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"ml r Connors Corner | By "CHUCK" CONNORS Chiet of Chart Correspondents 1 BELMONT PARK, Elmont. L. I., N. Y., May 16.— The casual racegoer, or the regular for that matter, has only a vague idea of of the the amount amount of of work work of of the the amount amount of of work work entailed in preparing a race track for their afternoons visit. When the crowds, which swarm over the Long Island tracks each racing day, come by train, drive their own cars or crowd the buses from the nearest subway stops, arrive at a track they find everything is in in readiness readiness and and in in "ml in in readiness readiness and and in in spic and span condition. To prepare for a big day, a small army of men and women are needed and their work is taken for granted. From the time the patron steps from his car or the train, passes through the turnstiles, picks up his program and then makes a bee line for the restaurants, hot dog stands or the refreshment bars, his every wish has been anticipated. The men and women who are on hand to serve him have been on the job, in some cases, hours ahead of his arrival. The racing secretarys office, where the overnight programs are arranged, is busy long before the commuters are dashing madly for the 8:15. The clean-up crew, their work is done mostly at night, have cleaned up the debris of the previous day, which includes newspapers, programs, void mutuel tickets, bottles, remnants of hot dogs, drinking cups and other trivia. The cooks, waiters, bus boys, bartenders, cigar stand clerks and hot dog venders have their stations well organized. The admittance men are at their respective stations, the Pinkerton force, which directs traffic and act as patrolmen; parking lot attendants, program sellers and others are ready to serve you. This force is a big one, and in the case of Belmont Park the total is close to 1,500. The mutuel department, under Lou Walger, had 633 men on hand for opening day. The admittance crew, which George McNulty and his aides direct, totals 105. Jerry Grady, the top man of the Pinkerton force, has 170 men under his command, while the H. M. Stevens Co., Inc., supplies a crew of 500, of which 75 are women. The parking lot attendants, under the Olympic banner, and the program dispensers account for another hundred, while track superintendent Boyles crew, they are known as maintenance men, numbers 175. In addition to these, there are phone operators, gardeners, doctors, nurses, telegraph operators, but no peanut vendors. Between races, Belmont Park supplies a band to regale the crowds with the latest in music, while for those who wish to remember the folks at home a corps of clerks will distribute post cards on which you can write your messages and have them mailed for free. That all comes under the title of service. Belmont Park comprises 446 acres. John C. Clark, prexy at Hialeah, was on hand yesterday afternoon but had nothing to say in regards to the Florida Racing Commissions action in not alloting a scholarship day to the track . Lee Olwell. the public relations counsellor, witnessed the running of the afternoons program . . . George Francis, vice-president of Belmont Park, expressed himself as well pleased with the second day of the big spring meet . . .Trainer Preston Burch, turfdoms answer to the prayers of the Pennsylvania Railroad stockholders, is a regular commuter between here and Pimlico. He arrived yesterday and goes back over the same ground today. . Walter M. Jeffords was an early morning Belmont Park visitor. His Yildiz and several others are stabled here for engagements. He reported that many of the two-year-olds are coughing and for this reason, shipment was delayed . . .Trainer "Whitey" Abel reported that the two-year-old Child Wonder, acquired during the recent Jamaica meeting via the claiming route, has recovered from a recent illness .J. P. "Doc" Jones was on hand today following a quick trip to the farm . . . Marshall Lilley, who exercised the greats of racing that were trained by the late Jimmie Rowe, came up from his Red Bank, N. J., home for a look-see. Lilley retired from racing a few years back . . . Trainer George M. Odom supervised that loading of Mrs. Wallace Gilroys Timely Reward to Pimlico for his Preakness engagement. Ray Bell reported today that his three-year-old Windy City, a stakes winner in England, has an engagement at Ascot on June 10. Following that race the colt will be flown to New York and rested, then later will be trained for fall stakes here and the Maturity at Santa Anita . . "Red" Wingfield is due at Jamaica to- Continued on Page Thirty-Four Connors Corner Continued from Page Five morrow with a draft of horses to race at this meeting. The shipment is en route from Churchill Downs. . William Woodward, master of Belair Stud, was on hand for the afternoon. He was highly pleased with the success of Hyphasis in the Toboggan. Apache carried his silks to a popular score in that event six years ago . . Joe E. Davis, of The Jockey Club, made his first appearance of the season. Jack Skinner, from down Virginia way, admitted that today was his natal day. His age, he reported was 50 plus or minus, take it away. . Walter M. Jeffords was enthused over the success of Jack W. Schiffers Cigar Maid in the Fashion. She is by his unbeaten two-year-old champion of his year, Pavot . . A meeting of the stewards of The Jockey Club was held yesterday, with George D. Widener presiding. Routine business was on the agenda and the officials of the Delaware Park meeting were approved . . .Trainer Jimmy Smith happily reported this morning that the two-year-olds in the W. J. Ziegler menage have recovered from coughing and are ready to be placed back in training. . J. J. Colandos Uncle Miltie is still at the farm but the three-year-old will be returned to Jamaica to resume training in another week. The colt failed to race to his dazzling two-year-old form following his winning effort in the Prospect Purse and it was decided to freshen him up . . . Jockeys Eddie Arcaro and Ted Atkinson are all set for Pimlicos Preakness. The Cincinnatian will ride Bold, owned by Brookmeade, while Atkinson will have the choice of the Greentree team, Big Stretch and Hall of Fame. The selections are: ALL IS WELL in the second, BRER FOX in the fourth, and FREE STRIDER in the fifth.
