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Jamaica Opens Eastern Season As Fourteen Meet in Paumonok Expect Crowd of 25,000 to See Apache and Devil Diver Clash Topweighted Belair and Greentree Racers to Face Shifty Sprinters in Cassis, Brownie, Mettlesome and Bill Sickle — Metropolitan Jockey Club Is Ready for Gala Inaugural JAMAICA, L. L, N. Y., April 7.— The New York racing season of 181 racing days, plus a nine-day Victory meeting, will open tomorrow at the Metropolitan Jockey Clubs popular Jamaica race track on New York Boulevard. The featured attraction on the program of seven races devised by racing secretary John B. Campbell is the ,500 Paumonok Handicap at six furlongs, for which Belair Studs Apache is expected to rule the favorite. A crowd estimated at more than 25,000 is forecast for the opening of the local season, though the weather man has predicted light rains which are unlikely to dampen the enthusiasm of New Yorks race followers. A field of 14 of the nations leading sprinters has been named overnight for the Paumonok, headed by Apache and Greentree Stables Devil 4 Paumonok Handicap, ,500. Three-Year-olds and Upward, Six Furlongs. PP. Horse. Jockey. Wt. 1 — Devil Diver T. Atkinson 130 2— Flak No Boy 106 3 — Alex Earth No Boy 110 4— Bill Sickle No Boy 108 5 — Swimn Hole No Boy 105 6— Cassis S. Brooks 120 7 — Boysy J. West rope 112 8 — Brownie E. Guerin 112 9 — Eurasian E. Steffen 119 10 — Mettlesome No Boy 112 11 — Apache No Boy 130 12— Eye for Eye H. Lindber* 102 13 — Go-Gino D. Dodson 110 14— Dartaway No Boy 102 Mrs. B. DiGiorgio entry — Flak. Mettlesome; Millbrook Stable entry — Alex Barth, Swimmin Hole; Havahome Stable entry — Eurasian. Eye for Eye. 4 ♦Diver, who are to carry 130 pounds each, | and will probably share the support of the i public. Both have worked in scintillating i fashion in preps for their seasonal debuts, jand Apache won a division of the Pau-; monok last year, when the race was split. Three Couplings in Feature The other Paumonok candidates, in order 1 of their weights, are Howe Stables Cassis, 1 120; Havahome Stables Eurasian. 119; JTom Heards Boysy, 112; Joe W. Browns I Brownie, 112; Mrs. B. DiGiorgios Mettle-some, 112; Millbrook Stables Alex Barth, Ill9; Dock Stables Go-Gino. 119; W-L Ranchs Bill Sickle, 108; Mrs. DiGiorgios JFlak, 106; Millbrook Stables Swimmin JHole. 105; Havahomes Eye For Eye. 102, i and Walter Macks Dartaway, 102. There are three couplings in the Paumonok. I Eurasian and Eye For Eye; Mettlesome and I Flak, and Alex Barth and Swimmin Hole. Everything is in readiness for a gala | opening at Jamaica. Track superintendent | Tom Maher has the racing surface in its best condition in several years, despite the I recent snow. Frank Stevens of the catering clan reports all reservations for the track restaurant long since sold. Lou Wal-ger has had his pari-mutuel staff rehearsing for several days to ensure smooth operation of the "tote," and transportation facilities, via the Long Island Railroad and Eighth Avenue subway and bus, promise to i be at least adequate, despite the continued j closing of the parking lots. Further, any-S ] one who wishes to can attend the races for , the mere payment of the tax on the admis-1 j sion by purchasing a War Bond at one of the booths provided for the purpose at the track gates. A 5 or 0 bond entitles the purchaser to a grandstand admission, while purchasers of 00 or more will be given complimentary clubhouse tickets. Swope Issues Statement Speaking for the New York State Racing Commission, chairman Herbert Bayard Swope said: "We must not forget that we still have restrictions on the use of gasoline Continued on Page Twelve Jamaica Opens Eastern Season Today; Fourteen Clash in Paumonok Handicap , , i 1 l 5 J Expect Crowd of 25,000 to ] ♦ See Apache and Devil Diver Clash in Six-Furlong Race Continued from Page One and we will comply fully with every regulation, but I am looking forward to a colorful and successful New York racing season." Apache and Devil Diver are sure to command the suffrage of the majority in the wagering, but theirs will be no easy task, for the lighter-weighted horses include several with a world of speed. Apache has shown an especial liking for the New York Boulevard track, and trainer Fitzsimmons does not feel that he is unduly burdened. He has been working steadily with the Paumonok in view and the familiar Jimmy Stout will probably be in the saddle. Devil Diver worked sensationally over the Jamaica strip on Tuesday and was slated to breeze at Belmont Park this morning. While not partial to the Jamaica track, the son of St. Germans has raced well there. Should the promised rain be excessive, he may not run, as trainer Gaver is hoping for a reasonably fast track. Howe Stables Cassis is another who has worked well for the inaugural feature and is expected to turn in a good race under Steve Brooks. The son of Bull Dog was vanned over from Belmont Park the other day and showed a liking for the local strip. Bill Sickle, one of the light weights, showed himself to be something of a Jamaica specialist last spring and, while he appears superficially, at least, to Jack the class of the first three named, trainer ] ♦ — ■ Jimmy Coleman is confident he will give a good account of himself. He will probably be ridden by Billy Pearson, a western rider who will be making his New York debut. Pearson starred in California. The rest of the Paumonok field raced with varying success in Florida and New Orleans and their recent form is well known. A victory by almost any of the 14 in the field would hardly be astonishing. The Paumonok is supported by the other features, which have drawn well-matched fields. The ,000 Snark Purse, an allowance dash for three-year-olds at five and one-half furlongs, has drawn a field of 13, headed by Joe W. Browns Fox Brownie and the Greentree pair of Tambo and Broad Grin, who carry 117 pounds. Tambo has impressed dockers at Belmont Park. The King Saxon, a ,500 test for four-year-olds and upward at a mile and one-sixteenth, offers a field of six. Alex Barth is in this, as well as the Paumonok and is assigned 113 pounds. The others are Rascal and Happy Hunting at 114; Rath Ro-nan, with 113, and Moon Maiden and Birch Rod, with 109 apiece. New Yorkers will get their first glimpse of the 1944 juveniles in the third race, a five-furlong dash styled the Worthmore. for a purse of ,500. This has drawn some nimble youngsters, including Victor Emanuels Forum, winner of his only start at Hialeah; Bert Pomeroys Motie Brand, a winner at New Orleans, and Allen T. Simmons Talmadge, who scored at Hialeah.
