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■■ REFLECTIONS By Nelson Dunston — Pimlico, Gansett Open Today Walk-Over in Clajming Races Bobby Permane Gets Big Hand Camden Lad Popular in New York NEW YORK. N. Y.. April 11. Pimlico and Narragansett Park open the Maryland and New England seasons tomorrow, and it is hoped the fans will be spared such sights as one horse — plus two outriders — going to the post, as was the case at Jamaica on Monday. Both sectors will undoubtedly open with fine crowds on hand, for the growth of racings popularity cannot be confined to the New York sector. The meeting at Pimlico last fall , ■ • , i I j 1 I 1 1 r c I was one of the finest staged in this country, and a glance at the stake program reflects the same high class sport at the meeting ahead. Many of the "name" stables in the land are quartered at the Baltimore course, and such events as the Chesapeake. Dixie and Preakness are certain to draw the best horses in training. Only one steeplechase of real value will be run during the meeting, that being the 0,000 Jervis Spencer Steeplechase Handicap on Friday. May 5. It was obvious at post time for the first race on Monday that the racing association was not going to budge from their stand. It was then that the Horsemens Benevolent and Protective Association stepped in and saved Monday from being a day without parallel in the history of American racing. Frankly, we are not in sympathy with any group of men that strike when the only one they can inconvenience is the racing public, who, regardless of all the stories we hear, is the real backbone of racing. Without them, the sport could not last. Even though it looked like a washout of the first race, comparatively few left the track. It may have been curiosity that kept the throng there, but the HBPA saved the situation when they stepped in and satisfied the grooms to the point where all six horses entered in the second race appeared in the post parade. From that point on the day was normal enough — even though the fields were small and the racing of a mediocre quality. We must add that we do not have any great admiration for either side in a situation where stubbornness appears to be the motivating factor for both. Jimmy Ritchie was the subject of much curiosity as he was seen walking Star of Padula to the post, but no other horse followed him for the first race, and it was soon evident that the event would have to be called off. As he was in the paddock, the racing association did the proper thing in sending Star of Padula out for a "walk-over." It was a strange sight as 30,000 people watched this one horse parade down the track with two outriders and then, with Jimmy Stout in the saddle, jog around the track to be timed in 3:45% for the six furlongs. Immediately after Stout had crossed the finish line, with the salvos of the crowd ringing in his ears, the question came up if this was not the first time that a horse had "walked over" in a claiming race. Apparently it was not. The American Racing Manual lists "a selling race" won by Napier at Saratoga in 1915, the value of the race being 30. Also at Saratoga in 1927, William Zieglers Maelstrom won the Waverly Claiming Purse, the value of which was 50. The last walk-over of any con-t sequence was that of Whirlaway in the Pimlico Special of 1942 and that called for 0,000, the highest walk-over on record, These events are rare, but we doubt if there will ever be another one as unique as that of Jamaica on Monday afternoon. The real attraction of the afternoon was Bobby Permane, the boy who rode five winners at Tropical Park on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. He came out for the first time on Head Smart in the fourth race and the New York fans gave him a fine hand while the field was on parade. He did not ride in the fifth, but scored his first victory in New York with Leaving, a three-1 year-old filly owned by Grant Thorn, in the sixth race. On returning to the winners circle, he was loudly cheered and had a grin that could be matched only by Jimmy Ritchies after Star of Padula "walked over" in the first race. Permane may not be the sensation he was in Florida, but we have an idea this Camden lad is going to hold his own on the "big apple" or any other track.
