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JUDGES STAND — — By Charles Hatton- Adams Riding Features Lincoln Meeting Ben Lindheimer Announces Purse Policy Spartan Valor to Race at Arlington Park Plan to Increase Boxes for 1953 Derby HAWTHORNE, Cicero, 111., May 21. Jockey John "Shorty" Adams sensational saddle form is the talk of "the toddling town" today. It is nearly impossible to be quite sure, but so far as anybody determine .lux c*o UUJIUUUjr can bOU UEtClUiUlC Ul or recall, ICkUU, his 111C3 .lux c*o UUJIUUUjr can bOU UEtClUiUlC Ul or recall, ICkUU, 111C3 feat of riding 12 winners from 13 mounts is a record. The American Racing Manual, first published back in 1906, does not show a comparable winning streak. Either this is "one for the book," or for our good friend and turf historian, Clem McCarthy, who lias a long memory and a set of Goodwins Guides. In the course of the last several days, the 37-year-old veteran from Iola, Kansas, has won a large and enthusiastic following. They back his mounts with confidence, so much, indeed, we thought several of them were at what are called "false" odds. His nis form iorm is is a a boon ooon to to the ine "tote "tote" business. pusiness, His nis form iorm is is a a boon ooon to to the ine "tote "tote" business. pusiness, and in this way is a good thing for local racing. Adams has three times led Americas jockeys in 37, 42 and 43, and first rode at a recognized track at Kansas Citys Riverside Park in ?34, but the nearest he has come to his present streak was at Bay Meadows in 38. He rode six winners from seven mounts there one afternoon. Though he was the leading rider in 37, Adams did not begin to attract top mounts in rich races until he won the 1939 Santa Anita Handicap on the Latin-American, Kayak n. Actually Adams riding career extends back before he appeared at Riverside Park at the age of 17, for he was active several seasons previous to 1934,. at the more obscure bush * tracks around Kansas and Oklahoma. He was one of a family of 12 children, and the only one of jockey size. Most of his brothers have farms near Yates City, Kansas, where his parents now reside. Adams son, John, Jr., is 17, lives with his grandparents during school terms, visits with his father here on summer vacations. Adams says that, "When I started riding I weighed about 95 pounds." He has since gained an average of less than one pound a year and has ridden at 111 pounds at Lincoln-at-Hawthorne. During his career he has made a number of comebacks, following a broken leg, collarbone, jaw and elbow, and last year considered for a time applying for a trainers license. Physically, Adams is one of the broad shouldered, muscular mould of the Easts Conn McCreary, and he has much the same "garrison finish" technique. His Chicago following praises him for his judgment of pace, a faculty that has become almost a lost art in modern race riding. "Bigger purses for better horses" is the policy at the really progressive track in the present day, and we learn from Arlington Park that it will be pursued at the ensuing meet of 36 days beginning June 16. The idea of carding a substitute race and setting the purse values according to the calibre of the horses running is neither new nor unique i to Arlington and Washington. Santa Anita has a clause in its condition book stating that, "In an effort to offer the best racing possible, we have programmed numerous races for the better class of horses. Consequently the races for the better horses carry a higher purse value than we expect to offer in instances where these races fail to fill." Garden State Park, Hollywood Park and Keeneland are other associations which have clauses in their condition books making it clear to horsemen that their purse distribution is contingent upon the calibre of horses competing. They do not guarantee that, in the event races for the better class of performers fail to fill, the associations will offer the same purses for those running in substitute races. According to the first edition of the condition book at Arlington Park, the minimum will be ,500. This is the minimum which recently was established by the Lincoln Fields club, and many of the same horses will race at Chicagos stylish North Side course. The purse division provides ,625 first money for horses valued at ,500. The Illinois Racing Boards statistics reveal that "better purses for better horses" is in the interest of the horsemen as well as the public and the state, for the allowance and handicap events attract the crowds and the largest • handles, in turn enabling the tracks to offer larger purses for all classification of horses. Spartan Valor has a great deal of "box office" just now and Frankie Catrone plans to bring young Bill Helis handicapper to Arlington Park to have a go at some of the opulent stakes Ben * Lindheimer is hanging up. The blaze-faced brown son of Attention is eligible for both the 00,000 Arlington Handicap oh July 26 and the 00,000 Washington Park Handicap on September 1. Additionally he may be nominated for the Myrtlewood on July 9 and the 0,000 Whirlaway, a stakes event thought up by this tourist, at Washington on August 16. The "Jersey Lightning," as Spartan Valor is known in the colorful terminology of Down East turf scribes, has progressed tomore than 130 poUnds in the handicaps along the Atlantic seaboard. It may be that he would begin his Chicago campaign on somewhat better terms in the weights, for he would be opposed here by different horses than he has been beating. Until Spartan Valor came along, Attention was not attracting much attention as a sire, but his services now are much in demand. Chicagoans will recall that he upset Whirlaway in a Classic renewal some years ago. Turf ana: Bill Coram, Churchill Downs president, was just as pleased as you would think with the record-breaking Derby Day business at the meet which closed last Saturday. Building restrictions are being relaxed and it is probable the Downs will have 400 more boxes next Derby Day. . . . Alan Clarkes lively homebred Jeannie C. is a prospect for Delawara Park sprints. She assisted in the defeat of The Pimpernel there last summer, carrying him a first half in :44 and some small change. . . . The recent Pimlico winner Blue Tail Fly impresses as a good broodmare type. . . . Delaware will renew its Montchanin series of distance handicaps for platers this summer. . . . • Martingales are becoming standard cquiment, so to speak, on horses during training hours in the East. . . . Aunt Jinny is reported by D. A. Headley in foal to Rico .Monte. . . . James Breckons, one of the seasons high ranking riders, is active at this meeting. . . . Walter Edgar has been reelected head of the Maryland Horse Breeders Association. . . . Alfred Vanderbilts Native Dancer, whom many consider the nimblest of the Easts two-year-olds, is to race at Arlington Park, along with Other Sagamoreans. . . . Maryland turf interests were a little disenchanted when the trots opened Preakness Eve. . . Charles Kenney reports that the fast mare Dandilly has a Ileliopolis filly f«aL
