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t- *and■■ irffi Connors Corner By "CHUCK" CONNORS I Chief of Chart Correspondents BELMONT PARK, Elmont, L. I., N. Y., May 15. — Thoroughbreds suffer from a great many ailments, but one that causes trainers trainers great great concern concern trainers trainers great great concern concern in the springtime is coughing. This disease moves in unannounced and leaves a trainer in a helpless state. The "bark" is more prevalent among young horses, that is two-year-olds. The accepted theory among horsemen is that it is contracted from a germ that that floats floats in in the the air air that that floats floats in in the the air air and nature must take its course. The ailment generally runs about 10 days but that forces youngsters to miss training trials and engagements. Serums have been used, which are similar in type to the colt shots used by humans, but they must be taken as a preventative before the colt upsets the stable routine with his bark. The cough which is quite prevalent in this area, although many trainers report that it is on the wane, plays peculiar tricks in picking out its victim. For instance, a horse bedded in stall one may break out today and tomorrow the occupant of the last stall in the row will be a victim. The germ, according to the trainers, hops about like a flea on a dog but once the stable is invaded there is no telling where it is going to light before infecting the whole menage. The training fraternity is hopeful that some day, but not in the too distant future, a scientist will come up with a sure cure, preventive or a shot that wrll arrest the progress of the germ. The cough in a thoroughbred is like a head cold in humans, a running nose, spasms and what have you. Trainer Tommy Carroll reported that American Glory, owned by the Cross Bell Ranch, injured his hip in coming out of the starting gate yesterday and would be an absentee for some time . . . Trainer Gene Jacobs has decided to alter Idont-know, Zeeking and one or two others . . . Mrs. Emma Rente arrived from Havana, Cuba, and later will leave for Europe where she plans to acquire several horses to race under her colors during the winter season. At present she races 10 horses at Oriental Park. She is keenly interested in the career of jockey Avilo Gomez now riding in the Chicago sector. Jack Skinner shipped in from Maryland and the Virginia Farm a draft of horses to race at this meeting . . . Hugh Fontaine came on from Florida to attend the opening and visit his mother. He will later leave for Garden State . . . Sam Finkel-stein, the Jamaica boniface, reported that his horses, which recently arrived from Florida, are well advanced in training and will be seen under colors here . . . Sidney Jacobs arrived from Garden State for the afternoon. He will later accompany owner Leon Levy to Kentucky to attend the yearling vendues . . . A. G. C. Sage, who a few years back raced a well balanced stable over the local tracks, made his first appearance of the season . . . George H. Walker, who raced under the nom de course of the Log Cabin Stable, was on hand yesterday . . . Al Sylvester came on from Florida and compared handicap figures with John F. Curry . . . Nick Martini, master of My-helen Stable, celebrated his natal day, and acceped the congratulations of numerous well-wishers . . . Johnnie Coakley, the old lawnster of pre-mutuel days, was among those present for the afternoon. Bennie Green has been assigned the mount on the Yolo Stables Great Circle in the Metropolitan, the week-end feature . . . Walter Mara will pinch-hit for Myron Davis during the latters absence at Waterford Park, as paddock and patrol judge . . . Trainer J. P. Watts, who is a patient at Mary Immaculate Hospital, Jamaica, will be discharged next week according to information from that center . . . Jim East motored up from Garden State Park to confer with Jim Fitzsimmons and take in the opening day. He has several horses in his care for the Wheatley Stable . . . A. G. Van-derbilt was exceedingly mum on the recent extortion note which he received from a 15-year-old youth, who demanded 0,000. The FBI took care of the incident. Trainer Lydell Ruff reported that he will ship T. G. Bensons Lotowhite and several others owned by T. P. Morgan to Hollywood Park, Los Angeles, for engagements at that track . . . Mose Shapoff, who trained the Widener winner, Many Stings, a decade or so back, journeyed up from Garden State. Harry Trotsek checked in with Oil Capitol at Belmont Park with the Metropolitan as his colts objective . . . Continued on Page Thirty-Five Connors Corner Continued from Page Five Morton and Charles Schwartz were on hand during the afternoon . . . Earle "Greasy" Neale, the old pro football coach, has his Daily Double figures in readiness for this meeting . . . Trainer Syl Veitch has assigned Dave Gorman to ride C V. Whitneys Counterpoint in the Preakness. . . . Jockey Nick Combest will go to Garden State for the week-end. He will ride Metal Mike, owned by G. D. Widener, in a stake offering at that track . . . Jason Eaby, who was suspended 14 years back, was resorted to good standing yesterday. He applied for a steeplechase jockey license which was granted and he will ride through the field. C. V. Whitney, who is vacationing in the Adirondacks, is expected to be on hand for the running of the Swift Stakes. . . . Tom Murphy, the veteran trotting horse reinsman who transferred to the thoroughbreds when Twenty Grand was a two-year-old, but later returned to his first love, was a visitor during the afternoon . . . Mrs. Mollie Cullum made her first appearance of the season and was a guest of Mr. and Mrs. John A. Morris during the afternoon . . . Trainer John Gaver supervised the shipment of Hall of Fame and Big Stretch, owned by the Greentree Stable, to Pimlico for Preakness engagements . . . Head gardener Jim Grant turned in a splendid display of flowers to embellish the grounds. Jockey Jim Nichols put in a few anxious hours following the opening. He posed with the dolls of the fashion parade and then began to wonder what his wife would say if and when she sees the picture . . . Starting on Thursday, automatic Daily Double vending machines will be used in the mezzanine section of the clubhouse . . . John H. "Jock" Whitney is in Virginia on business but hopes to be at Pimlico for the Preakess and here later . . . Harry F. Guggenheim, master of Cain Hoy Stable, was among the interested morning visitors. He hopes to see his Battle Morn back under silks in the not too distant future . . . Arthur White arrived from Maryland with 17 horses including several flat performers. . . . Tom Shaw, the veteran lawnster, missed the opening day, his second in many years. The reason, that old debbil virus has him . . . Jockey R. L. Baird flew in from Chicago to ride Crownlec in the Fashion Stakes and then planed back west. The selections are: SUMMER DUCK in the fourth, NORTHAMPTON in the fifth and RECLINE in the seventh.
