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i ii m REFLECTIONS by nelson unstan NEW YORK, N. Y., May 16.— For the first five raw and cold days of last week, the Belmont crowds were slim and many men would take a look out on the lawn and gloomily remark that something was wrong. But, on Saturday, which was just about as beautiful a day as a racing throng could wish for, close to 39,000 were on hand to see Alfred Vanderbilts Loser Weeper defeat a good field m the Metropolitan Handicap. A glance at the attendance of other tracks reveals that the sports world- is still a popular one and that, although there is not as much money around as there was in former years, there are still as many fans who will respond to the appeal of horse racing, baseball and all other sports. Speaking of the "slump" of last week, it was young Harry Stevens of the noted catering clan, who said, "Some people seem to attribute the falling off during the week to Belmont Park only. A check of the figures would reveal that the same thing happened in baseball and other sports on those same days." However, it was obvious on the week-end that Belmont is just as popular as it ever was. To date, only five of the 15 stake events on the flat have been run and the most important steeplechases are still to come. It would not be surprising if on Decoration Day, when the Suburban will be the feature, and also on June 11, when the Belmont Stakes will be run, that the throngs on both days will be well over 40,000. That "depression," which so many have predicted for sports, still seems to be a long way off, and we say this even though the attendance and mutuel play are not up to the figures of former years. AAA The victory of Alfred Vanderbilts Loser Weeper, in the Metropolitan, was an upset even though the son of Discovery was the lightweight of the field at 105 pounds. Regardless of that, it was a popular one with the throng present, and it now appears as if the Sagamore chieftain made a good move in selecting W. C. Winfrey as the trainer of his stable. In the seventh race of the day, Vanderbilts Bar Sinister ran second to the Greentree Stables One Hitter, while, in the last race, Winfrey saddled Final Touch to win from four others in a one and one:eighth mile claiming race. It was back in 1936 that All Tracks Attracted Throngs on Week-End Alfred Vanderbilt Can Now Buy New Fedora Fast Two-Year-Olds in Tomorrows Juvenile Olympia to Seek Revenge in Withers Mile Vanderbilt won the Metropolitan with Good Harvest, and his jockey was Sam Renick on that occasion. On Saturday, Renick was at the microphone, and he was ribbing aoout the Sagamore chieftains old brown hat, which Renick says he tried to buy from Vanderbilt some eight years ago. At the Jockeys Guild dinner last winter, Vanderbilt said he would not buy a new hat until he won a stake race, so with Saturdays winnings of approximately 4,000, Vanderbilt will probably treat himself to a brand new headpiece. AAA The Metropolitan outcome will, naturally, have a bearing on the 0,000 Suburban Handicap, which, at one and one-quarter miles, will be run on Saturday, May 30. The weights for this event will not be released until Monday, May 23, but it will be interesting to see how John B. Campbell rates the eligibles and especially Loser Weeper and Vulcans Forge. The latter has not won a race since his Santa Anita Handicap victory, but he was by no means disgraced in the Metropolitan, in , which he gave 21 pounds to the winner and was beaten by one and one-half lengths. He will be much better suited by the longer distance of the Suburban. Coaltown is an eligible for the Suburban, but "only the release of the weights will determine whether Jimmy Jones will elect to start him. Faultless is also eligible for the Suburban, but once again this Calumet horse proved a disappointment when he ran fifth in the Metropolitan on the week-end. Coaltown is also an eligible for the Rose-ben Handicap, which will be run on June 1, but here again he would meet a formidable horse in Rippey, who is one of the best sprinters, but who just cannot seem to hold his speed at one mile or distances beyond that. AAA At Belmont this week, they will run the 0,000 Juvenile on Wednesday, the ,500 Charles L. Appleton for steeplechasers on Thursday, and the 5,000 Withers on the week-end. It is difficult at this time to name, with, any assurance, the horses who will contest these three events. But, we daresay, that the Brookmeade Stables More Sun, a promising colt by Sun Again, will oppose some previous juvenile winners in the Wednesday feature. No less than 158 two-year-olds were named for this five-furlong test, and among those who have earned their right to start are Mrs. Vera S. Braggs Fox Time, Mrs,. Andy Schuttingers Ferd, the Rokeby Stables County Delight, Joseph M. Roeblings Admiral Drake, C. V. Whitneys Boodle, the Circle M Farms Our Tops, and still others. The Charles L. Appleton, which is for older steeplechase horses at about two miles, has drawn the usual list of top jumpers, including War Battle. Lieut. Well, Tourist List, Elkridge, Fleettown, Homogenize and others. But, should he go to ,the post, much of the interest will center in Harry LaMontagnes Larky Day, the eight-year-old Blue Larkspur gelding, who was a fast one on the flat and who recently won his first start as a jumper at Pimlico. A A, A With Kentucky honors going to Ponder, and the Preakness to Capot, there is a question now as to whether or not the "Triple Crown" events are to go to three different horses, as they did in 1945, when Hoop Jr. won the Derby, Polynesian took the Preakness, and then Pavot won the Belmont Stakes. For the moment, however, Long Island fans will be concentrating on the , Withers, which at one mile might give Olympia the chance to turn the* tables on those who humbled him in the Derby. While Capot established a new track record of 1:56 for a mile and three-sixteenths at Pimlico, this writer is still of the opinion that the Hooper colt can outfoot any of his Derby opponents at one mile. Crispin Oglebays Noble Impulse, who set all the pace in the Preakness, is a Withers eligible, and he may be the one to force Olympia to his utmost to win this race, which has been the prize of some of the best three-year-olds down through the years. Last years renewal resulted in something of an upset when Vulcans Forge defeated Coaltown and Better Self in the time of 1:37%. In the past 10 years, or since Johnstown won in 1939 in 1:35%, no. Withers winner has been able to negotiate the standard distance under 1:36. The Belmont track record for one mile is 1:34%, which was established by Count Fleet as a two-year-old in 1942. In winning the Withers a year later, Count Fleet was timed in 1 :36 flat.
