view raw text
■bflLflHl JUDGES STAND *y charles hatton DETROIT, Mich., May 29.— The Memorial Day date, always one of the choicest of the season, will be the occasion for some of the most important sport at the Lincoln-at-Washington and Detroit meets here in the Midwest. Lincolns 5,000 Peabody Peabody Memorial Memorial promises promises rather rather ■bflLflHl Peabody Peabody Memorial Memorial promises promises rather rather an exciting chapter in the record, or perhaps we should say riddle, of the 1950 three-year-olds. Here in the Motor City theres a renewal of the ,000 Col. F. M. Alger Memorial, traditionally one of the highlights of the Michigan season. Alger helped to revive the sport here back in 1933, and Secretary of State Fred Alger, Jr., customarily presents the trophy for this event. Such as Stand Pat, Whopper, Marriage, Canina, Shy Guy and Danilly have won past Algers. The Peabody brings together Royal Mustang and Ruhe, second and third in the Kentucky Derby, along with Bernwood and Fanfare. Count Turf and Bold now are in the somewhat anxious position of being the ones to beat for leadership in this division. But there are some improving colts in the Peabody, and the winner has to be considered a contender for the honors. This jigsaw puzzle of three-year-old ratings is a good thing for racing, in a way. It sustains interest in rich summer stakes, which can have all the less intriguing elements of a foregone conclusion when there is a standout. With any luck in the weather, the Memorial Day crowds will reflect the growing popularity of the turf sport in Chicago and Detroit. Though there is a transportation strike in downtown Detroit, special buses serve Detroit track* patrons. The track record here is the 25,174 that attended last Memorial Day. AAA Detroit purses are graduated from ,500 to ,000, and we note the purses for two-year-olds are a bit above the minimum. This is the policy at Keeneland and other tracks, and it is popular with breeders* and yearling buyers, as it helps to reimburse them for the carrying charges in developing young horses. Though racing secretary Charles McLennan scheduled many claimers in his first book, entries came slowly the first few days, which is not unusual, especially at long meets. Detroiters are not unlike racegoers in other areas in that they have Peabody May Develop Title Contender Detroit Favorites Help MRA Meeting Michigan Racing Rules Are Revised Edgey Chicago Filly Events Prospect their favorite performers, and we note that such familiar entertainers as Our Request, Blue Flyer, Biddy Bid, Fancy Flyer, Traveler and Bully Boy are here again. This hardly will be in restraint of trade at the "tote" windows. And the riders, Lois Cook, Tommy Barrow, Hank Manifold and Darrell Madden have local followings. The spring meet of 35 days last year had an average play of 29,000. The club hopefully expects it will increase this season. The newspaper craft has produced able turf officials from the days of Charles Price and Walter Spencer Vos-burgh. Here in Michigan, Lewis Walter has been appointed the state steward, and it seems to us both Walter and the commissioner Fred Harris are to be congratulated. The Michigan officials are enforcing some new rules this season, having revised the book-last winter to make it applicable to contemporary racing. We think that except for a few revisions in 1944, the regulations were the same that were adopted in 33, when racing resumed, Among other things the provision for a "double bug" has been stricken from the apprentice, rule, and the only allowance is five pounds. Since the Detrbit Jockey School has been abandoned the officials felt the multiple bugs rather pointless. Apart from this it was believed that in giving apprentices so much advantage some of the more skilled riders might be discouraged from coming here. The claiming rule has been rewritten to permit an owner who loses his last horse by this route to claim another within 30 days at any Michigan, meet. The corrupt practices regulation now permits possession of hypodermic syringes or needles, which were prima facie evidence of some intention to violate the rule, for the reason a horseman may need them for horses suffering from shipping fever or in an emergency administration of antitetanus shots. The Michigan officials stand on the evidence of the saliva tests and urinalysis. They also have ruled not to recognize probationary licenses. And it now is mandatory that each club shall inform the commissioner in writing with 48 hours of any change in officers or stock ownership. Failure to do so shall constitute grounds for refusal-or revocation of any license. AAA The Miss America Stakes on June 9 is next of the two-year-old features in the Midwest, and it may have a solid favorite in D. A. Headleys Crownlet, winner of the Lafayette and the Debutante Stakes. Chicagoans saw a filly the other day who is considerably "better than an empty stall" in H. G. Bockmans Fancy Step. This ,600 item by Fighting Step breezed to a field of maidens in :59%. A prospect for the Lassie Stakes and other two-year-old filly events at Arlington-Washington is training here at Detroit, or will be training when she recovers from the* cough. This is Mrs. Otto Neumanns Edgey, whom trainer Pete Battle considers one that has a future. It is probable she will appear here before her Chicago engagements. AAA Turfana: Pending in Michigan is a rule to bar five-year-old maidens . .A number of Liricoln-at-Washington horses will ship here at the close "of that meeting... Stable lads from 16 to 18 will be required to obtain labor permits . .1. D. Peats locally-owned Sun Tan Gal is a prospect for MRA filly-and-mare events. ..Coldstream this summer will offer Keeneland bidders a Requested filly who is almost a ringer for Our Request. The White and Thomas mare, winner of the 1950 Falls City, has trained well here. . .Hazels Dick Connell and Horace Wade were opening-day visitors. . .It is nice to be able to report there is nothing to rumors Michigan commissioner Harris is resigning. He has done a splendid job for the states thoroughbred sport. . .Track superintendent Bob Leavitt will tile and drain the Detroit inner-field.. Jack Boylan of the MRA gate staff is confident Sunshine Park will continue to prosper. Boylan goes from here to Atlantic City. . .Clarence Hartwick will show Hazel Park patrons Sickles Image again this summer. She should have tremendous box office appeal in this area , .Dick Connell is resurfacing the racing strip. Stalls have been requested for some 2,000 horses. . A wag observes the battery Dr. M. F. Kent found would dim the lights in the grandstand if a rider hit a horse with it. . . .Monmouth hurdle horses will stable at Red Bank.
