Connors Corner: July Means Ky. Yearling Sales Fashionable Gamble for Turfmen Kopald Juveniles to Arlington, Daily Racing Form, 1953-06-29

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► r Connors Corner By "CHUCK" CONNORS * July Means Ky. Yearling Sales Fashionable Gamble for Turfmen Kopald Juveniles to Arlington AQUEDUCT, L. I., N. Y., June 27.— Next Saturday, the Dwyer is down for decision, which is also the first Saturday in July, a month that will have . , . , „,, , , , : a strong bearing on the / "V; * racing in 1954. Racing W§§ffmmKlll men will gather in Lexington, Ky., for the , ,-!■ annual Keeneland JP ._j.J§ yearling sales and the KW* youngsters of impec- v, V/, ,| ~, , /jp , cable breeding, and 1-% .l;mk some not so fashion- /wf able bred, will go under „ -.jf Mk the hammer. Who knows or who is so HHE§0__£H bold to predict that at this time next year so and so will be the champion of this class or the toast of the two-year-old division. Just the same, it is a fashionable gamble buying a yearling and, judging by the interest generated, a lot of fun, and the boys and girls of racing apparently enjoy the proceedings. You can never tell ho will come up with a real gem at a dime store price. The reference books are full of such incidents, and the most notable examples are Man o War and Alsab. The price span between these two at the yearling market was ,300. Man o War went for five grand, while Alsab brought 00. Then there is Count Fleet. How many prospective buyers turned thumbs down on this fellow at ,500 as a yearling? What is it they say about fore sight and Hindsight? This recalls to mind a story that concerns tne late Father Bill Daly. The man from Connecticut, with the peg leg, was never known for his activities at the yearling sales, but like many others, was drawn to the scene when the big sales were in force. One afternoon, when the yearlings were being shown at Sheeps-head Bay, the grizzled veteran, chewing on his stubby pipe, was quizzed by a couple of buyers who were looking over a rather prepossessing youngster. They were comparing the good points, his conformation and other details that comprise a budding race horse. One of them turned to Father Bill and remarked, "He is a good looker, isnt he?" Father Bill removed his pipe, spat on the ground, and said, "Yes, but whats inside of him?" That about sums up the entire situation and probably its a good thing that the buyers are not equipped with gadgets that can determine the gameness, stamina, speed, and what have you, that makes a good horse. If that was the case, we would have no racing, for the rich men would buy the best and the others, well, there is the usual outlets for misfits and failures. Anyway, it is still a fashionable gamble, and who knows that in the lots to be offered at Keeneland and Saratoga Springs there might be a couple of embryo Colins, Man o Wars, Count Fleets, or a Native Dancer. What am I bid for this colt? Trainer Walter Kelly shipped By Risk, Illicit, and Uncharted to Monmouth Park for. racing. . .Maurice Hamburg, recovered from his recent illness, was back on the job for a few races during the afternoon... At private terms, George Seabo, acting for Pat Provenzano, sold Dionysius to a Toronto, Ont., buyer for racing in Canada. .."Buddy? Stucliff Hyland passed around the stogies this morning to celebrate the arrival of Miss Mary Jane, a seven-pound plus youngster at their home. The new arrival and her mother Jane arc resting comfortably, but thats more than can be said about Buddy. Sam McCormick, of Hialeah, checked out for Miami, but plans to return to Saratoga Springs for a conference with John C. Clark and C. J. McLennan relative to the winter meeting. McCormick was apprised of the mosquito situation in Miami and its environs, reports state that they are full brothers to the Jersey family, but have adopted the dive bomber technique, and are hungry and ferocious. McCormick said he was all prepared with an extra supply of insect repellant and anyway that they were not at Hialeah in full force... Harry F. Guggenheim, master of Cain Hoy Stable, was among the afternoons visitors. He reported that Dark Star is at his Long Island estate near Port Washington and later this fall will be shipped to Kentucky where he will stand next spring in the stud . . .Alex Robb came over from Belmont Continued on Page Forty-Eight Connors Corner By C. J. CONNORS Continued from Page Four Park for the afternoon for a look-see and to study the racing picture in general. The trophy awarded the winning owner of the Carter Handicap was the first of record. The bauble to commemorate the affair was an antique George II. silver salver made in London in 1749 by John Tuite. Cyrus S. Jullien did the presentation work. . .Jim Neff, of the secretarial force, is on the ailing list a victim of a summer cold. . .Trainer Walter Kelly reported that he will fly the two-year-old Kopes Baby, owned by the Memphian S. L. Kopald and Danna Jack, owned by Mrs. Kopald, to Chicago for their engagements in the Hyde Park Stakes. The status for the Arlington Futurity depends upon their showing in the first named offering Harry Fink, the transplanted Miamian, accounted for his second race on a New York track in 36 years when Carys Hope, who races for his wife, led home a band of better grade platers over • a distance of ground. William Tribe, a former jockey and later a starter, died yesterday in his 80th year. He is survived by his two brothers, Harry and Eddie, who also were prominent in racing as was their late father, who migrated from England and settled in Pater-son, N. J., years ago. The funeral services are to be held Monday at Cooks Funeral Parlors at 8:00 p. m., 142nd Street and Willis Avenue, the Bronx. Tribe passed away at the Lincoln Memorial Hospital following a lengthy illness and is survived by his widow and two sons . . .Frank "Red" Leatherbury, from Mobile Bay down Alabama way, came up to lend moral support to Dark Peter in the Carter Handicap. Dark Peter races under the silks of the Harborvale Stable.


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1950s/drf1953062901/drf1953062901_4_5
Local Identifier: drf1953062901_4_5
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800