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REFLECTIONS B* NELS0N m»stan NEW YORK, N. Y.. May 7.— With the Kentucky Derby now history, the three - year - old scene will shift to Pimlico with the running of the Survivor Stakes Monday, and the 5,000 Preakness, to be run on the week-end at a mile and three-sixteenths. During the first week in May. it was obvious that racing attendance is hold ing up well, with the Jamaica closing last Thursday revealing a slight increase over last years meeting. When Citation won the Preakness last May, 32,244 fans were present to wager ,465,175, With Citation at ten cents on the dollar, it was more a spectacle than it was a wagering event, and we fully expect to see that figure topped next Saturday afternoon. While the Preakness will be engaging the nations attention, there will be 13 other stake events staged during the present week and among them the Acorn at Belmont Park and the Pimlico Oaks, which is for three-year-old fillies, and will be run on Friday. At major racing centers other than Pimlico. three-year-olds and older horses will have their opportunity with the Metropolitan being run at Belmont Park, the Camden Handicap at Garden State Park, the Commonwealth Handicap at Suffolk Downs and the Albany Handicap at Golden Gate. AAA Three-year-old colts will momentarily relinquish the spotlight when the Acorn, for three-year-old fillies, at one mile, will be the Belmont feature on Wednesday. Yesterday, many of the Acorn eligibles met in the seventh race at Belmont with Hal Price Headleys Lithe a winner over William duPonts Gaffery, the Fairy Manhurst filly who won the Selima Stakes last fall and then was returned the winner of the Santa Susana Stakes at Santa Anita in February. Boomdeay and Nasophar, both of whom are Acorn eligibles, finished third in a dead heat. In this race, Gaffery carried 121 pounds and Lithe, 116. but in the Acorn, they will meet at the equal weights of 121 pounds, and a splendid contest should result. It would not be surprising if this pair would be among Three-Year-Old Scene Shifts to Pimlico Large Throng Expected to See Preakness Gaffery, Lithe Will Meet in Acorn Metropolitan Weights Released Today those who will be fighting it out with Myrtle Charm, the two-year-old filly champion of 1948 when-she comes back to the races some time this summer. The Acorn is a prep event for the Coaching Club American Oaks, which is also for three -year-old fillies, but at one mile and three furlongs, and due to be run at Belmont Park on May 28. Two years ago. Harmonica won the Coaching Club and then, last year, took the honors in the Suburban, a feat that has been duplicated by only three other mares in history, namely Imp, Beldame and Bateau. AAA That old adage "horses for courses" may well be applied to Rippey and the Widener chute at Belmont Park. Last year, the Helis speedster was the winner of the Toboggan, carrying 129 pounds and, yesterday he came back to repeat, just as High Noon, Osmand. Okapi. Eight Thirty and Devil Diver did in their years. In yesterdays renewal. Rippey carried 129 pounds, giving gobs of weight to his opponents. For many years, it has been the ambition of owners to have their horses win the three spring handicaps, the Toboggan, Metropolitan and Suburban. Only four horses have been able to accomplish this feat — Mad Hatter, Equipoise, Eight Thirty and Devil Diver. Rippey will not join that list for the reason that he is not nominated for the Suburban, which is at one and one -quarter miles and beyond his capabilities. He is, however, named for the Metropolitan, which will be the feature event at Belmont Park next Saturday. This race is at one mile. He is also named for the seven-furlong Roseben which, too, is over the Widener Course. • AAA The question over the week-end is whether or not Coaltown will be a starter in the Metropolitan Handicap next Saturday. The Calumet speedster is now quartered at Belmont Park and, besides the Metropolitan, is also eligible for the Suburban and the Roseben. The Metropolitan weights, which will be issued on Monday by the veteran secretary. John B. Campbell, are keenly awaited, as this is the factor which will determine whether the son of Bull Lea will go to the post in that race. As we have said in this column before, this would be an ideal opportunity for Coaltown to attempt lowering of the record of 1:342,5 that was established by Equipoise at Arlington Park many years ago. As Coaltown demonstrated in the Gallant Fox Handicap, he is now in the same peak of condition that he was during the Florida season. In that Jamaica race, he exploded the myth that only Florida ideally suited him and that he would not be the same speed horse when he came on the northern circuit. While My Request is now on the sidelines, there are many speed horses eligible for the Metropolitan who would carry him along at a terrific pace in the early stages of the race. AAA In the winter of 1940. the directors of Pimlico. Belmont Park and Delaware Park agreed to sponsor three steeplechase events at their spring meetings for maiden steeplechasers at the time of closing, four-year-olds and upward, and the distance to be about two miles. This series was inaugurated to encourage the development of steeplechasers and, during the past decade, it has accomplished its purpose. Subscribers were to pay an entry fee for all three races and the associations agreed to add ,000 to each race and to match the subscriptions if they exceeded that sum. On Wednesday, Pimlico will start this series with the Spring Maiden Steeplechase which, this year, has an added value of ,000. The second of the series will be run at Belmont Park on Thursday, May 26. and the third will be staged at Delaware Park on June 28. Along with these maiden affairs, the usual steeplechase events will be held at all three tracks, the most prominent at Belmont Park being the 0,000 added Meadow Brook Steeplechase Handicap at about two and a half miles and to be run on June 9. The International Steeplechase Handicap, which will be run this coming Thursday, drew 33 nominations and on the list is American Way and many of the other leading jumpers of last season.
