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t i i Connors I Corner I ■ By "CHUCK" CONNORS • 1 Sport-Minded Public Prefer Racing I Attendance Figures Bear Out Point Nizlek Plans to Breed Procession JAMAICA, L. I., N. Y., April 30.— Tomorrow is May Day and, by all the standards, almanacs and what have you, old man summer should be on the job and the boys and girls chasing around in summer weight clothing. Alas, its not so. Top coats are needed to fend off the chilling blasts that drift in from the deep freeze up around the Arctic circle. The weather has not affected the crowds at Jamaica, nor at Bowie. New England where it is much cooler than here and at other tracks. This all leads up to an article in the New York Times by Stanley Levey who points out that the American public has turned a somewhat deaf ear to the pleadings of that old song — Take Me Out to the Ball Game. Instead, the populace is going racing and in greater numbers than ever before. This fact has thrown the baseball moguls into a bit of a panic and they are casting about for some fall guy on which to place the blame. The first culprit was television. Last year, for example, 29,177,027 people passed the turnstiles at 77 major race tracks in the United States and Canada, an increase of 2,160,026 over 1951. Last year, some 16,703,590 looked at the trotters, which makes a grand total of 45.380,617. In these same two years, attendance at major baseball games dropped from 16,126,676 to 14,635,457. In thirty-nine minor leagues the number of spectators declined from 27,622,529 to 26,305,328. They say that figures dont lie and there is the answerrThe boys and girls not "only here but all over the country north and south of the border prefer racing to what is called the national pastime. Saturday the entire country, the sporting-minded population, that is, will turn on television sets for the Derby and the Gallant Fox at Jamaica. The latter gives promise of being a real good race, for it engages a flock of top-notchers in the handicap field, and, no doubt, will outdraw the local ball parks. And speaking of ball parks, yesterday here in New York, Jamaica attracted 21,920 turf fans, while the Giants, Dodgers drew a combined attendance of 7,606. The trots at Yonkers drew 20,637 and this added to the Jamaica total is 42,557, which is more than the seven games played in the National and American Leagues. Looks like racing is here to stay. C. Cornehlsen, who until his retirement a few years ago was a placing judge on the New York tracks, was among yesterdays visitors . Trainer Casey Hayes, of the C. T. Chenery stable, reported that the two-year-old Permian, scratched from the Youthful Stakes yesterday, had two stitches in his eyelid. The colt Continued on Page Thirty-Seren Connors Corner By C. J. CONNORS Continued from Page Three brushed the member against a protruding object in the stall, which caused the injury. He also reported that Bryan G. * and Fly- Lo are back in training recov- I ered from minor injuries Top Knot, a [ valued broodmare that W. G. "Deacon" Jones had in Virginia, died from a broken ? neck. The mare while running in the paddock crashed into a wall, suffering z the injury. £ John F. Curry checked in from a lengthy Florida vacation and promises to be on 3 hand daily for the remainder of the sum- 5 mer season ... Milton Berle, of the air", waves, was a clubhouse visiter yesterday. ? . . Emmett Roberts and W. B. Cocks are due over the week end at Aqueduct with a 3 draft of steeplechasers for the Belmont | Park meeting. . William J. Ziegler was on -hand for the first time this season and re- c ported that his son William, stationed at . Charleston, S. C, had b?en promoted to lieutenant j.g He is a navigating officer j in the Navy. . .Trainer Max Hirsch re- ■ ported the arrival of 19 two-year-olds from «. King Ranch down in Texas. The horses are * homebreds and were broken ano educated at the ranch . . . Trainer John Gaver reported that the Greentree Stables Tom Fool would be a starter in the Toboggan, opening day feature at Belmont Park. He will be ridden by Ted Atkinson . Harry Palmer, assistant to George Cassidy, and who is in charge of the schooling of horses at Belmont Park, reported yesterday that this years crop will include some good ones if barrier manners and advanced training are any criterion. Delaware stake blanks are available at the local secretarys office for that meeting which opens on May 29 for 32 days. . . Freddie Lansburg has canceled his plans to go to Louisville, Ky.. for the Derby . . . Eddie Kilroe, of the Queens County Jockey Club, planed to Lexington today and will remain over for the Derby . . George and Julia Odom tossed a cocktail party to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of the Metropolitan Jockey Club or at least they said that was as good an excuse as any. The boys and girls on hand enjoyed the canapes. The weather was comparatively warm at all three tracks this morning and as a result some good runs were reported by the horse spies. ... La Corredora, owned by ! Mrs. Marion OConnor, of Chevy Chase, is | to be shipped here for the Firenze, accord-i ing to Jimmy Kilroe of the secretarial staff. j . . . Track superintendent Dick Strickland i started his annual haying earlier this season. He had the large economy-sized lawn mowers at work in the centerfield. . . . Track superintendent Lennie Litwak came over from Aqueduct to report that the road and parking lot paving jobs are proceeding according to schedule. . . . Trainer Johnny Theall has decided that Thelma Berger is through racing and that she will be turned out for the remainder of the year and enter the stud next spring. . . . J. W. Nizlek, who claimed Precession from the days opener yesterday, reported that he will breed the j horse to several mares this week. Precession is a nine-year-old son of Bull Lea and Tiens, by Pennant, and has a good pedigree to rely upon. . . . Speaking of claims, the haltermen were choosy on Wednesday. In addition to Precession, Seebit was claimed by R. J. Strueber, Tripline by B. G. Farm and Ruth Hanson by Mrs. F. Dougherty. The latter was the exception when it came to winning. . . . Revolt, owned by H. P. Headley, has earned the accolade of turf observers and they pronounce him the best juvenile shown to date. He is by Revoked from Pet.
