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REFLECTIONS NEW YORK, N. Y., May 28. Belmont fans will witness the sixty-third running of the Suburban Handicap on Monday, a race that was inaugurated back in 1884. Around the turn of the century, the Metropolitan, Brooklyn and Suburban were the three great eastern handicaps and, of these, the Suburban was the best known. Although the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont are better known races today, it was in 1904 that the noted turf scribe, Charles Trevathan, wrote "The American Thoroughbred," a book which has become a collectors item down through the years. In that fine work, he said, "In 1884 we saw the running at Sheepshead Bay of the first of that race which, more than other we have, has become a national event. It was the initial of the Suburban." The Suburban is not the oldest, richest or most colorful horse race of today, but it is the premier event for older horses and, down through the years, has been won by some of our greatest performers who went on to prove their worth in the breeding paddocks. Very few three-year-olds have graced the Suburban roster and it was unusual When, just last year, the filly Harmonica defeated Stymie who, as great as he was, did not visit the winners circle in four consecutive renewals from 1945 to 1948. AAA Yesterday a group of New York sports and turf writers met with George D. Widener, Alex Robb and other Belmont officials in a roundtable discussion of racing in New York. George Widener, who naturally takes great pride in Belmont, read a statement he had prepared and which he opened by saying, "Much has been written recently about the attendance and play at Belmont and there has been, among our friends of the press, considerable apprehension because Belmont, despite all it has to offer, seems to be taking an unjustifiable beating. Actually Belmont is doing no worse than the economic conditions that this moment call for. Indeed, it is doing slightly better than we anticipated a few months ago." In all the talk that has appeared about Belmont Park lately there is one angle that seems to have been forgotten and that is the success that Garden State Park Suburban Premier Handicap Event of East New Jersey Doing Well, Thanks to New York Capot Is Not First Foal of His Dam Name Contest for Citations Brother Ends has experienced since it opened on May 3. For instance, last Thursday at Belmont Park, 17,627 fans wagered ,483,694, while on the same day the 12,804 who attended Garden State Park sent ,219,708 through the mutuel windows. So the per capita play at Garden State Park was much higher than that at New York and, if you want the answer to that condition, you will find it in the 5 per cent extra tax. that is levied on the New York players. Until New York does away with that 5 per cent tax, many of the big players will continue to journey to New Jersey tracks. AAA For years, owners were loathe to train the first foal of a dam and on more than one occasion a buyer has passed up a good looking yearling for the same reason. In recent years quite a few first foals have won important races and this years addition to the list is Ponder, winner of the Kentucky Derby. We read recently that Capot was the first foal of Piquet, the daughter of St. Germans, who won the Delaware Oaks, Test Stakes, Diana Handicap and other events. That is not quite true, however, for in 1942 Piquet foaled a brown filly by Questionnaire that was later named Repique. Unfortunately, that foal died before she reached the races. Piquet had no registered foal for the next three years, but in 1946 she dropped the brown colt by Menow, and who was later named Capot, the winner of this years Preakness. So while he was not , the first foal, Capot is the first of Piquets produce to go to the races. In 1947 Piquet dropped a brown colt by Count Fleet, now named Card Sharp, but who has yet to get to the races. Capot is not the handsomest three-year-old around today, but there we get back to that old saying, "Handsome is as handsome does." AAA One of the turf contests we have been following with interest is that conducted by the Thoroughbred Record By NELSON DUNSTAN for a name suitable to the suckling full brother to Citation. This contest has a June 1 deadline, but it may be quite some time before the final name is announced as Mrs. Warren Wright, who names all of the Calumet horses, will finally select the one she deems the most appropriate. The Thoroughbred Record has announced that they have been literally swamped with entries from every state in the Union, along with others from Canada, Mexico, Honolulu, Ireland, the British West Indies and England. One chap from Niagara Falls wrote the Kentucky breeding publication: "With all due respect to Mr. and Mrs. Wright, I would like to name their full brother to Citation Mr. Wrong. Heres hoping that Mr. Wrong wins for Mr. and Mrs. Wright." Other suggested names are Cited, Congratulation, Warrens Luck, Notation, Peace Medalist and Tom Commiskey; the sports editor of the Movietone News sent in the name of Follow Me. Mrs. Wright is very adept at naming the Calumet horses and whichever she finally selects, it is certain to be fitting to the younger brother of the best horse to race in recent years, and to that we must add, with the possible exception of Coaltown. AAA Clifford Mooers, the owner of Old Rockport, is one of those rare humans who looks to the brighter side, even though he had a stroke of bad luck when a disastrous fire destroyed a barn at his Walnut Springs Farm in Kentucky. While talking with us the other day he said, "Yes, that was bad luck, but I have had good luck too. Old Rockport won the 00,000 Santa Anita Derby for me, and by an act of providence, my horses were moved from that barn the day before it burned down." Mooers told us that the fire taught him a lesson he will never forget, so he is converting all the wooden barns at Walnut Springs into tobacco sheds and is replacing them with four stone barns which are strategically placed on the farm and which will each house 14 thoroughbreds. In the barns where he will have hay and storage room he has had that portion completely cut off from the main structure and there will also be f ireproofing with a material which will reduce the risks to a minimum. There have been so many fires in recent years that quite a few breeders and also race track owners have been painting their barns with a fireproof substance.
