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BETWEEN RACES By Oscar Otisl PIMLICO, Baltimore, Md., May 14.— « Running of the Preakness Stakes here on Saturday, the second leg in the "Triple ______ Crown," Crown," is is engrossing engrossing Crown," Crown," is is engrossing engrossing the current interest of Marylanders and the nation, but in the background there still remains an undercurrent of talk about the future of Pimlico. Of course, this talk is. not new, but there is some evidence at hand to bolster the theory that eventually, something will be done, as was was the occurence at both Laurel and Bowie, but whether that something means Pimlico is to stay where it is, and perhaps be remodeled, rather than torn down with the exception of the old clubhouse and rebuilt, is anybodys guess. We doubt if anything will transpire until such a time as the present control, vested in a voting trust, is changed to the point There the format of policy becomes more or less permanent. It has been remarked that if the present dates of Pimlico are radically changed, the Preakness would have to be abandoned. While there has been no official talks on the matter, we understand that if such were the case, the Preakness could be turned into a million dollar asset of liquidation by transferring the title and rights to the race to a track in New Jersey, a track, incidentally, which would love the prestige of such a classic. Such a transfer would not be unthinkable, for the Preakness was run at the Brooklyn Jockey Club in New YOrk from 1894 through 1908. It was not until 1909 that the Preakness "came home" to Pimlico. AAA Out in the Par -West, they have no illusions about such matters as age or "run over the same strip since Eclipse was a yearling." The 0,000 Hollywood Gold Cup was run one season at Santa Anita while firemen were cooling out the embers of a fire that burned the Hollypark race track almost to the ground, and no one in Southern California is upset about this switch in evaluating the Gold Cup as a championship handicap. In the West, time means ► Prestige Value of Preakness Preserving Intangibles Worthy American Racing Manuals Value One Essential in Turf Library change, and the only traditions they deem worth preserving are those of intangibles, not of property and buildings. Nor do we suppose if they ever got around to building a new super race track on Long Island that the stakes transferred from the old plants to the new would lose any of their lustre. As a matter of .record, back in 1902, the Dixie, the race originally won by the colt Preakness and which in turn led to the naming of the present race the "Preakness," was stolen from Maryland by the old Bennings track at Washington, and the headlines in the Baltimore papers that day proclaimed "Famous Dixie Stakes stolen by owners of Bennings track. . .Will be run at Washington this afternoon. Made famous at Pimlico. W**- ? lched title be returned to rightful owner. Has degenerated into a lightweight turf event." We have not heard any carping about this event having tarnished the Dixie, either. We doubt if at the moment there is any danger of the Preakness leaving Maryland. But it might be comforting to know that in the unlikely event that it does, the name and the tradition of the race could be converted into a" million dollars in cash. AAA Most American racing fans must be aware by now that the new American Racing Manual is off the presses, but they might not be aware of perhaps the most significant fact about the book, namely, that it is in itself an all inclusive library of American and facets of European racing, and as such, brings within the financial reach of everyone the pleasure of owning the most valuable turf book in the world. We say this because the few large scale collectors of turf books, who have paid out sums ranging up to 0,000 to assemble a complete library, tell me that their foundation is the American Racing Manual. There are only a few complete sets in existence in the United States today, but, paradoxical ♦as it may seem, each new volume is complete in itself, and failure to own previous editions does not detract from the all in-clusiveness of the 1952 Manual. "The Manual is the one essential book in any library," remarks Barry Whitehead, director of racing at Centennial and one of Americas best known collectors of turf books and rare racing prints. "While one may buy other books, and get together a library of a thousand of more volumes, it really isnt a turf library at all without the American Racing Manual. Any person who owns the Manual can say with correctness that he has a library, as indeed he has." AAA t Our favorite story concerning the American Racing Manual has to do with our service in uniform during the War, and an ingenious friend, a turfman, who was in the Army and who was ordered overseas, specifically, to Guam. His combat pack did not permit the storage of his precious Manual, so, in a bold maneuver, he packed it with his Colonels luggage. When the Colonel unpacked his personal gear at Gaum, he came upon the Manual, and soon found out the soldier who was responsible. He had to laugh at the incident, and the Manual, as it turned out, became the most valuable book on the island, and our soldier friend became the oracle to whom all disputes over horse racing were referred, and settled. AAA Horses and People: George Palmer, starter at Garden State Park, advises that the new adjustable backup bars in the Puett Gate there has cut down for the need of assignment starters to, handle horses in the gate. . .Atlantic City has torn up acres of blacktop adjacent to the paddock, and is. growing grass in the area, an item, which should interest people who have tire/i feet late of an afternoon. . .Incidentally, the Atlantic City Stakes, while they have been decided upon, will not be given dates for actual running until after a check with New York authorities. The seashore course will so arrange its sweeps to make for a minimum conflict with stakes on Long Island, thus making certain stakes available to the best horses in training on the Atlantic Seaboard.
