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BETWEEN RACES ayoscworo BELMONT PARK, Elmont, L. I., N. Y., May 16.— Running of the Withers here tomorrow may have one important bearing upon the mile and a half Belmont Stakes on May 31, the latter being the last of the "Triple Crown" races. For the Withers may determine whether or not Own ers Choice will elect to start in the Belmont and thereby pose an unexpected problem in that gruelling journey. T. D. "Pinky" Grimes, trainer of Owners Choice and the horses of Mr. and Mrs. John D. Hertz, is of the opinion that Owners Choice is slowly but surely learning what racing is all about, and that in his last winning effort, at seven furlongs, he gave enough promise to indicate that he is about ready to "take to" racing. And most railbirds agree that if Owners Choice could rate his admittedly great burst of early speed, there is no telling how far he would go. Moreover, Owners Choice has shown a real proclivity for the mud and, should it come up sloppy on Belmont Day, he must be regarded as a possible starter regardless of his effort in the Withers which might indicate staying power. AAA Talk to trainers of many of the leading three-year-old candidates and most of them will tell you the three-year-old situation at the moment is muddled, that they look for the three-year-olds to pretty much beat one another, and that any clear-cut picture of the ratings of the respective leaders may not be forthcoming until after the Arlington-Washington Park meetings in Chicago. As a two-year-old, Cosmic Bomb was listed right at the top of the elite, but this spring he has not lived up to Juvenile promise, but there is a reason. Trainer William Booth plans to give the horse a real chance and will freshen him up for a formidable campaign in the Mid- Owners Choice Mudlark Belmont Starter Chicago Decisive Three-Year-Old Arena? E. E. Dale Shaffer to Take to Skyways A Test for Royal Blood in Juvenile west. The writer believes that perhaps Faultless will be the horse most likely to succeed as the season progresses. One reason for his fine racing form became apparent the other day on his arrival from Baltimore. Faultless is one of those rare horses who is a superior globe trotter. The cars do not bother him in the slightest. On the trip from Baltimore, he took his commodious end of the car and, when the train left the yards, he promptly laid down and went to sleep. Indeed, he snored so proudly that he was not awaken at the usual breakfast time, and was allowed to slumber until time to get off the train. AAA E. E. Dale Shaffer, master of Coldstream Stud, is what might be termed a "progressive conservative." He is constantly seeking to improve his farm, his bloodstock, and racing in general, yet is by no means a faddist. Hence, it came as no surprise when he told the writer the other morning that he would take to the airways with his horses this summer. Acceptance by the master of Coldstream of the airplane can be taken as proof that the age of flight is here to stay. He plans to send a trio to Hollywood Park in the near future, a pair of two-year-olds to compete in filly stakes, and Be Faithful to make a return try in the Vanity Handicap at a mile and a sixteenth, a race she won last year in 1:42 flat, under 119 pounds. AAA Whenever the discussion at Belmont Park gets around to the two-year-old crop, sooner or later the name of Royal Blood comes up for top consideration. All hands may have the answer to his worth by tomorrow night, for the promising Maine Chance colt, a 0,000 purchase, will be a starter in the 0,000 Juvenile Stakes, a five-furlong scamper down the Widener straightaway. Tom Smith, trainer for Maine Chance, and his son, Jimmy, who has been training Royal Blood while Tom has been making the glory circuit with Jet Pilot, are confident not only that Royal Blood is the best two-year-old in the barn, but perhaps one of the best he has ever trained. At the same time the elder Smith admits that one never can tell about a horse and while in the case of Royal Blood, he is confident the horse will justify his faith. Still and all, if he does not race to expectations. Smith would take it philosophically, as he has often done in the past. Smith revealed that Royal Blood was purchased after an exhaustive search and inspection of horses in the Blue Grass country as yearlings being pointed for the sales. "Royal Blood has everything in the way of conformation, and it was this factor which caused us to bid so high," said Smith. "We were more impressed with his bloodlines on the distaff than on the sire side." AAA We talked to Smith shortly after Royal Blood came off the track early in the morning following a breeze in the mud. "It is a pleasure to have a horse that can run on any kind of a track," he commented. We can well understand this, for Smith, when he trained Seabiscuit to the money-winning championship of the world, became glum when the tiniest of clouds appeared in the sky. Seabiscuit, of course, had to be able to hear his feet latter on a pasteboard strip to turn in his best effort. 3 lmmy Smith concluded the session with the remark that Royal Blood, day for day, had shown to much greater advantage at this stage than had Jet Pilot last year.
