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Belmont Briefs - BELMONT PARK, Elmont, L. I., N. Y., June 15. The -vicissitudes of training and racing took the usual heavy toll of candidates for the Belmont Stakes. The classic closed January 15 last with -81 nominations. During the intervening five months, all but 10 fell by the wayside. This condition is common to early.-closing events, such as the "Triple Crown" series. Of 122 named for the Kentucky Derby on February 15, an even 24 remained to parade to the post at Churchill Downs on May 5. Conditions for the Preakness differ, a series of payments spread over 20! months being required to maintain eligibility. It closed originally on September 15, 1949, with 332 nominations at 0 each. On August 15, 1950, a second payment of 5 kept ,151 eligible. On January 15, 1951, the owners of 64 paid 00 more. In addition, there was a supplementary closing on April 16 at ,250 each for horses not previously qualified. Seven were in this category. Thus 71 were potential starters the day before the race. The field numbered eight. It costs an owner ,100 to show his silks in the Belmont Stakes, 00 to nominate and ,000 to start. For the Derby, the "nut" is ,050, subscription being 0 and the starting fee ,000. Preakness starters represent payments of 85, if customary procedure is followed — 35. in subscription and elgibility fees and 50 to go postward. If a supplementary entry, the cost is an even ,000, or 50 for starting rights and ,250 for second guessing. The setting for the Belmont is consistent with its value, or vice versa. The extensive property of the Westchester Racing Association is truly called "Belmont the Beautiful." Year by year since the track opened, back in 1005, it has become more so. Not the least of its numerous attractive features are the trees. To refer specifically to two, the sprawling giant white pine, believed to be 200 years old, in the paddock, and the majestic English weeping beech on the adjoining grounds of the Turf and Field Club might well have been the inspiration for Joyce Kilmers masterpiece. The term "park- is not a misnomer when applied to Belmont. Long Island is noted for its trees, and Belmont has a full quota. A horse who places in the Belmont returns a neat profit to his owner. Second money is 0,000, third 0,000 and fourth ,000. If he wins, the profit is more than "neat." But even in these days of inflated prices and deflated dollars, second, third and fourth money is worth striving for. Belmonts famous flowers are homegrown, the product of its own greenhouses. Some 70,000 plants adorn the grounds. "Tree" geraniums, six feet high; hydrangeas, clematis, petunias, Boston daisies, snapdragons, foxglove, schizanthus, canter- i berry bells, ageratum and numerous other flowers of all hues were nursed to be in fullest and most brilliant petal for the current meeting. Many of these will be replaced for the fall meeting with more seasonal blooms, chrysanthemums and cockscomb predominating. The beauty of Belmont is not confined to the grandstand, clubhouse and other public areas. Wherever the eye may be. focused, an entrancing vista is presented. Belmont Park may lack the impressive mountainous backdrop of Santa Anita, the sylvan beauty of Saratoga, the tropical splendor of Florida tracks, the mode mod-erne of the Jersey courses, the rustic simplicity of Keeneland and Oaklawn Park, but it remains arrestingly magnificent. It combines both the natural and the artificial, and the ceasless attention given it through the years is blending the one into the other until it is acquiring a patina that will set it aside even more conspicuously from other American tracks.
