view raw text
Between Races By Oscar Otis GARDEN STATE PARK. Camden, New Jersey, May 10. — The F. Wallis Armstrongs of Moorestowns famed Meadowview Farm are are orosrressine progressing raDidlv rapidly are are orosrressine progressing raDidlv rapidly in their announced determination to rebuild the acreage to a status it once -held, that of being one of the top ranking places in the1 East in the matter of quality horses produced. Cavalcade was foaled at Meadowview, and he was good enough to win the Kentucky Derby, Kentucky Derby, among other notable stakes. The Armstrong place is somewhat unique in at least two respects. The Armstrongs trade information with the Campbell Soup people, who raise tomatoes nearby, on scientific agronomy, and while the soil that might make for an ideal tomato plant might not be just right for horses, or vice versa, much of the information is worth while and has been adapted to the thoroughbred grazing land. The second point of distinction about the farm is that it has its own private forest adjacent to the paddocks, and on humid summer days, the gates to the forest preserve is made available to the stock. They take advantage-of it, too, browsing for grass in small cleared glades, and remain out of the sun. The Armstrongs are standing Slide Rule this season,- and it can be reported the stud has met with widespread acceptance. He was booked to 30 mares in all, and the Armstrongs are sending most of their best to him, including stakes winners and dams of stakes winners. The foundation mare of the "new" Meadowview was Sweetheart. Her first foal, by Man o* War, was named Warrior Lass, and she became a prolific producer of stakes winners. This year the aging matron, laden with honors, was retired to a life of ease running with the Fare Barren mares in a separate paddock. To replace her, the Armstrongs are bringing their 1,000 acquisition, Blue Sloop, a daughter of Blue Larkspur — P. T. Boat, from the track to be mated with Slide Rule. Johnny Longden has no ambitions to j surpass Gordon Richards as the worlds leading; rider, even though Longden is by far and away the top ranking: American pilot in number of winners. Longden has decided the time has come for him to take things a bit easier, and he has decreed, that except in rare instances, he is going to limit his mounts daily and more or less specialize in stakes. Too, he plans to travel more extensively in the years ahead, and before he finally retires, he well may have ridden in most of the civilized countries in the world. His trip to England last year enthused him, and his more recent junket to Australia convinced him. "Richards always will top me in winners," commented Longden on reading; that the noted English reinsman had surpassed the 4,000 mark. "I sent him a cable of congratulations, and it will be a proud moment in my life this fall or winter when I will be able to host Richards on his promised visit over here." Longden explained that he is Continued on Page Forty-One BETWEEN RACES I By OSCAR OTIS Continued from Page Three carefully studying training procedures these days and believes he will be able to make good as a conditioner. No doubt he should. His father-in-law, Al Tarn, is known in Canada and the West as an able trainer. He learned bloodlines and conformation- from his good friend, John D. Hertz, and the man has enough friends from coast to coast whod be glad to give Iiim some horses to train as a starter. Make no mistakes — Longden isnt through yet, for he once remarked that he would not retire until he lost his winning form, and he is still a long ways from that. Horses and People: Ben Lindheimer, whose health has been steadily improving, will leave his Beverly Hills home for Chicago as soon as the Midwest weather warms up a bit. . .Roy J. Keller of TelAutograph reports three more installations of his mutuel department speedup machines are scheduled for this summer. TelAutograph will be featured at Detroit, Denver, and three tracks in the Chicago area, Lincoln Fields-at-Washlngton Park and Arlington and Washington Parks.. .While not designed as a labor-saving device, but primarily for public service, TelAutograph has proven one of the few devices at a race track which actually not only pays for itself but saves money in plant operation through elimination of messengers, etc... The New York Athletic Club announces some 1,500 members will participate in NYAC festivities at Belmont Park on May 18. Special buses will take the clubbers to the track, where they have a reserved section to themselves and a club luncheon provided by Joe Stevens. The outings in New York have proven so popular that last year a similar excursion was made to Monmouth Park, and this, too, is on the NYAC agenda for later in the season. . .Harry Trotsek, a fixture on the Kentucky-Chicago-Detroit circuit, probably will race a bit in the East this spring because of Oil Capitol. Incidentally, Oil Capitols Derby effort was not his best and may be attributed in part to a finicky stomach. It seems that every time Oil Capitol gets new . feed or water, he goes "sour" for a day or so, and sometimes even gets lacklustre on a steady diet. To win a stakes race, Oil Capitol has to be feeling just right on the given day. Announcement that Jimmy Kilroc would serve on the Santa Anita staff next winter marks another advancement for the youthful New Yorker. . .Yon may recall that Ben lindheimer borrowed Kil-roe from the Long Island circuit last year to serve as racing secretary at Arlington and Washington Parks. He did a fine job in conditioning highly competitive races, and is going back again this summer. It would not be surprising if Kilroe became racing secretary at the West Coast showplace, succeeding Webb Everett, who may be advanced to a more important post. Everett has demonstrated, at Del Mar, that he is an able "top all round" executive as well as one of Americas leading secretaries. . .People from all over the country are still talking about the Derby, and In this connection it may be said that Joe Hernandez, brought by Bill Co rum from the West Coast to air the race over the track horns and handle the ceremonies, did a magnificent job of it. Tom Simmons, president of Hollywood Park, advises that construction work there is proceeding on schedule, and the track will definitely open, more spacious and beautiful than before, on June 27... Oscar Levy of the American Tote Company informs that the first, or pilot, Daily Double vending machine, is being given a trial run in the shop. Production will begin shortly, and they will be available to some tracks before another six months. . .Monmouth Park is holding its purse and stakes program even with last year, the minimums being ,500. ..Holly wood Park has "streamlined" its performance observer setup for the coming season. . .Eugene Mori remarks that five-day-week racing has many good points although some horsemen are against it on the theory that it cuts down earning power in any given week.