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- R E F L E C T I O N S Ry nelson dunstan BELMONT PARK, Elmont, L. I., N. Y., May 17. — There was considerable gossip and speculation between races at Belmont Park yesterday as turf folk pondered the question of "who is exactly who" on this Wicks committee which will launch its much heralded investigation of horse racing racing in in New New York York State State within within two two - racing racing in in New New York York State State within within two two weeks. It had been more or less taken for granted locally that Senators William F. Condon and Elmer Quinn would have most certainly been chosen by Wicks in view of their frequent attendance at the New York tracks and may have some actual knowledge of racings fundamentals. When the names of the members of the board of inquiry were made public it was quite obvious that Senator Wicks had some reasons for selecting a body of men who seem to be quite apart from that group of politicians who are often seen in the clubhouses. From what we have been able to gather thus far, there will be no hokum when the hearings are conducted. Both Senator Wicks and John J. Egan, counsel for the committee, are opposed to televising the proceedings, Egan emphasising that the hearings will be conducted with the utmost dignity. If both men adhere to this policy, it seems reasonable to believethat much will be accomplished, particularly when those questioned are not set forth as so many gold fish in a bowl. A A A- While the Preakness will engage the attention of many fans along the Eastern Seaboard, there is enough uncertainty about the Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park to draw a huge throng to the Long Island course No Televising Wicks Hearings on Racing Metropolitan an Open Race at Weights Older Division Still in Muddled State Death of Louis Stoddard Blow to Sport this week-end. John B. Campbell, veteran racing secretary, placed Greek Ship at the top of the list with 126 pounds and the Brookmeade colorbearer will be endeavoring to win a consecutive double. Last year, as a three-year-old, Greek Ship won the Metropolitan while carrying 106 pounds, but this year he will have his work cut out for him with that 126 pounds. He is followed by Palestinian, 124; Piet and Ferd, 123 each, and then Cochise, County Delight, Lights Up and Three Rings, 122 each. Greek Ship finished third in last Saturdays Gallant Fox Handicap,* while Palestinian ran second to County Delight. The Gallant Fox was at a mile and three-sixteenths, but the Metropolitan is only one mile, and at the shorter distance the handicappers face something of a task attempting to rate these horses who have been given the high weights. One Hitter, is in with 119 pounds, and this will probably be the seasons debut for the horse who twice defeated Noor last fall. AAA There has been no such thing as form, in the three-year-old division this year and the same may be said for the handicap ranks. From the opening day in New York, when the Paumonok was run, only one handicap star has been able to win two stakes and he is the Rokeby Stables County Delight. This four-year-old son of Count Fleet may. go on to be one of the handicap stars of the year, but at the moment no member of the older division stands out in the light. A week before the Toboggan Handicap at Belmont, Tea-Maker defeated Hyphasis by some 10 lengths in the Jamaica Handicap, only to suffer a disqualification. In the Toboggan, the Belair Studs Hyphasis came out of the pack to nose out Tea-Maker. Many of the horses are pointing for the Metropolitan Mile, but in less than two weeks the 0,000 Suburban Handicap will be run. On what has been shown to date we wonder how many of the older stars will be fit for this one mile and a quarter test. No less tfran 47 were nominated for the Suburban among them many of the best horses now in training in the East. It has been a slow beginning for members of all divisions to date this season. AAA The recent death of Louis E. Stoddard, Jr., at Aiken, dealt the sport of steeplechasing another serious blow. Racing through the field in this country can ill afford to lose young men of the calibre of Stoddard or anyone who brings fresh enthusiasm to a sport in dire need of a shot in the arm. Thoroughbred racing should view * with concern the passing of such patrons of the chase as Mrs. F. Ambrose Clark, Lewis E. Waring and Louis Stoddard, Jr. They dedicated a great deal of time, effort and money to the promotion of this phase of racing, which, if the truth were told, can unquestionably be ~ labeled the backbone of the sport as we know it in the .United States today. A great many of us remember that back in 1910, steeplechasing kept racing virtually alive during the ban when Charles Evans Hughes was then Governor of this great state. While that was indeed a Continued on Page-Thirty-Four REFLECTIONS By NELSON DUNSTAN • Continued from Page Forty -Four momentous contribution to American racing, steeplechasing can take another bow in that some of the top owners now in flat racing came into the sport via the steeplechase and hunt club routes. This writer is of the opinion that every major race course in this country should go all out in an effort to aid the promotion of steeplechase and hurdle races at their meetings. Horsemen with small stables should be given some incentive to develop hurdle horses, or a steeplechaser or two. The National Steeplechase and Hunt Association and the United Hunts cannot go it al°T feel that time is ripe for the powers that be in racing remember that racing is primarily a sport. A A A „ Every so often one hears that this or that jockey is in the throes of a riding Slump and should be shunned. Riding slumps do occur and this writer has seen some of the best jockeys in the land go for several weeks without getting even close to the winners circle. Yes, Arcaro, Atkinson, Fermane and other stars have experienced this period of hell on horseback and often it is definitely not the fault of the- boy. For the past week or so we have heard some snide cracks about as fine a little gentleman and able race rider as we have seen in many a day. Yes, that is- how we feel about Hedley Woodhouse, who had the misfortune to lose the mounts of Uncle Miltie and Three Rings within a short period because race track gossip spun a highly imaginative story of the evils of riding a boy in a so-called slump. It has long been our belief that good horses make good jockeys, and horses have lapses in form, too. Can it be that Uncle Miltie and Three Rings got themselves in a slump? Speaking of slumps, consider the case of Conn McCreary, who came back after almost a year to give Count Turf so brilliant a ride in the Kentucky Derby that he still is being acclaimed for it.
