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flected fleeted in in a a high high Between Races By Oscar Oris GARDEN STATE PARK, Camden, N. J., May 13. — The current weeks have seen some of the leading bug riders of recent and and excellent excellent vintage vintage and and excellent excellent vintage vintage graduate into full-fledge pilots, but a new and perhaps bumper crop is developing to replace them. Here in New Jersey, one of the most promising novices is Johnny Salvaggio, a South Brooklyn boy who has caught the fancy of Jersey racegoers through real natural ability, re-percentage percentage of of wins. wins. Sal- flected fleeted in in a a high high percentage of of wins. wins. Sal- Salvaggio became a race rider through sheer 1 determination. His only contact with a horse as a youngster was the Prospect Park variety, and he worked Saturdays and after school to satisfy his desire to get into the saddle. He did such diverse jobs as jerking sodas and making sandwiches in his uncles restaurant, simonized cars, worked in a florist shop, and withal, got "A" grades in high school while studying for the arts and sciences. Young Salvaggio, unbeknown to his father, finally made : a race track connection with Tommy Heard, Jr., trainer here for Mr. and Mrs. Dan Rice. Tommy, naturally, had to have parental consent, and finally a conference all around was reached. Salvaggio, it seemed, has threatened to run away from home unless the blessings of his parents were forthcoming. They gave it only after recognizing the determination of the young man, safeguarded, however, with a secret deal with Heard that he would make it so i tough for the lad he would forget all about race riding in a couple of weeks. *1 guess I tried everything in the book to discourage him," admits Heard, "but he was the most apt pupil I have ever seen. Never had to tell him how to do a thins more than once. I had him grooming the ponies, polishing the tack, and mucking the stalls, but he never once complained. Finally, I realized, and so did his family, that maybe the kid had the makings of a rider. He quickly graduated to walking hots, and from there to galloping. I brought him along slowly, and finally, when deemed ready at Havre de Grace this spring, put him on a running horse and he won like we expected." Salvaggio, who fortunately does not have to watch his own weight to keep at a steady 105, is an expert on • food through the years of work at said uncles restaurant. He samples the "chow" at various race tracks, especially the track kitchens, and has rated them from coast to coast much in. the manner of Duncan Hines. "Maybe hell make a trainer some day," mused Heard. "In addition to his heavy work and study schedule in Brooklyn, he raised and raced pigeons for recreation. Could be another Hirsch Jacobs, at that." Spartan Valor looked like "Hawkins Hoss" in winning the third running of the Jersey Stallion Stakes here last Wednesday, and in so doing emphasized the fact that Jersey breeding is making steady strides. Jersey tracks have cooperated Continued on Page Thirty-Seven BETWEEN RACES ] By. OSCAR OTIS Continued from Page Three whole heartedly in the program of the Jersey farm people to develop the state to a point where it wiU command national pres-: tige. It appears to this tourist that Jersey managements have persued a "middle of the course" road in the carding of homebred races, being careful to give aU help without going "overboard" in closing the competition to the point where the quality of all over competition could be hindered. Monmouth Park offers its Futurity each season, and Dr. Leo Levy, of the Atlantic City Executive Committee, informs that at the request of the breeders association, the popular Seaside course will inaugurate a race for Jersey-breds, three and upward, during the coming season. This race, as yet" unnamed, wul be at a mUe and a sixteenth on the turf and wUl be endowed with ,500 in added money. Speaking of Atlantic City, the course has found turf racing so weU received by the public that no less than four wUl be offered horsemen. One, as mentioned abdve, wUl be limited to homebreds. The others, aU open, include a 0,000 affair at a mile and a sixteenth, a 5,000 added sweep at a mile and a furlong, and the already established Atlantic City Turf Handicap at 5,000 added will be lengthened to a mile and a half. In addition, there will be a 5,000 handicap on the regular course. Incidentally, all-over stakes and purse distribution will be increased sUghtly at the Seaside course. Charlie Gribben, veteran trainer who has been vacationing since he severed bis connection with Mimosa Stock Farm, has turned inventor and is demonstrating his brainchild, a therapeutic boot. Said boot encases a leg up to the body, is made water tight, and by a couple of simple valves, hot or cold water solutions of mineral salts, or other medicines as may be prescribed for soreness, can be pumped Tound the ailing member. "In theory, it isnt much improvement over the old fashioned tub method," explains Gribben. "But with the boot, the water can be kept at theexact temperature desired, the solution of medicine.or salts at a constant: ratio. A tub has a tendency to splash and vitiate the dosage of curative agent, or cool out. A simple pump and heating apparatus attached to the, intake and outlet valves of the boot, keeps the temperature constant. Besides, the boot will give the added advantage, of continuous circulation. Ive experimented with this boot for more than five years, first trying it out on a horse named Victory. Light. He had sesamoid trouble. While it didnt cure the. ailment, it at least took the soreness out in a hurry. The- hoot- will circulate cold water until just above the freezing point." Gribben 6Ud not have time to perfect the boot commercially until his present vacation. Horses and People: James V. Tigani, the Delaware sportsman, has returned from an inspection visit to , Claiborne, where he stands the good race horse. Double Jay. The stakes winner has a fuU book of 26 mares this year, and already has booked 24 for 1951. Tigani has purchased two mares; Lomelette from Mrs. John Payson Adams of .California and Galsun lrom A. B. Hancock, both of whom were sent to Double Jays court. . . . Some -sort of a record was set at the recent" Tanforan meeting when 112 horses changed hands Via the claiming route in a 40-day period. . . . Golden Gate Fields, incidentally, may offer the "rematch" of the year on the West: Coast, as both Noor and Citation, who dueled to a dramatic nose in Santa Anitas San Juan Capistrano have both resumed morning drills. . . . L. C. Vannan, new president of the Jersey breeders, is standing Exceptional, a son. of Hard Tack from a Light Brigade mare, and six broodmares at his Morris-town show place.
