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REFLECTIONS *y NfLS0N whs™* NEW YORK, N. Y., April 30.— By the end of May, eight major racing centers will be in operation throughout the country and we find a distinct note of optimism among the officials at the tracks whose openings are in the offing. Some 53 stake events, with values from ,000 to 00,000, and for members of all divisions will be written into the record books. During the present week, all eyes will be on Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Derby running. But there will be no letdown for the members of that division for, during May, they will have opportunities in the Survivor Stakes and Preakness, at Pimlico; the Withers, at Belmont Park; the Constitution Handicap, at Suffolk Downs; the Jersey Stakes, at Garden State Park, and the Pea-body Memorial, at Lincoln-at-Washington Park on Memorial Day. Many important three-year-old races are also scheduled for June, and notably the 5,000 Belmont Stakes, which will be run on June 11, the last day of the Belmont meeting. There is an interesting sidelight to the three-year-old situation this year in that such highly regarded youngsters as Blue Peter, Mr. Busher, Illuminable, Sport Page and Commodore Lea will be on the sidelines while the Derby and Preakness are run, but may be ready to try conclusions by the time of the Jersey or Belmont Stakes. AAA Three-year-old fillies will also have their opportunities in the month ahead. On Friday, the 5,000 Kentucky Oaks will be run at Churchill Downs, followed by the 5,000 Acorn on May 11, and then the 0,000 Pimlico Oaks, which will be run a day before the Preakness. All of these events will lead up to the 0,000 Coaching Club American Oaks, which, at one and three-eighths miles, has always been regarded as one of the races which point out the three-year-old filly champion. After the running of the Kentucky Oaks, Royce Martin will ship his pair of Tall Weeds and Lady Dorimar to Belmont, as they are eligibles for the Coaching Club, which will be run on May 28. Myrtle Charm, who was the two- Many Major Tracks in Operation During May Busy Month for Three-Year-Old Division Myrtle Charm Not Named for Coaching Club National Stallion Draws Top Colts and Fillies year-old filly champion, was not named for any of the stakes at Belmont, but on the list of 98 who are nominated is Gaffery, who was considered second only to Myrtle Charm last year, along with Pail of Water, Flower Bed, Fond Embrace, Lithe, Green Baize, Alsabs Day, Raise You and the Calumet Farms Wistful. The fillies were not up to competition against colts in the Derby, but they may put on some very interesting races in events for members of their sex. A 4 A Coaltown may be one of the busiest members of the older division during May. Next Saturday, the feature at Pimlico will be the Dixie Handicap, a race which Calumet Farm has won with Whirlaway, Sun Again, Armed and Fervent. Coaltown will be a starter in this 5,000 event, which is at one and three-sixteenths miles. Following that race, Coaltown may be returned to New York for the Metropolitan Handicap, which, at one mile, will be run on May 14. The speedy son of Bull Lea has also been named for the 0,000 Suburban on May 30, and then the Roseben, which is at six furlongs over the Widener Course, on June 1. Jimmy Jones told this writer just a few days ago that the race Coaltown will be pointed for is the Suburban, but there is also a good possibility that he will be a starter in the Metropolitan. The Suburban Handicap, at one and one-quarter miles, closed with 48 nominations, and on the list is Fervent, Faultless, Vulcans Forge, Shy Guy, Better Self, Pilaster, Mount Marcy, Beauchef and also that hard-hitting mare Conniver. This race could result in one of the best handicap fields to go to the post so far this season. AAA Events for fillies and mares are few, indeed, during the month of May. Of over 50 stake events scheduled to be run, only Garden State Park has carded one for fillies and mares, three years old and older, and that is the 5,000 Colonial Handicap, which will be run next Saturday. The next event for the older division of the weaker sex is the Top Flight Handicap, which will be run at Belmont on June 8. For that reason, we find quite a few mares entered in the Metropolitan, Suburban and other events for handicap performers. Miss Request, Alfoxie and But Why Not are just three members of the mare division who may oppose horses of the opposite sex in the Metropolitan. As we said above, Conniver is named for the Suburban, and Miss Request, But Why Not and Scattered are also named for this race, which was won by Arnold Hangers Harmonica last season. Gallorette will be missed around the East this year, and there is a question when we will again see a mare who could go out consistently to give battle to members of the opposite sex as she did. Mares of her speed and stamina come few and far between. AAA Mondays Youthful Stakes at Jamaica is a forerunner to important events for members of this division during May. The Eastern Shore Handicap will be run at Havre de Grace on Wednesday and, on the same day, the Estre-lita Stakes for juvenile fillies will be staged at Golden Gate. This coming Saturday, the Bashford Manor Stakes for two-year-old colts and geldings will be a secondary feature to the Kentucky Derby, and the Fashion Stakes for two-year-old fillies will be the secondary attraction to the Swift Stakes at Belmont Park. The California Centennial, the Pimlico Breeders Stakes, and the Debutante Stakes at Churchill Downs are all forerunners to the Juvenile Stakes which will be run at Belmont Park on May 18. This event is actually a prep for the National Stallion Stakes, which will again be run in two divisions this season. The National Stallion, for fillies, will be run on May 25, while the National Stallion, for colts, will be a secondary feature to the Peter Pan Handicap on June 4. By that time, we may have some inkling as to which of the new crop of colts and fillies give promise of better things in the more important stakes for that division during August and the fall months. *
