view raw text
— , . Connors r Corner By "CHUCK" CONNORS Chief of Chart Correspondents BELMONT PARK, Elmont, L. I., N. Y-., May 28. — The steeplechase schooling field at this mammoth course will be laid out for next fall. The for next fall. The anew changes are due to the fact that during the past month George D. Widener and his associates in Belmont Park sold a triangular strip of land comprising seven acres to the Floral Park School Board for a recreation ground. The ground adjoin the school that ie is 1n/»afoH located rm on t.Vi the »■ Via r lr — ie is 1n/»afoH located rm on t.Vi the »■ Via r lr — back-stretch near the six-furlong starting post. The schooling course was on part of this property and the alterations will be made under the supervision of Neil Boyle, the track superintendent. The schooling course lies between the backstretch and the Long Island Railroad and is bounded on the western end by a parking lot. While the changing of the course and the relocation of the jumps appears an easy matter, there is considerable work attached to the project. This will be done during -August when no jumpers are around, and Belmont is tenanted by few horses. In addition to surveying the course and spacing the jumps, a cyclone fence must be uprooted from its concrete base and placed in a new position. In addition a number of trees must be moved and new ones planted. This entails time, but Boyle hopes to have the job done before the timber toppers return from the upstate watering place. The negotiations for the sale of the property to the school board were carried on for some time, but when the deed was drawn up, Belmont officials turned over the property at a price that was considered eminently fair by the buyers. The land on which the school is located was deeded to the board by the late Joe E. Widener and his associates, many years ago. There are no other alterations on the agenda for the summer and when racing moves on to Aqueduct the plant will be kept in readiness for the gala performance of the "Night of Stars/ a benefit production for the local hospitals. When that presentation is ended, the plant will be turned over to the maintenance men for their annual mid-summer check up and freshing for the fall meeting. . Bart Sweeney, assistant to Jim Fitzsim-mons in charge of the Belair and Wheatley stables, returned to work over the weekend. • The absence was his second in 27 years and this time on doctors orders. He was laid up for about a week with virus . . Danny Arnstein, the man who put the Burma Road on the war map, opined that he would have preferred one as wide and as straight as the Widener course . . . Sam DiGiorgio, one of Americas largest scale farmers with holdings in Florida and California, made his first appearance of the season. . R. A. "Bud" Firestone keeps his fingers crossed and roots silently for The Diver to stand up.. "Jake Swirbul, of the racing commission, was on hand early. . . Mrs. Edward S. Moore came on from Lexington, Ky., and will later leave for Delaware Park where she will campaign her horses . Mr. and Mrs. Hal Richardson, recently returned from a European visit, consulted George M. Odom during the afternoon in regards to picking winners. . . Jimmy Corcoran came on from Miami for a few days visit; . .Jimmy Burns, sports editor and columnist on the Miami Herald, gave Belmont Park the once over. The visit was his first to the Nassau grounds and he likened it to Hialeah. . . Walter J. Salmon * discussed breeding matters with Walter M. Jeffords during the afternoon. . .Bernard Baruch, the elder statesman, bemoaned the fact that Repetoire was not in the Withers. The colt is by his all-time favorite, Happy Argo. Trainer Buddy Raines will ship Cochise, owned by the Brandywine Stable, to Delaware Park on Thursday. The other members of that menage were shipped over the week-end. . .Boy Genius, owned by M. C. Erlanger, was shipped to Garden State for a stakes engagement at that track. The colt will be returned later, said trainer Walter Kelley. . .The Emerald Hill Stable shipped in Blue Moon, Blue Square and Blue Stroke from Chicago. The latter is a National Stallion candidate. . .Mrs. Dodge Sloane, contemplating the possible Suburban starters, beamed with satisfaction over the fact that Eddie Arcaro will ride her Greek Ship. . John J. Coakley, former treasurer of Belmont Park, made his first appearance in some time — Herb Swope, the former commissioner, gave Saturday afternoons program a hefty battle . . . Continued on Page Fourteen « Connors Corner Continued from Page Five Leslie Kiefer, who retired from the breeders and owners ranks a few years ago, was among the recent visitors . . Abe S. Hewitt came on from Virginia and cast about looking for another bargain like Some Chance of a few years ago . Jule Fink was a clubhouse visitor during the afternoon. Linus "Buzzy" Appleton has, for the remainder of the summerto confine his racing visits to Tuesday and Saturday. . .Clem McCarthy, the broadcaster, glanced over the crowd and then became nostalgic for the old days. He spied Tom Shaw, Tim Mara, Petey Blong,. Benny Davis and Arthur Joyce of the old clubhouse commissioners set . . Mr. and Mrs. John Hertz made certain that they will be here on Belmont Day, and their rooting interests will be centered upon Count Turf. The latter is a son of their prize stallion, Count Fleet . . Mrs. George Strate, wife of the well-known trainer, will enter the Harkness Pavilion next week for an operation. . .The girls of the racing set are in for a surprise this fall. Come the day when the Ladies Handicap will be decided, no orchids this year, but prize chrysanthemums will be presented. The flowers, some 10,000 of them are in the process of developing in the track hothouses . The Yolo Stable will be shipped to California the latter pa»t of this week. The grapevine has it that Great Circle is on the ailing list with a splint. . .John Hay "Jock" Whitney passed up the running of the Withers in which he was represented by Northern Star. He was a finalist in a gold tournament out on Long Island. This led one of the pundits in the press coop to crack, "He has more chance in that than his colt has in the Withers." Looks like the guy was absolutely correct. . .Timely Reward is at Baileys Long Island farm where the Mrs. Wallace Gilroy three-year-old will be freshened up. The selections are: AFTER YOU in the fourth race; DEFINITELY in the fifth, and DULAT in the seventh.
