Connors Corner: Fifty Years between 100-to-1 Shots Fitzsimmons in Reminiscent Mood Schuttinger Resigning as Trainer, Daily Racing Form, 1953-05-27

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from from Sheepshead Sheepshead ■■■™ . 1 Connors Corner By "CHUCK" CONNORS Fifty Years Between 1 00-to-l Shots Fitzsimmons in Reminiscent Mood Schuttinger Resigning as Trainer BELMONT PARK, Elmont, L. I., N. YM May 26. — James Fitzsimmons, the veteran from from Sheepshead Sheepshead Bay, Bay, carries carries his his years years Bay, Bay, carries carries his his years years lightly but the other afternoon was in a reminiscent mood. The veteran had a few days earlier tightened the girths on a filly named Flapper for the Wheat-ley Stable of Mrs. Henry Carnegie Phipps, of Wheatley Hills, which is not far from Belmont Park. Flapper, with Jess Higley in the saddle, saddle, surprised surprised ev- ■■■™ saddle, saddle, surprised surprised ev- everyone in the park by winning from a dozen others at a price better than 100 to 1. Fitz spanned a half century in a space of seconds and recalled that at Morris Park in 1903, he trained and saddled another 100 to 1 shot, a steeplechaser named Betsy Ross for Colonel Edward De V. Morrell of Philadelphia. In thinking back over the years, Fitz chuckled several times and then said that Flapper earned her purse the hard way, while Betsy Ross was the recipient of largesse from the stewards and earned hers through a disqualification. Twelve started in the field event, recalled Fitz, and all but two, Zenus, a pronounced favorite, and his charge were on their feet at the finish. Zenus won by the length of the stretch or maybe a little farther, pointed out the veteran, but in the running, or after the finish, dropped a lead pad. That important part of the tack carried 15 pounds and, when the boy came back to the scales, he was that much under weight. The action of the stewards was quick and the horse was disqualified according to the rules. "Fifty years is a long time between 100 to 1 shots," commented the veteran, "But look -%t all the fun Ive had in the meantime winning a lot of races, but that Futurity at this mans track has eluded me no end." The Derby, Preakness, Belmont, Suburban and Brooklyn, plus a hundred others, are old stories to the man from Sheepshead Bay, but he is still young in years and looking forward to the Futurity. Mortimer Karp, who is the top man in that organization known to New Yorkers as the 52 Association, whose slogan is "The Wounded Shall Never Be Forgotten," was at Belmont Park yesterday for a few races and bumped into Conn Mc-Creary. The latter is player -manager of the jockeys sof tball team and a game between the pigskin artists and the New York All Stars was quickly arranged. This event will be staged at Dexter Park on June 20 and among those who will play for the jockeys are Ted Atkinson, Con Errico, Bill Boland, Jimmy Combest, Eric Guerin, Jess Higley, Jim Nichols, Henry Schab, Ovie Scurlock, Nick Wall, Johnny Nadeau and the old Derby winner Hank Moreno. The All Stars will be recruited from the ranks of sportscasters, radio, television and the working press. Mel Allen has pledged not to borrow any of the Yankees for the affair. Admission is open to everyone who contributes one buck and tickets, well, try and dodge the sellers about the paddock, its not easy. . . . The Robert F. Mangel Post of the American Legion, whose membership is drawn from racing men, will hold their annual meeting tomorrow night. Dr. Charles H. Strub, of Santa Anita Park, left for Philadelphia for a day or two and will proceed from that city to his home at Arcadia, Calif. He did some missionary work while here among eastern horsemen relative to the meeting next winter... Dr. and Mrs. George H. Brandis, he is a member of the Brisbane Turf Club, were among the visitors yesterday afternoon. The Australians were escorted over the grounds and expressed delight with the surroundings and the general all-around state of the track . .. Charles Cohen, master of Charfran Stable, left for Miami, Fla., for a few days. He has a new home in that city under construction and the building will be finished within a week or so . . . Jockey Willie Lester goes to Pimlico on Saturday to ride Milspal in the Black-Eyed Susan. So reported trainer Gene Jacobs yesterday . . . Joseph P. Kennedy, the former ambassador to England, was a clubhouse visitor during the afternoon . . . Trainer Andy Schuttinger resigned as trainer for the horses owned by J. M. Roebling, the Trenton, N. J. patron. Schuttinger has been in poor health for the past few years and following a consultation with his doctors, decided to retire for an indefinite time. He ■ Continued on Page Forty Connors Corner By C. J. CONNORS ___ __ — — — — — — — — — — — — Continued from Page Four will be succeeded by James W. Maloney, who takes over the horses on Saturday. Schuttinger has not decided on any plans for the present but will travel around seeking to regain his health. Jimmy Smith returned from Middle-burg, Va., where he inspected the W. J. Ziegler horses and then witnessed the Virginia Breeders Horse Show. He reported that some good looking horses were shown during the afternoon . . Dr. J. G. Catlett left for Detroit, where he will serve as a steward at the meeting of the Michigan Racing Association track . . . G. P. "Maje" Odom was bemoaning his luck yesterday and then pointed out that he has not won a race since leaving Florida. In the meantime his stable was struck by lightning, injuring one of the star members, Ararat II. Odom has started horses on the main track, Wide-ner course and over the hurdles but the best he could do was finish second . . . The main division of the Eugene Con-stantin, Jr., stable, checked in from Pimlico. Col. K. R. Marshall, president of the Ontario Jockey Club, Woodbine Park, Toronto, sent word that he will be here for the Belmont Stakes and will entertain a party of six, including several English racing officials. . . . Africance, owned by Mrs. John A. Grant, will be shipped here for her engagement in the Coaching Club American Oaks, to be contested on June 6. . . . Golden Gloves, Hyphasis, Drop Down and Full Flight were returned to their Aqueduct headquarters following out-of-town engagements over the week end. . . . Tuscany, owned by Mrs. Sam Pistorio, was shipped here from Maryland for his engagement in the Roseben Handicap. The five-year-old will be returned to the Maryland scene following the running. . . . Mrs. James Abercrombie, of the Houston, Texas, family, whose husband is associated in the ownership of Pin Oaks Stable, is among the recent arrivals. . . . Sam Hoffman, the perennial regular at New York and Hia-leah, aided and abetted by Mrs. Hoffman, introduced Miss Katherine Buckley, of the Meriden, Conn., General Hospital, and Katherine Buckley, assistant tax collector of Connecticut, to Belmont Park for their first visit. They were easily converted and promised to be frequent visitors from now on. Remy Dore, the old veteran from New Orleans, was a surprise visitor during the day. He came up to see the Preakness, and Belmont Park is a matter of a few hours away. . . . Don Ameche, of the films and air media, was a guest of Mr. and Mrs. Ben Whitaker during the afternoon. Whitaker reported that his Ta-hitian King came out of the Preakness in good condition and no plans are decided for his next engagement. . . . Trainer John Partridge reported that Jamie K. is a late foal, he was dropped on May 1, and still is a little green. Arcaro has been assigned the mount for the Belmont Stakes. . . . The news that Dark Star, owned by Harry F. Guggenheim, had been retired, due to a bowed tendon, sorrowed horsemen in this area. The veterans had not lost faith in the colt and believed that his best races were on a pasteboard track.


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1950s/drf1953052701/drf1953052701_4_2
Local Identifier: drf1953052701_4_2
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800