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reflections 1 By Nelson Dunstan — — — — — — Olin Gentry to Resign From Idle Hour Miss Kilgallen Wrongs William Helis That Nylons to Beauties Canard Doug Dodson Given Graham Bounce NEW YORK, N. Y., May 30. In the one-day interim between the Suburban and the Belmont it may not be amiss if we touch on a few items that may be of interest to racing fans. A few days back in our three-dot shorts we made this statement: "It is more than a rumor that the manager of one of Kentuckys largest breeding farms will resign as of June 1." Often we have heard that the vast majority of people that go to race tracks are interested only in winning a bet. Take our word for it, that is poppycock. In the clubhouse and in the paddock at Belmont on Tuesday and Wednesday we were asked the question, "Who is the farm manager who is going to resign on June 1?" If we did not know Olin Gentry, who for close to 25 years has been manager of Col. E. R. Bradleys Idle Hour Farm, we would just refuse to answer the question. In saying that Olin Gentry is the man who will resign his post we do so only for the reason that we want to pay tribute to him as one of the finest farm managers this country has ever known. Why he is resigning is none of our business, but what we want to add is that the breeder who obtains his services will get one of the most efficient men in the breeding industry. We know at least three breeders who want him, but we rather imagine he has a big job awaiting him. Wherever you go, Olin, good luck. Even turf columnists sometimes print "sillies" which, if checked, would have them blushing to the hue of an Italian sunset. But some of these Broadway columnists oftentimes print such downright foolishness that you wonder just when you can believe anything they write. Heaven protect us from any controversy with one of these lady columnists, but this is one time when we think Miss Dorothy Kilgallen, whose "Voice of Broadway" echoes from the canyons of the roaring fifties, should be told — very politely — that she should check stuff that is untrue or she should be brought to book. We thoroughly enjoy Miss Kilgallen on the radio in the mornings, and especially when her children sing, but when Miss Kilgallen prints cheap stuff that is untrue she should be told that she is more of a gossip -monger than a columnist. In her column of last Monday Miss Kilgallen asks: "Do you happen to know Bill Helis, the millionaire sportsman? He just traded in a couple of horses for oodles of nylon stockings which he will give away to his favorite beauties." We know Helis as a man who has worked very hard, ever since he came to this country without benefit of knowing one word of English and with less than 5 in his pocket. Today he is a multi-millionaire through his own efforts. He came into the racing business just a few years ago and invested millions of dollars. The other day a manufacturer of nylon stockings approached him in the paddock and wanted to buy two of his horses. After the deal was arranged — and this writer happened to hear it arranged — the nylon manufacturer said to him, "How will I make the payment?" In a kidding mood, Helis said, Oh, send me a carload of nylons." So what happens? Some cheap scandalmonger around the race track hears the remark and promptly passes it on to Miss Kilgallen. Is it any wonder that the average person in this country reads with wonderment these so-called peep-hole columns? On Tuesday little Doug Dodson rode War Fan for the Maine Chance Farm of Mrs. Elizabeth Graham. War Fan was beaten half a length by Gracie Vee. On Wednesday Doug was informed that he would not ride War Date in the Top Flight Handicap, nor Lord Boswell in the Belmont Stakes on Saturday. Later he was informed that he could ride War Date in the Top Flight Handicap, but not Lord Boswell in the Belmont. Quite properly Dodson said that if he could not ride Lord Boswell in the Belmont he did not want to have the mount on War Date in the Top Flight. It is all very confusing and often we wonder just who is so good a judge of a jockeys ride that they can tell one of the finest and most honorable riders in the profession that, in view of one particular ride, he cannot have the mounts on future horses of that particular stable. Mrs. Graham was at Belmont Park Wednesday with her brilliant attorney, John T. Cahill, and it was too bad that they had to see War Date far down in the running of the Top Flight Handicap. It is our opinion — just one mans opinion, mind you — that if Doug Dodson had ridden War Date she would have been closer to the leaders than the seventh position in which she finally finished. There is many a laugh around the race track. Recently there was a race carded in which two horses were entered in a field of 12. One man we know quite well had bought a rather cheap horse from a fellow whose reputation would not be listed as A-l by the Drayton organization. When we ran into the man who sold the horse he happened to ask us how we thought the race would turn out. We told him we thought that the horse he had sold to our friend would have a very good chance. "Dont be silly," he retorted, I have a horse in that race that worked with the one you mentioned for over a year, and the one I have could run away from him every time they started together ". Well, you probably guessed the answer — the horse that our friend bought won the race bv three lengths, while the one still owned by the wise guy who sold it to him finished next to last, and thoroughly beaten. Yes, indeed, Mister, this race track is a funny place, and you can go out there any day and find enough material to fill a dozen columns.
