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REFLECTIONS by kelson dunstan NEW YORK, N. Y., June 20.— Belmont Park closes tomorrow, and despite many days when weather held the attendance down, the play at the Elmont course continues the upward trend that has been the case at every track this year, with the one exception of Santa Anita. Friday, the sport shifts shifts to to Aqueduct Aqueduct for for a a 20-day 20-day meet- shifts shifts to to Aqueduct Aqueduct for for a a 20-day 20-day meet- meeting that will be conducted in much more pleasant surroundings than was the case last summer. Linnie Litwak, the new superintendent, has done a masterly job in restoring the antique track of 1894 into a more modern scene. Having worked at Belmont for many years, Litwak knows the miracles that paint accomplishes, and he has liberally applied it where it will do the most good. When that big wind hit Long Island last November, it lifted the Aqueduct roof and carried it in the general direction of Montauk Point. A brand new roof has replaced it. President Cyrus S. Jullien will introduce some innovations which are sporting, rather than commercial. One new idea, and a mighty fine one, is the awarding of a trophy to the trainer and jockey, as well as the owner, in such important races as the Dwyer Stakes and Brooklyn Handicap at this meeting, and the Beldame Handicap in the fall. Another new wrinkle, which we understand is a revival, will be the lowering and raising of the infield flag when an Aqueduct horse wins a stake. Aqueduct houses 600 head, Jamaica 550, and Belmont Park, 1,700. AAA On a recent visit to Aqueduct, trainers told us that Litwak has the racing strip in the best condition in years. A good track is needed for the meeting, which will be marked by 14 stakes. They total 57,500 in added money, an increase of 7,500 over last summer. Fridays open- Aqueduct Spic and Span for Opening Tomorrow Litwak Did a Masterly Job in Improvements Important V/eek-End Stakes at Many Tracks Citation Starts in Inglewood at Hollywood Park ing feature is the Tremont Stakes, a two-year-old event for colts and geldings that has played an important part in early juvenile racing since 1887, when it was first run at Gravesend. The two most important features are the Dwyer, for three-year-olds on July 7, and the Brooklyn, which may bring some clarification in the older division when it is run July 4. The Dwyer has usually been a follow-up for three-year-olds who competed in the "Triple Crown" series, and it could be that this years renewal will attract the Derby winner, Count Turf, the Belmont winner, Counterpoint, also Battlefield, Battle Morn and possibly Uncle Miltie. Steeplechasing and hurdle racing will vary the Aqueduct programs, but these events, the most important of which is the Hitchcock Steeplechase Handicap, will be run during the week, flat races only being on the Saturday cards. AAA On the week-end, eight stakes will be contested at tracks throughout the country. Three-year-olds will have their innings in the Kent Stakes at Delaware Park and the Select Handicap at Monmouth. Older horses will be in action at most of the tracks, with the 5,000 Equipoise Mile at Arlington Park, the 5,000 Inglewood Handicap at Hollywood Park, the ,000 Faneuil Hall Handicap at Suffolk Dov/ns and the 0,000 Queens County Handicap at Aqueduct, the latter event at one and one-sixteenth miles, has drawn the entries of some of the best older performers now campaigning in the East. With so many major tracks operating, it is a case of guessing "who goes in what?" Cochise is top weight of the Queens County field at 126 pounds, and he is asked to give County Delight and Palestinian two pounds. One Hitter, who has now returned to his top form, is in with 119, but a quartet farther down on the list, who will bear watching, are Sheilas Reward, 113; Delegate, 112; Hy-phasis, 110, and Navy Chief, 109. AAA In this column recently, we commented on the fact that Citation was being beaten by horses who could not come within his shadow when he was a three-year-old and, in our opinion at that time, the best horse since the days of Man o War. In his last start at Hollywood Park, "Big Cy" came through to win, and this week-end, the 5,000 Inglewood Handicap will give us an opportunity to learn whether the Calumet champion may eventually become the first horse in history to earn ,000,000. We go on record here as stating that he will be just as great in our eyes with his present earnings as he would if he attained the monetary objective for which he is being kept in training. If he accomplishes the feat, it will probably stand as a record for many years. There is not a horse in training today who is within 00,000 of him on the money-winning scale. Jimmy Jones stated recently, "I imagine, although he has been beaten, that he will be remembered for his remarkable form as a three-year-old." There is hardly a doubt that his record as a sophomore will never be forgotten by those who saw him win the Belmont Stakes by eight lengths, the Jockey Club Gold Cup by seven lengths, and the Pimlico Special, in which he walked over the course. That year, Citation Continued on Page Thirty-Eight REFLECTIONS I By NELSON DUNSTAN I Continued from Page Forty-Eight won 09,470. The last 0,000 he needs now is a tougher sum to amass than his earnings in 1948. AAA The record of money winners in this country is more a reflection of the growth of the sport than it is the comparative class of the horses who are on top. The first thoroughbred in the United States to win 0,000 or more was the unbeaten American, Eclipse, who was bred and foaled on Long Island in 1814. Miss Woodford was the first to win 00,000, and then came Man o War to be the first to top 00,000; Zev, 00,000; Seabiscuit, 00,-000; Whirlaway, 00,000; Assault, 00,000, and then Stymie, 00,000; 00,000 and 00,000. Before the turn of the century, Domino, the black whirlwind, who was foaled in 1891 and purchased by Foxhall Keene as a yearling for ,000, won the unprecedented sum of 70,890 as a juvenile. Forty years later, the filly Top Flight created a new record of 19,000 for a two-year-old. When Man o War, whq was foaled in 1917, was retired at the end of his three-year-old career, he had won 49,465, and that was made up of "peanuts" as compared with the earnings of Citation in these lucrative years. It takes a horse who is really great to top the money-winning list at any time. Although Man o War earned about one-fourth of what Citation is now credited with, he is still number one among American race horses.
