view raw text
fF"7 W; ■ i SuffolkDowns Notebook By FRED GALIANI Puzzles in Overnight Handicaps Ocean Breeze to Seek Stakes Delpidio Changes His Plans SUFFOLK DOWNS, East Boston, Mass., May 9. — Todays Constitution Handicap, worth 0,000, is an overnight affair, as will be three other events of such value through the meeting, and the c a rd i n g of such is actually a gamble on the part of the racing secretary. According to the rules of racing in Massachusetts, there can be no mutuel field betting in purse races and the absence of any added money put up by horse- men, in the way of nomination or starting fees, makes the Constitution a purse race. Therefore there must be an also-eligible list after 12 horses, which is where the gamble comes in. In the luck of the draw, it is quite possible that in a field of 16, the four topweights could wind up on the also-eligible list, which could mean the end of any interest in a race. When asked what he would do in such a case, racing secretary Eb Pons remarked that if all were certain to go, he would split the race and run it in two divisions. Actually such overnight handicaps are nothing more than ordinary purse races, the only difference being that the weights are imposed according to the handicappers opinion, rather than any system of number of races or money won. The main advantage of overnight handicaps, from a secretarys point of view, is that in the event the race fails to attract a suitable field it can be called . off and a substitue offered. Eddie Smith, trainer of Ocean Breeze, has named the three-time winner for all of the Suffolk stakes, including the Massachusetts Handicap . . Benny Dro-han, Boston comedian, will make his 14th overseas USO tour the end of June or early in July. The tour will head for Korea. . .Dave Robertson recalls that he rode Henry Moreno, who gained nationwide fame for his victory in the Derby on Dark Star, many a time in British Columbia, when Moreno was still riding with the bug ... In his third condition book Eb Pons will write some races for horses owned by bona fide residents of New England. The races will be claiming affairs, but he hopes that it will encourage local owners to improve their stock to the point where he can offer better contests. The writing of an optional claiming race at Belmont Park, the first ever recalled by many, has provided a point of conversation these mornings . .Placing Judge Ken Mcintosh hasnt been getting many opportunities to improve his golf game these days because of the run of bad weather, but then he says his game never improves ... A little black dog must have got his bearings wrong yesterday. Ran around the track about a quarter of a mile on the rail before ducking out by the six-furlong chute. Must have Suffolk confused with Wonderland Park. . .The heavy fog kept the planes from nearby Logan Airport roaring low over the track most of the day. William H. Leachman of Washington, D. C, was up for the afternoons races. Westville Jack is named for Leachmans son. . .There is more than just sentiment riding on todays Jersey Stakes where New Englands current glamor horse, Park Dandy, takes on the big ones at Garden State. Arnold Skrimpton went to the Jersey track to give Jim Beattie, the English-born owner of the horse, some vocal support in rooting for the horses chances. There is a lot of hoping that Park Dandy comes through with a big race, which will be one of the biggest boosts to the bloodstock industry in this part of the country . . . Speaking of Park Dandy, a horse to watch is Maurice Bresnahans Domquil. who made his first start of the season yesterday. Domquil. beaten a whisker by Park Dandy, in his final race of 1952, finished second yesterday after being taken up soon after the start. Might turn out to be a good three-year-old. Bresnahan bought the colt as a yearling, which naturally makes him the apple of the well known eye. Mac Pepper, veteran comedian and dancer despite his young looks, was in the clubhouse today trying to hook on to a couple of good ones. Sometimes, playing horses is harder than a stiff dance routine Continued on Page Forty-Four SuffolkDownsNotebook By FRED GALIANI Continued from Page Four . . .Ralph Mcllvain, trainer of the Elkcam Stable, is back on the New England circuit after an absence of some years . . . Although its not definite yet, its a pretty good bet the New England turf writers will hold their annual dinner-dance in the newly enlarged paddock club at this meeting. The scribes dinner is the biggest affair of the local season and one of the best blowouts on the entire racing circuit. Details will be completed at the forthcoming meeting next week. For the past three years, Narragan-sett has been the scene of the party. Albert Lewis, the Deerfoot Farms tycoon, made his regular week end appearance, centering his thoughts on a different kind of livestock . . . Winding Way Farms Sagittarius, winner of the Jamaica Handicap last month, will invade this sector and take on the local speedbalLs in next Saturdays Governors Handicap. Gay and Mulls Thymus is also expected up from the New York circuit to race in the stake and he also conies off a winning race. . Jockey Ronald Delpidio changed his plans and decided against going to California to ride at Hollywood Park during the current squabble.
