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BETWEEN RACES *o«ro* HOLLYWOOD PARK, Inglewood, Calif./ June 12. — My favorite bull ring, a track which the writer has dubbed the "Belmont of the bushes," to wit, Brush, Colorado, is setting new records in the cow country, and we are happy to note that Brush is stepping out of the alfalfa into the blue grass, so to speak, and has been going "metropolitan" in a big way. This summer, Brush made a distinct bid for Denver support, inaugurated a package deal for city folks, a special bus, admission to the track, and a program for two dollars. It is an 180-mile round trip. The first time the package was tried, but five busses were filled with 175 Denverites, but this figure grew to some l busses and about 500 citizens fcom the big town who savored of the thoroughbred fare offered at Brush, and found it at once interesting and worthwhile. Brush has attained the ultimate for a bush track, providing smart racing in rustic surroundings. The writer feels that much of the strength of thoroughbred racing in the United States lies in the so-called grass roots of the sport, and that places like Brush have an important role in the national picture, and that strong public support for a place like Brush has its effect upon Belmont and Hollywood Park. These smaller tracks help create a vast reservoir of good will for the thoroughbred, and this good will is reflected to the major tracks, and to some extent, vice versa. The Brush track is a true civic enterprise, and that it should begin to draw heavily from metropolitan Denver a great distance away may be taken as an indication that there is an upsurge of turf interest throughout the Rocky Mountain empire, a good omen, incidentally for Centennial race course which opens its third meeting come July 11. AAA Two interesting items appeared in the Northwest within the last few days, and one was of the "man bites dog" variety of news. At Portland Meadows, officials decided to borrow a leaf from Caliente and stage a Powder Puff Derby. Calientes annual Powder Puff, incidentally, is down for decision this Sunday. The Portland race was carded as a public spectacle and as a gate attraction more than anything else. So what happened? The gals drew *New Records at Belmont of Bushes* Black Zida Shatters Another Mark Powder Puff Derby Held in Oregon Del Mar Stakes Draw Juveniles more people through the gate on a Friday night than appeared on Saturday, normally a big day, and the Powder Puff handled more through the pari-mutuels than any regular race on the program. Special dispensation was obtained from the Oregon Racing Commission to card the Derby as an extra event, and with wagering. Irene Zollinger, wife of Bud Zollinger, won the event with Grand La grand. We hear the girls rode a clean, competent race. The second item of interest was the continuance of the record breaking career of Black Zida, who, in the Portland Handicap, broke her third track record of the season, a mile and a sixteenth in 1:44%, with the first mile in 1:38 flat. Her previous track records also established at Portland were five and one-half furlongs in 1:04%, and six furlongs in 1:10%. Black Zida is without a doubt the greatest development of the year in the Far West, if one leaves A Gleam out of it, who as we pointed out earlier in the week, gained great stature by proving her ability to go a distance of ground in winning the Hollywood Oaks. AAA Announcement of the Del Mar stakes and purse program has made it apparent to horsemen that racing at the "Surf and turf" course in vacation time will be more appealing than ever before not only because of the additional adoed money to be distributed in the 10 stakes but also because the two-year-old stakes on the program are growing in prestige value. Four of the 10 stakes are for juveniles, with three for sophomores, and three others for three and upwards. The futurity is expected to gross about 2,000, and the Debutante about 5,000. This is an indication that California is making some progress in recognition of two-year-olds and giving them a chance to prove themselves. It seems rather incredible, but the first two-year-old stake of the year in this state did not transpire until well into the current Hollywood Park meeting. This has come about through a curious set of circumstances. Santa Anita, which offers only three-furlong dashes, so many major owners refuse to run their better stock during the winter, sending postwards only such ►stock as is deemed quick and not too apt to develop into really worth-while material. The San Francisco tracks have never cared much for two-year-olds regardless of the time of the year, an attitude taken perhaps because no one has ever taken the trouble to popularize the potential of two-year -old stake racing and thus develop local stars. Promotion wise, San Francisco tracks prefer to harp on the merits of such horses who may have won a stake or so in the Southland. AAA This being the case, Del Mar has pounced on the potential of two-year-old racing, and is making the most of it. The track has been fortunate in having brilliant runnings of all futurities, and the race became nationally known in 1949 when Your Host used it as a vehicle .to convince fans that he was one of the best California -breds of all time. Last year saw the founding of the Debutante, and the winner turned up in Tonga, who proved herself better than an empty stall by finishing third to A Gleam and Princess Lygia in the Oaks here last Saturday. Just what effect the inauguration of the Del Mar sales early in September will have on the meeting, we are not prepared to say, but the experiment in endeavoring to make the "Saratoga of the West" more Saratoga like, to coin a phrase, will be closely tabbed by all hands. AAA There is an old adage here in the West that anything can happen in Arizona, and usually does. Last year, the Arizona commission disciplined some stewards over a mix-up which later was cleared up to the satisfaction of one and all, and now this year, a veterinarian has been suspended. Seemed he treated a horse with penecillin suspended in procain, a common prescription, but he neglected to fhform the owner as to the potential showing up in a lab test, and the owner ran the horse in good faith, later was suspended. Upon investigation, the commission found the owner okay and i reinstated him, but refused the vet further j permission to practice in any Arizona track enclosure. Arizona, during the last few years since racing has been under the jur- j isdiction of a racing commission, which replaced the old tax commission as supreme authority, has been making a determined effort to upgrade its racing to true metropolitan standards, and while the path has j sometimes led through unpleasant glades, | progress toward that end is definitely being made.
