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! REFLECTIONS by nelson dunstan NEW YORK, N. Y., May 30.— In recent years, it has been stressed that racing is now the sport of the people and no longer "the sport of kings." At Churchill Downs just before the running of the Kentucky Derby, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor were present when Duval A. Headleys Crownlet Crownlet won won the the Debutante Debutante Stakes. Stakes. Crownlet Crownlet won won the the Debutante Debutante Stakes. Stakes. It has been said since that time that the Duke, looking at the name "Crownlet" grinned and sent a messenger down to place-a few bob on the Headley filly. Endeavoring to tear themselves away from the photographers, the Duke and Duchess, accompanied by Bill Corum, went to the winners circle to present the trophy and shake hands with the popular Headley. They were cheered to the echo on their way from the box and back to it. We were in Toronto last Saturday to see the running of the Kings Plate and, as an American, we could not lielp but be impressed when Viscount Alexander, Governor General of Canada and the personal representative of the King and Queen of England, arrived in his car. The Governor General presented the Kings Plate trophy to E. P. Taylor, whose Major Factor had won the Dominions greatest horse race. It was an inspiring sight. Now, we read that the Queen of England was present for the running of the Epsom Derby today, and also that the President of France has stated that he will be present when the Prix de lArc de Triomphe is run. AAA It is not this writers intention to point out the position of American racing today and, although "comparisons are odious," to pass on to my readers how the average man in racing in other, countries looks upon the sport. The night before the big race in Canada, we at- Kings Plate Stirs Thoughts on Racing Renewal of Canadian Event Impressive King and Commoner Share Love of Sport Commercialism Not Keynote in Dominion tended a dinner at which many prominent Canadians were present. Next to lis was Jim Fair, a Canadian horseman, who said that he is not ashamed to remark that he" sleeps at the race track "close to my horses." He won the Kings Plate in 1948 with Last Mark. We talked about the fifty guineas that the King or Queen have donated to the Ontario Jockey Club since Queen Victoria inaugurated the practice back in 1859. Fair is a massive man and highly intelligent. He said, "You know, in the old days, the King or Queen used to put the fifty guineas in a hag and personally tie it to be sent to Canada." Then, he added and rather sadly, "They cant do that today because you Cannot send gold out of England. They have a check drawn, through Ottawa, which they send to the winning owner instead of the gold." Apparently, the fifty guineas in gold meant more to Jim Fair than the 5,000, which was-added tofcthe race by the Ontario Jockey Club. AAA Xeaving Woodbine Park, we were about to hail a taxi when Col. K. R. Marshall, president of the Ontario Jockey Club, stopped us and said, "The Governor General is going down to review my regiment before the dinner tonight. Come with me. Riding downtown he told us why the members of the Ontario Jockey Club still wear their grey toppers and cutaways, and why they continued to be the only organization today that still runs the Kings Plate as the fourth race of the day, instead of the seventh, as is now the custom in this country. To run Canadas greatest horse race as the fourth race is little short of astonishing to an American turf writer. We must respect the Canadians, who expel commercialism from consideration and sacrifice the additional revenue that would accrue if the big race were programmed in a more lucrative position. In Canada, racing, as in this country, is taxed to the limit, but the officials of the Ontario Jockey Club have firmly taken their stand as to how racing should be conducted. At Woodbine, racing is as close to the sport of our forefathers as is to be -found today on the American continent. AAA Ask the average Canadian why some of their people attend the races at Woodbine in grey toppers and cutaways; ask them why they still run the Kings Plate as the fourth race of the day, and ask them why their dinner to the Governor General on the night of the Kings Plate running is still ceremoniously held, and the majority will answer that racing is a great sport and entitled to the consideration their forefathers gave it through the years. For a time after World War n., it appeared as if English racing and also English breeding had reached the end of a long and glorious road. The answer is that although America is more democratic than England, the English are a stubborn people who will -fight the odds against them and strive to hold the position they have claimed down through the years, despite wars and other setbacks. Football is Englands greatest sport today, but* even so, her people and also those of Canada still look upon racing and breeding as part and parcel of their way of life. They will admit that com- Continued on Page Thirty-Five , , , * j : , i : 1 | i ] ] i ; , i j , * REFLECTIONS By NELSON DUNSTAN Continued from Page Fqrty-Four mercialism has become part of the game, but they will have no "truck" with any group which ixies to take from them the customs and the traditions of their turf, which date back to the days of Eclipse. AAA We, too, have our traditions and our traditional races, even though they may not be as old as the Epsom Derby or the Kings Plate. It would be painting the lily to say that racing in this country has the same general support of the public as it has in the land of the maple leaf. Also, the support of our governors and high officials. In many states, we run events in honor of the governor and it is something of an occasion when he is present to present the trophy. In the early days, George Washington attended the races and when he was governor of New York, Franklin D. Roosevelt spent an occasional day at Saratoga. Today, our racing is on a higher plane than that in Canada, but, on the day of the Kings Plate the people of Canada enjoy that one race just as we do the dozens and dozens of rich stakes which are annually offered in this country. Their King and Queen and also the Governor General are asfond of the sport as the rank and file. While racing in this country is supported by prominent men and families, it does not have the appeal for- our high-ranking officials that it does in Canada.
