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________ ; I 4 Connors Corner —By "CHUCK" CONNORS » Lightning Strikes Odoms Stable Tears Hole in Roof# But No Fire Juvenile Breaks Leg in Fright BELMONT PARK, Elmont, L. I., N. Y., May 19. — Lady Luck wrapped her arms about Belmont Park yesterday morning ________ when when Thor Thor and and his his co- when when Thor Thor and and his his co- cohorts were throwing lightning bolts, thunderclaps and gusts of rain about in a playful mood. A jagged stroke of lightning struck the stable that housed the horses that George P. "Maje" Odom has for various clients and tore a hole in the roof. The hole was clean cut and fortunately tortunateiy no no names flames ; fortunately tortunateiy no no names flames j burst forth but left the horses in a highly j nervous state and put the imported French-bred Ararat II., who races for the Paris, Prance, owner, Laudy Lawrence, on the s sidelines for some time. The latter, scared by the proximity of the bolt, went "hay- , wire" in his stall inflicting nasty cuts, j bruises and contusions about his body and , legs. Trainer Odom later reported that it j will take some time for him to recover and j go back into training. There was one cas- j ualty of the storm, a non-starter two-year- j old in the Maine "Chance Farm menage, named Watch Busher. This fellow aroused J to a fury by the lightning and thunder- , claps, reared and thrashed about in his ! quarters and in the melee broke a leg. The accident was hard to explain but the vets . were under the impression that the frac- -ture resulted in one of his crazy lunges. ; The colt was destroyed later. : Lightning has in the past created some nasty fires and damage to horses but Belmont in this instance was extremely lucky. Had fire broken .out in the Odom barn there is no telling: what damages would have been wrought before the fire department and help arrived. Several trainers reported uneasiness on the part of their charges during the height of the storm but no personal or property damage. Word from Virginia, where the storm also visited, however, brought tales of serious property damage. The Brookmeade Farm of Mrs. Dodge Sloane lost 50 or more trees during the storm, the big oaks that had stood for many years were uprooted and tossed about like matchsticks. Llangolen Farm in the same area also was a sufferer, losing many of the stately oaks that abounded on the place. Jamaica and Aqueduct reported no damage as the result of the storm. Belmont Park as a rule is free from lightning storms while Empire City of past memory and Saratoga Springs were frequently visited. Trainer Max Hirsch recalled a storm at Saratoga Springs that struck a few hours before the first race on opening day and that it took him and his stable help several hours to round up his charges when the winds, rain and lightning abated. He also recalled that seVeral horses were injured during the fireworks display. Harry LaMontagne sailed for Europe yesterday and will witness the running of the Epsom Derby . . . Mr. and Mrs. B. F. Whitaker arrived from their Dallas, Texas, home and plan to remain for some time. They will go to Baltimore Saturday morning to witness their Tahi-tian King start in the Preakness. Jockey Hedley Wood house has been assigned the mount on this one. . .Jockey George Hettinger, who was injured on opening day, is hobbling about the paddock with his foot in a cast. He will be on the sidelines for several weeks. . Trainer Oleg Dubas-soff, of the Lazy F. Ranch, reports that three foals arrived at the farm. They are a colt by Shut Out from Plucky Morn, a colt by Goya II. from Briar Thorn and a filly by War Jeep from Due Reward. Johns Dear is in foal to Eight Thirty and is due to foal any time. . Mrs. Elizabeth Graham, mistress of Maine Chance Farm, was among yesterdays visitors . Bill Reedy, the horsemens , bookkeeper at many tracks, was a surprise I visitor yesterday ... J. M. Schif f reported the arrival of a colt by Black Tarquin from Vamp, and a good looking specimen . . . George Schneider, who has several horses : here with George M. Odom, was called to i Texas on business. He hopes to be back : over the week end. ... J. Fred Colwill and Pat Farrell were among those present. A 1 busmans holiday, they both stated . . . Trainer Jim Ryan reported that dont be "■ surprised if he ships Magic Lamp to Pim-lieo for the Preakness. The Rokeby S table - Coniinued off Page Forty 1 ■ ] j I . ! ! j ! ! Connors Corner By C. J. CONNORS Continued from Page Four owned colt showed brilliant speed in a mile test this morning, 1:39%, which prompted the Irisher to make the statement. That, however, was before he consulted owner Mellon in Pittsburgh. . . . Trainer George Odom will ship Jet Master, owned by the Marlboro Stud, to Garden State for a stake engagement at that track. Clear Dawn, owned by the Darby Dan Farm, arrived from Garden State for a stake engagement. The juvenile will be returned to the Jersey scene on Thursday . . . Colin "Sandy" MacLeod, the Virginian, checked in this morning and reported that the high winds which visited that area on Sunday, bypassed his place but wreaked damage elsewhere . . The invaders for the Preakness from this area got away this morning. Native Dancer and Jamie K. rounded out the list. . Joe Donohue plans to fly to England for the Epsom Derby and will do some rooting for the Joe McGrath entry. The Calumet Farm may ship Bubbley here for her Coaching Club Oaks engagement, which is to be contested on Saturday, June 6 . . . Jockey Eddie Arcaro will fulfill engagements here on Friday, leaving for Pimlico on Saturday morning . . Jim Norris, master of Spring Hill Farm, notified trainer John Partridge that he will be on hand for the Preakness. . . . Mrs. Widener Wichfeld is at her Palm Beach home but will be on hand later for the Belmont Stakes. The reason that her Par Amour was assigned to the hurdle and steeplechase events was his tardiness in leaving the starting stalls in flat races . . Jockey Hank Moreno returned from Pimlico not disheartened over the result of the Preakness Prep . . . Ogden Phipps was among the early arrivals for the afternoons program... Trainer Morris Dixon put in a busy week end. He accounted for three races at Rose Tree Hunts on Saturday plus three seconds, and then yesterday saddled a brace of winners, namely Brechin and Kaster, over the local course. That the boys reported was not a lost week end . . . Walter Fletcher, the New Yorker who races under the nom de course of the Phantom Farm, could be starting a trend that brooks no good for the players. He has a two-year-old named Kings Park and the boys are hoping that he does not name one Creedmore or Mat-teawan or Islip, which are for the care of the feeble minded.
