondays race showed up the Hyperion pair, This England and Half Crown. Briton, a colt by Bosworth Fireship, by Swynford, ran fourth, but is not an eligible for Saturdays feature event. Horsemen around Long Island are still talking about Fairaris, but most of them seem to think that, on his Preakness form, Alsab is certain to be returned the winner. Last fall, the Sabath colt demonstrated he had a liking for the Belmont strip, just one WALTER P. CHRYSLER II. Has en-of his feats being a mile in 1:35, tered Bleu dOr in the vendue of horses the fastest eight-furlong record for a n training to be sold at Belmont Park juvenile anywhere in the world. About Friday y mornina 9 10 are expected to go to the Withers post, and besides Fairaris, there will be support for Sun Again and Shut Out. But it seems asured Alsab will be a short-priced favorite, and if returned the winner, that a small field will oppose him in the Belmont Stakes on June 6. Even though he ran a brilliant mile at Belmont last fall, it now appears as if the Withers will be a tougher race for him than the Belmont Stakes. Of the important races in the offing the Suburban looms as the one that is likely to break all Belmont records. Whirlaway appears a certain starter, and Max Hirsch, the trainer of Attention, has expressed himself as hoping the Calumet champion will be in the line-up. Max is not claiming that Attention will beat Whirlaway, but he does say that he expects his horse to be in there fighting from end to end. The question of whether Attention can hold his speed over one and one-quarter miles was answered in the Classic at Arlington Park last July, when he defeated Whirlaway by one and one-half lengths. In the Dixie at Pimlico, on May 6, Whirlaway turned the tables on Attention with one of the most sensational stretch runs ever seen, at the old Baltimore course. Attention came through to show that he had regained his form by winning the Metropolitan in impressive fashion. Hirsch is of the opinion that he would have won, even had last Saturdays race been at one and one-quarter miles. Mrs. Parker Comings colorbearer came out of the race in fine condition, and there is no doubt in our mind that a duel between Whirlaway and Attention is about the most exciting dish turf fans have to look forward to at this time. There has been so much interest in the Withers and Belmont Stakes, little attention has been given to the Peter Pan Handicap, for three-year-olds and which will be run on Tuesday, June 2, just four days before the running of the Belmont Stakes. With ,500 added, this race is at one mile and a furlong, and has the majority of top three-year-olds on the eligible list. Geldings are not eligible for the Withers or Belmont, but there are no restrictions for the Peter Pan. So one of the certain starters is Colchis, winner of the Chesapeake and who ran fourth in the Preakness. Vince Mara, trainer of the Clark horses, is of the opinion Colchis will like the distance, and will appreciate the length of the Belmont stretch. There is no doubt some of the Belmont starters will use the Peter Pan as the finish touch. In the first running, in 1940, Andy K. won the Peter Pan and then ran third to Bimelech and Your Chance in the Belmont. Last year, Robert Morris was the winner, but bowed to Whirlaway in the race which is the third leg of the "Triple Crown." Among this years eligibles are Alsab, Sun Again, Apache, Bless Me, Devil Diver, Shut Out, Colchis, Bleu dOr, Requested, Bright Willie, Fairaris, Fair Call and Dogpatch. Catalogues for the. sale of horses in training, to be held at Belmont on Friday morning, are now being distributed by the Fasig-Tipton Company. The addition of Bleu dOr, who ran second to Requested in the Wood Memorial, came as a surprise, but will add interest to the sale as a whole. He is being offered by Walter P. Chrysler, Jr., who will also send Full Cry, Matakom, On Loan, Rom and Uproarious into the sales ring. Brookmeade Stable will sell nine in all, the consignment including the five-year-old gelding, Romanov, who ran third in the Lawrence Realization and was a winner last year. In the Brookmeade lot there is also Spring Parade, a brown filly out of a half sister to Level Best; Starville, a brother to Greville; and Great Horde, a half brother to Gannett. Mrs. L. G. Kaufman will offer Hi-Kip, a half sister to Sortie and half sister to the dam of Market Wise, while Sanford Stud Farm will offer four geldings. Other consignors are Greentree Stable, John Hay Whitney, George D. Widener, M. Van Beuren, Mrs. Andy Schuttinger and Manhasset Stable, the latter offering the two-year-old filly, Narki, by Snark La Rambla, by Sir Gallahad III., and thus a half sister to San Salvo and Sir Emerson. The sale will start promptly at 10:30 a. m., as 50 head will be offered.
