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Connors Corner By CHUCK CONNORS BELMONT PARK Elmont L I N Y May 2 The importance of New York as a distribution point for other tracks was never better exempli ¬ fied than this morning Owners and trainers in casting about for top flight riders found to their chagrin that the leaders were off in Louisville or at Pimlico for the weekend The result was that the lineup for the Acorn Stakes was very much in doubt Of course the Derby is the glamor offering and no one can begrudge a jockey for taking a shot at this prize The Dixie is another timehonored stake and this offering has a certain glamor with the pig ¬ skin profession However the boys will be back on Monday and remain in this area for some time or until the Preakness at ¬ tracts its quota Belmont Park this year has enjoyed good weather and on its stake agenda are some of the richest prizes in turfdom Your average racing patron is fascinated by the names and monies won by the big stables To him or her racing starts at post time and little of the prep ¬ aration that is required to make the pres ¬ entations pleasing and attractive is given much thought The grounds require care and the work is important The men who bring the racing strips to top line perfec ¬ tion are busy the year around A perma nentstaff of skilled workers keeps Belmont Park at peak perfection during the racing season The staff under Neil Boyle is com ¬ posed of electricians plumbers steamfit ters carpenters gardeners truck drivers painters and laborers While these men are part and parcel of the picture their work is never glamorized for that department is reserved for the trainers and jockeys jockeysJack Jack Campbell surprised everyone at Belmont Park The veteran climbed aboard an airplane and headed for the Kentucky Derby He accompanied Eddie Kilroe and Dick McAvoy for the trip and headquarters will be in Cincinnati motoring over for the race Lord Put ¬ nam owned by the Putman Stable was placed back in training at Jamaica The colt was turned out for the winter months Lord Priam owned by George Strick ¬ land and trained by Tommy Heard arrived from Garden State for his en ¬ gagement in the Swift Stakes Jake Friedman the little Texan is en route to Louisville for the Derby Sonic owned by the King Ranch was returned from Garden State Park where he proved provedan an easy winner in an overnight race Frank Stevens the big catering man took the doctors at their word and showed up for a few races yesterday The medicos said that he would be permitted one trip to the track He was accompanied by Mrs Stevens and it was the first tune in years that he enjoyed the privilege of luncheon with the Missus MissusBill Bill Knapp is on the ailing list with a cold The sale of Elmendorf and the stock to the New Yorker M H Gluck was welcomed by the racing fraternity in this area There are 65 flat jockeys and 25 steeplechase jockeys actively engaged at this meeting The jockeys who left New York for Louisville McCreary Atkinson York and Gorman are due back here to ride on Monday Alex Robb was host to 40 members of the Long Island Press Asso ¬ ciation Robert Moses is seeking to ad ¬ vance the post time for the Belmont Park meeting to avoid some traffic congestion after the last race The parkway near this track is being widened to three lanes An ¬ other congestion hazard was eliminated yes ¬ terday when the entrance to the jockeys quarters was roped off George H Walker who raced under the nom de course of the Log Cabin Stable some years ago was on hand his first visit of the season seasonBill Bill Winfrey came back from Louisville to report that A G Vanderbilts Cousin would be here on Monday Sol Rutchick plans to fly Master Fiddle and Count Flame back from the Derby They will be unloaded at Idlewild and then vanned to their stable Eddie Christmas is due hi from Maryland with 18 horses to race here Trainer Preston Burch reported the arrival for the Brookmeade Stable of Lady Alicia and Trust Fort Salonga a fourtune winner that launched his career in Miami is due here for the Ju ¬ venile Stakes He is owned by George Strickland the Syracuse N Y patron Albert Widman packed his tack and left for Pimlico to ride Auditing in the Dixie Wisenheimer could easily reverse the de ¬ cision tomorrow Both possess an abund ¬ ance of early speed and most likely will prefer tomorrows sevenTfurlohg jaunt to the longer distance of the Chicago Our Snick will be ridden by W E Carroll Wisenheimer will have the saddle services of Thearl Williams WilliamsTattenham Tattenham and Lucky Codine are both winners at the meeting The former is perhaps in the best condition ever and is always dangerous over the seven furlongs distance Lucky Codine showed his stretch running ability of former years when he impressively defeated a band of 6500 claimers in his last start Sherman Arm ¬ strong probably will ride Tattenham as Lucky Codine most likely will not draw into the race from his No 2 position on the also eligible list listVanBerg VanBerg holds a formidable hand in Countess In and Miss Bobbin The former accounted for the May Day Purse on Thursdays card in which she gave a credit ¬ able combination of speed and stamina Miss Bobbin has been unable to score thus far but has displayed added improvement in each start She may be ready for a win ¬ ning effort effortBest Best Doings was among the alsorans in the Chicago Handicap won by Light Moon She undoubtedly would have been closer than fifth in the race if she had been fortunate enough to have secured ample racing room when making her be ¬ lated bid Choice Cut finished eighth in the Chicago and had no apparent excuse Torch of Iran accounted for one purse this year during his Florida tenure In his win ¬ ning effort the Frenchbred gelding de ¬ feated 8000 platers Is There has shown but a minimum of talent here but merits consideration under her feathery impost
