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I REFLECTIONS by nelson dunstan CHURCHILL DOWNS, Louisville, Ky., May 3. — Spring racing passes into its second phase now that the Kentucky Derby has been written into the record books. At Pimlico, the Preakness, second leg of the "Triple Crown," will be run this Saturday, and at Belmont Park, which opens Monday, the Belmont Stakes will bring that meeting to a close on May 31. Although the three-year-old colts will still hold much of the limelight, the 24-day Belmont Park meeting will see many of the better horses in other divisions competing in the traditional stakes events. Mondays 5,000 Toboggan Handicap is for the three-year-olds and older horses and is a forerunner to the Metropolitan Handicap and other events for older horses that have long been fixtures on the Belmont spring schedule. Probably there has never been a season when the careers of so many high-priced yearlings have been so keenly awaited. Some of them are certain to open their campaigns at Belmont, and Delaware Park, where the annual meeting opens on May 29. Steeple-chasing will be featured at both Belmont and Delaware, just as it is now at Pimlico, AAA Pimlico goes into its last week with a final two-day program that promises fine sport. On Friday they will stage the 0,000 Pimlico Oaks, for three-year-old fillies, and the 0,000 Dixie Handicap for three-year-olds and older horses at a mile and three-sixteenths. The time-honored Preakness will bring the meeting to a close on the week-end. At this writing the Dixie shapes up as a stirring contest, and this despite the fact that Armed has been declared out of the race. This event may serve as the American debut of Basileus II., the French racer who did so well in his own country and in England. He Belmont Park Opens Spring Meet Today Many Important Races to Be Contested Preakness Stakes Closes Pimlico Meeting Hollywood Again Features 00,000 Cup will be opposed by a good field, as Charles McLennan, racing secretary at the old Baltimore track, has stated he expects 12 to 14 to answer the bugle. Stymie, a sta-blemate of Basileus H., may also make the Dixie an important step in his 1947 campaign to topple Whirl-away from his throne as the worlds money-winning champion. AAA Hollywood Park, one of the most beautiful race tracks in the country, is one of the major courses to open in May. On the 24th it will open a meeting that will boast 16 stakes, with a total of 00,000 in added money. Although no stake has less than 5,000, there are five it 0,000, and then the 00,000 Hollywood Gold Cup at a mile and a quarter for three-year-olds and older horses. Since its inaugural running, in 1938, no race in this country has produced so many remarkable one and one-quarter-mile speed efforts. In the first running, Sea-biscuit defeated Specify in 2:03%. Since then every winner has bettered the time of the great C. S. Howard campaigner. In 1945 and 1946, Challenge Me and Triplicate, respectively, astonished the racing world by both running it in 2:00%. Under the guidance of Jack Mackenzie, Hollywood is one of the countrys most efficiently operated tracks and, like Santa Anita, draws the finest people in southern California during its 50 days of sport. AAA As we leave Kentucky we talked with breeders and racing men about the strength of this seasons yearling markets at Keeneland and Saratoga. The breeders feel there will be a drop of from 10 to 15 per cent, and a few went as high as 30 per cent. Henry H. Knight, of Alma-hurst Farm and who averaged 3,750 for his yearlings at Saratoga, is of the opinion that the drop will run about 10 per cent, and quickly added, "It will still be a good season if it does not go beyond that." Ed Moore, of Circle M and who purchased a large block of Idle Hour Farm, says "Somewhere in the neighborhood of 12 per cent." Strangely enough, racing men disagree with the breeders. Jim Powers looks for the market to be about the same as last year and says it will continue so long as the stakes and purse levels hold to the present standards. Webb Everett, racing secretary at Santa Anita, has no patience with those who look for a drop in prices. "The market for horses will continue to rise and, although all records were broken last year, I look for a new record to be established again this year." Webb bases his opinion on the results of the L. B. Mayer sale of horses-in-training, contending that the demand for yearlings will be just as great as it now is for horses that are ready to race. AAA Speaking of stake and purse values, it is obvious there has never been a season when horses in all divisions can earn such great sums of money. Race-track operators do not seem greatly concerned with the drop in mutuel play, and made the prediction that if the falling off is no more drastic, they will be justified in keeping the stakes and purse values at the same high levels for the next five years. In announcing the rich stake level at Arlington and Washington Parks in Chicago, Ben Lind-heimer frankly stated he looked for a drop in mutuel play, but that he felt justified in maintaining the high standards of last year.
