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Charles Hatton THE JUDGES STAND Bv Charles Hatton Liberal Claim Rule Needed 30 Days at Pimlico Likely Mexico City Looks Ahead Campbell on Market Wise NEW YORK N Y June 9 9A A sad commentary on something or other is the result of the recent balloting among some 200 Chicago horsemen to seek no change in the Illinois rule tha governs the claiming of horses Under the present rule the claimant perforce runs a plater for 25 per cent more than the sum for which he was haltered for a period of 30 days if he runs the horse at all in that interim This ridiculous regulation is not confined to the thoroughbred sport in the Prairie State but is quite general On one hand races are written for horses whose connections enter them to be sold for sums which they represent these horses to be worth On the other prospective purchasers are discouraged No amount of argument can alter the fact this is fundamentally a hypocrisy It is further directly contrary to the best interests of the turf All too frequently in complying with this rule horses are started over their heads for a period of 30 days then returned to their proper milieu This creates form upsets What occurs is precisely the sort of manipulation that is fnnyned upon by stewards as some kind of skullduggery excepting when it is com ¬ mitted in accordance with this claiming regulation regulationRacing Racing would be better served were this clause eliminated and the rule rewritten to be as liberal as is possible providing1 opportunity for tlfose who awaken completely sans horse to claim one within a reasonable period periodVhcn Vhcn a horseman claims a plater for 1500 he does not imply the former owner raced the horse too cheaply by 25 per cent or even 1 per cent And if the former owner has more than 1500 invested in the horse then he must accept the loss of the difference between the sum invested and the amount he estimates the horse is worth actually We know of no business in which one is not liable to such losses Picking yearlings is a lottery This oftquoted truism never was more clearly illustrated than in the strange cases of Whirlaway and Blenweed Before they came of racing age Blenweed revealed a higher order of speed than Whirlaway Some pretty vain hopes were encouraged this bluebookish son oft Blenheim II and the Phalaris mare Starweed had a future Now Whirlaway has amassed earnings in the stratospheric 500000 bracket Blenweed racing at Aqueduct failed to beat a horse racing for an indictment of 3000 3000Mention Mention of Whirlaway reminds that Ben Jones and Sarge Swenke this summer are confronted with more demands than ever on their skill in endeavoring to return Whirlaway and Alsab to competition as the same puissant entertainers racegoers have come to know It is reassuring both appear to be responding satisfactorily to training trainingOmar Omar the soothsayer cannot foretell the length nor scene of whatever remains of Marylands wartime fall season Indications at the quiescent moment are that 30 days of thoroughbred sport will be conducted at accessible Pimlico Laurel or Havre is expected to stage a 15day meeting at the old hilltop beginning shortly after Belmonts October 9 close The Maryland Jockey Clubs own 15day season would follow that of its guest club clubIt It is going to be indeed interesting to note how the graduated purses policy functions at the Pimlico meeting This program of regraded purses to be more commensurate with the various classifications of horses is a necessity in modern day racing An incriminating gadget is the sounddetector unit installed at the Queens County Jockey Club course They do say straightfaced as you please that riders conversa ¬ tion is picked up as fields race within a radius of furlongs of this instrument For instance on opening day one booter was quoted as having coached another peevishly to Go inside you nitwit nitwitIt It seems a pity the powersihatbe were not at the earphones when horsemen gave vent to their reactions anent the Aqueduct rule that prohibits those who are not starting horses from parking within the courses confines This seems to us a legiti ¬ mate squawk Racing is horsemens business and there are myriad details in con ¬ nection with it to be attended other than saddling a horse Jockey Johnny Longden who actually restrained Count Fleet a mile and a half in 228 in the Belmont is convinced The Count would nevertheless have fractured Bolingbrokes American mark of 227 only for losing his action momentarily as he wrenched his ankle on one bound cuffed it on the next It was easily the most impressive mile and a half witnessed in this country considering the mishap and the further fact the main course was a second or so slow due to the deep dust The older Bolingbroke carried 115 pounds and won driving whereas Mrs Hertz colt shouldered 126 and was never out of a pull pullItalys Italys noted ownerbreeder Tesio would approve of Americas brown wonder for he achieves his victories on nervous energy rather than hulking brute force Though less tall Count Fleet actually girths more than did Man o War at three while as we have noted his underpinning is a magnificent mechanism for running Racing in Mexico is here to stay Bruno Pagliai declares confidently continuing Mexican owners are purchasing more horses both here and at the sales in the United States andNorth American horses coming here next year will have serious competition from Mexican stables stablesThe The season just ending marked the first thoroughbred competition in Mexico City in 25 years Pagliai proposes to open the autumn season in October or November for a meeting that will run 62 racing days three or more days a week Minimum purses and stakes will be increased and the clubs stellar events will be renewed each at an attractive boost in its endowment endowmentAs As more racing folk probably know by this time Air Master a Pimlico track record holder established a new mile and a furlong record of 150 at the Hipodromo in winning the Presidential Handicap of 50000 pesos added last weekend Air Master bred at Elmendorf performs for Texas fabulous John L Sullivan a kinsman of the Boston strong boy who is among the more colorful turf figures what with his 10 gallon hats and penchant for plunges Jack Campbell it is clear entertains no delusions about Market Wise The noted weight adjuster tacitly declares the Tufano horses metier is spe ¬ cifically distance running in ranking Riverland Devil Diver and Attention pounds better at the seven furlongs of Saturdays 7500 Carter Handicap while estimating With Regards to be equally as formidable at the abbreviated route
