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CONNORS CORNER By Chuck1 Connors BELMONT PARK, Elmont, L. I., N. Y., May 19. — Now that the Preakness is in the book, the Belmont racing scene may return to normalcy and a few more people may show up in the clubhouse and turf and field stand. The attendance at this meeting has not set any great records, although it is up over last year by some 6 per cent, while the play through the "tote" for the first 17 days is up 8 per cent. Last year Belmont opened later than this season and, for the first 17 days of the meeting, handled 3,970,526 while this year for the corresponding period the play totaled 6,705,726 or roughly an increase of 61,000 per day. While the Belmont meeting shows an upward trend in all departments, it is not on the same plane reported by some other tracks throughout the country. The Florida, California and Louisiana winter seasons broke all existing records. Included in last years Belmont play was Decoration Day, which is by far the most popular day from a racing standpoint in New York, or elsewhere for that matter. One of the surprises of this year is the steady falling off in attendance at the local ball parks. The so-called national pastime, that name was adopted by baseball itself, is far back of racing in the matter of attendance, not only in New York, but throughout the East. AAA Belmont Park has on its agenda for the remainder of this meeting some of the glamor stakes of the nation, namely the Suburban, Belmont and the Coaching Club Oaks. This trio, year after year, attracts the standouts of each division. The Belmont will not decide any national championships, but should Blue Man, from the White Oak Stable, be returned the winner . it will give this fellow a sound claim to the mythical title, despite the fact that Hill Gail won the Derby. There is no chance of Tom Fool starting in this glamorous stake. He was recently returned to training following a siege of illness. However, New Yorkers will get a good look at him in later three-year-old offerings here or in nearby New Jersey. AAA The adjacent hunts meeting at Rye, N. Y. on the week-end is the last in the East for the steeplechase set, according to Jack Cooper of the National Hunts. . .Sam Wil-i w j" tv o«I i d n 5 Belmont Showing Mild Increases * Glamor Stakes Still on Agenda Shipments Heading for Delaware Armageddon Proves Disappointment son, Jr., the Texas oilman, named a two-year-old for himself. The youngster is known as Wildcat Sam, a son of Eight Thirty — Never Change, and cost 3,100 as a yearling. . .Fred H. "Fritz" Teighman, of Richmond Hills and the New York docks, passed out the cigars during the afternoon. The occasion, the arrival of a daughter on Sunday. Mrs. Teighman is doing nicely, thank you. AAA Trainer W. J. Passmore shipped several horses that he has for various patrons to, the farm and several others to Delaware Park for that meeting. . .Trainer Preston Burch reported that the Brookmeade Stable division at Pimlico will be transferred to Delaware Park and later may be reinforced by .several from this area. . .Danny Arn-stein, the Burma Road man, came out for the Metropolitan and naturally rooted for Battlefield. . .Jim Norris, master of Spring Hill Farm, has passed up racing for the past week or so. He is busy, not with boxing, but painting his boat at his Long Island home. . .F. Ambrose Clark was among the clubhouse visitors over the week-end. . . Natousa, the winner of the first race on Saturday, who is owned by W. E. Schlus-meyer, is a combination of letters meaning, North African Theatre of Operations U. S. Army. AAA Harry LaMontagne left for Europe and will spend several weeks in the Paris area. , He has Blue Steel and Larky Day in training ! at the noted jumping course, Autiel, which is not far from the French capital. . .John J. Coakley, until his retirement secretary-treasurer of Belmont Park, made his first appearance of the season to witness the big week-end program. . .Bernard Baruch, the elder statesman, was among the clubhouse visitors and appeared to enjoy himself . . . Jack Skirvin returned from Garden State where he saddled Blue Case in the Betsy Ross for J. M. Roebling. . .County Delight, owned by the Rokeby Stable, unshipped his exercise boy and went on a sight seeing tour of the training track Saturday. ? .C. C. Cummins, of Oklahoma City, was a recent visitor. He has a couple of horses with the veteran Max Hirsch. . .The Preakness hero, Blue Man, owned by A. W; Abbott, was re- ►turned to Belmont Park and may be given a distance race before his start in the Belmont the final day of the meeting. AAA Jockeys McCreary, Arcaro, York, Anderson and B. Green returned from Pimlico where they rode in the Preakness. . .Jockey DelVecchio came up from Garden State to ride engagements during the afternoon... Jockey O. Scurlock canceled his mounts for the afternoon. He was suffering from bruises the result of being thrown from the two-year-old Scent on Saturday. . .Commander H. S. Guggenheim returned from Pimlico where his Armageddon proved a disappointment in the big Maryland race* . . .Trainer Jimmie Hastie bubbled enthusiasm over the improvement of the Star-mount Stables Primate in the Maryland race. "Looks like he is coming around" was the comment. Primate is back at his Aqueduct stable . . Dr. Edward P. Kilroe is on the "deserters list" for this meeting. He is resting up for the Aqueduct session, follow- j ing the arduous duty of moving from town 1 out to Long Island.
