view raw text
BETWEEN RACES Byoscons BELMONT PARK, Elmont, L. I., May 17. — When Nick Wall showed up in the paddock the other afternoon, he received a heros welcome. Everyone, from officials to valets, and even from the customers, who recognized him as one of their idols of old, strolled up to shake his hand. This is Walls first trip East since he cheated death on the West Coast last fall, his dramatic and bitter fight for life, following a spill attracting the attention and admiration of the entire turf. The writer was there at the time, and can honestly say that Wall not only had to fight for his life, he literally had to fight for every breath, and the doctors marveled that he lived at all. Walls trip East is in the nature of a mission, and he will be here for a few more days before departing for Hollywood Park, where he has an official post. His mission is just this. He is here to talk to various racing officials, including Marshall Cassidy, secretary of The Jockey Club, Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt and Harry Parr III., of Pimlico, and New Jersey track heads, to explain the technical operation of the latest West Coast development, the field judge and performance analysis department, as developed at Tanforan by Wendell Cassidy. We have explained this in some detail before, and will not repeat it here. Suffice to say that it seemed to work well at Tanforan, and is worthy of the consideration of track managements throughout the nation whether or not it is eventually adopted almost universally, such as has been the case of another West Coast bit of pioneering, the film patrol. Incidentally, Wall is the second of two riders seriously injured in the West, given an opportunity to make a career of officiating. The first was Alfred Shelhamer, who has made good and is now a fixture at all major California tracks. AAA Alex Robb, secretary and treasurer of the Westchester Nick Wall Explains Field Judge System Robb Plans Even More Beautiful Belmont Lakes, Flowers an Aid to Finest Racing Cassidy Invited to Kings Plate Running Racing Asociation, has had a varied career in racing. He originally was associated with the late Willis Sharpe Kilmer as farm manager at Binghamton, later was drafted to help organize the TRA. After getting that organization to functioning he resigned to accept his present post at Belmont Park. All his previous training proved admirable ground work for the Westchester executive post. It goes without saying that his primary interest is in the quality of the racing, but as a nobby, he has taken up a long range beautification program for Belmont Park. We cant exactly say that he is putting Belmont Park into the floral sweepstakes, a race which has swept the land from coast to coast and border to border, because Belmont Park always has been known as "Beautiful Belmont," and was pointed out as a model long before Hialeah, Santa Anita, or Delaware Park, to mention a few of the tracks where the flower is given careful attention, came into existence. Rather, we should say he is accelerating the program which in time will make Belmont Park perhaps as famed for its box hedges and begonias as it is for its racing. AAA Not so long ago we read the statement that people dont come to race tracks to bet on the lakes or the flowers. This statement is true, as far as it goes. But it is our experience that the shoddy, ill-kept, unpainted, and drab tracks are those which offer the least purses, attract the least attendance, and in general offer the poorest racing. In the final analysis, the fan pays the purses, and If that fan is pampered, so to speak, with the finest of ac commodations, the most beautiful of surroundings, and the politest of handling, he will stay a fan for life. There is something about spending an afternoon in a beautiful plant that takes the edge off the sting of going home loser. My firm conviction is that the present flow of purse gold in California may be attributed somewhat to the flowers. Santa Anita went into what might be termed hostile territory. But the very beauty of the place convinced most everyone that here was indeed a sport that had quality and, in the world-advertising of the two California tourist attraction groups, the California tracks are prominently featured. This is just one example of many that could be cited. Hence the Robb hobby at Belmont Park is worthy of more than passing mention. His drive-wheel in the plan is a master gardener named William Grant, who has been with Westchester the last 18 years. It was Grant who built up the extensive greenhouses over in the stable area where all the flowers are grown, then transplanted around the grounds shortly before the inaugural of each meeting. Tab this team for some unusual and striking displays in the seasons to come. AAA Marshall Cassidy, steward representing The Jockey Club, is flying to Toronto, come Friday, having been invited as an honored guest to witness the 1947 running, on Saturday, of the historic Kings Plate. Great tradition attends the race, and it is an honor all Ontario breeders seek to win. Cassidy had the privilege of starting the race on seven occasions. We understand the Kings Plate is the oldest continuous stake run on the North American continent, being first run in 1860, and was, according to a Canadian informant, the only race allowed and encouraged during the First World War. It is a tribute to Cassidy that he has been requested to attend in the capacity of what might be termed an ambassador of the American turf.
