view raw text
REFLECTIONS L- By N«Jm« Dunsfon * Elpis Makes Bridge Jumpers Cry Help Us* Astounds Fans Winning Coaching Club Oaks Helis Wins 5,215— Plus Baldings Nickel Old Ossabaw, 11, Still Winning Chases NEW YORK. N. Y., June 21. The upset caused by Polynesian in the Preakness was hardly as great as that on Wednesday, at Belmont, when William Helis Elpis defeated the Whitney pair of Monsoon and Recce, in the Coaching Club American Oaks. Although the Whitney pair had been backed down to 1 to 4, those in the grandstand felt they were "stealing money" even at that price. Perfectly ridden by Johnny Adams, Elpis followed the pace set by Recce and at the mile pole it appeared as if the entry would run one-two. Wearing down the leaders, the Helis filly, who is by Blue Larkspur — Faucille dOr, by Sardanapale, responded in the final quarter to win by two and one-half lengths from Monsoon as the astonished throng could barely believe what was taking place before them. After the race Helis was asked why Elpis did not start as a two-year-old. He answered, "I had 20 on the farm that did not start as two-year-olds, and she is one of them. This was the fourth start for Elpis this season and in it she became one of the leading three-year-old fillies of the year. Her time of 2:182, was almost three seconds faster than Twilight Tears in the same race last season. Elpis* next start will be in the Delaware Oaks, to be run at Delaware Park on Thursday, June 28, at a mile and a furlong. In this race she will meet Gallorette, winner of the Pimlico Oaks over Recce by three-quarters of a length. Prior to that Gallorette won from Monsoon and Recce, but it must be added that the victory was not nearly as impressive as that of the Helis filly over the same pair in the Coaching Club. There is no doubt that the Whitney interests will send Monsoon and Recce after this formidable pair next Thursday, and it also could be that Silver Smoke, another daughter of Mahmoud from the Whitney barn, will be a starter. Calumet Farm has Good Blood named for this race, and Crispin Oglebay made the one nomination of Price Level. Whether this pair will be starters, is a question, but if so, the race only lacks Busher — who will be running in the Santa Anita Derby on Saturday — to complete what would be one of the best fields of three-year-old fillies to start in recent years. The winner of the Oaks, however, might easily claim to be the eastern champion of her age and division. Just before the running of the Coaching Club, William Helis met Ivor Balding, manager of the Col. C. V. Whitney interests. Some good-natured "ribbing took place and Balding finally said, "Our fillies will make yours look like three cents today." Helis grinned and shot back, "Ill bet you five cents that Elpis beats both of them." After accepting the Coaching Club trophy, Helis looked around and said. "Wheres Balding, I want that nickel. Which reminds us that at Pimlico last Saturday the Greek-American sportsman was highly amused on reading a newspaper story that he was a "big plunger" on horses. "Why do you men print such silly stuff at this?" he asked. Helis had every right to ask the question, for in his racing and breeding operations he is very much like the late Willis Sharpe Kilmer, who would pay 5,000 for a stallion but would not think of wagering more than 5 on any horse he sent to the races. Helis has invested more than ,000,000 in breeding and racing stock, and the training he had in the oil business stood him in good stead when, in the beginning, he had some very bad luck. Since Saturday, when Rounders won the Dixie and Salto captured the Roseben. he has been murmuring. It is an awful lot of good luck for one man . to have on one day." A thrill for Belmont fans on Wednesday was the victory of 11-year-old Ossabaw, who just a few years ago was one of the outstanding jumpers of this country. Entered in this claiming race with a price of ,000, the old fellow flashed some of his former speed to win from Danny Deever, with Rougemont third. It was back in 1941 that Ossabaw was carrying as high as 166 pounds in steeplechase events. In that year he won the International Steeplechase Handicap, carrying 161 pounds, and also the Bev-erwyck Steeplechase Handicap, with 160. He was bought by Louis B. Mayer for a considerable sum, but now is the property of T. T. Mott. He is no longer asked to carry such poundage, for in Wednesdays race he won with 141. Steeplechase horses usually do not attain their best form until they are five or six years old, and it was in those years that Ossabaw was at his best. Now, at 11, it probably is his last season in competition. Lets hope so, for the old gelding has reached the age where he is entitled to a rest. New Yorkers are to see very little of Johnny Adams after Belmont, as he will leave for Chicago to ride the horses of the division that Maine Chance Farm will send to the Arlington meeting. Adams has been a sensation in New York, winning four races on Tuesday and coming back to ride War Date and Elpis for a double on Wednesday. While New York is better off than other cities for competent race riders, this is still the foremost problem of the American turf today. There must come a day, and very soon, when ways and means are found to develop boys who can compete with a few standouts that are now plying their trade at the major tracks. Johnny Adams has skill enough to hold his own no matter where he rides. In New York he soon demonstrated that the Arcaros and Atkinsons, to mention but two of the eight or ten who dominate the riding, could not get any the best of it. providing he had a good horse under him. He should be a standout in Chicago, but the point is. when are we going toget more boys who are capable of holding their own with the comparatively few standouts now on the American turf?
