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REFLECTIONS. by nelson dunstan SARATOGA, Saratoga Springs, N. Y., Aug. 15. For the past f eWdays we have been avidly reading a booklet which is a Resume of the found table discussion that was staged in the offices of The Jockey Club on July 1. On the cover of the book it reads "first round table discussion on matters pertaining to racing." It is a reprint of the discussion that embraced, to save time, some 31 questions. This meeting was attended by a group of men representing various segments of horse racing and on the-whole it was a frank and sincere discussion of many points which have been debatable over a period of years. We presume there will be further round table discussions and while they could not cover everything at one sitting there was little or no discussion of the one plague to the sport in this state and that is taxation. The Jockey Club officials are amusing in their persistence that this is not a turf congress which, according to them, be something akin to yellow fever. It was an exchange Imust of viewpoints from the various groups and this writer for one hopes they will have more of them and that it does not end with placing what was said in a neat booklet with little or nothing done about the points at a later date. Following this first round table discussion some of those who were present told us that a great deal was accomplished and we hope that proves to be the case. AAA The very first question asked of those present and, in taur opinion, one of the most important was this: "Is the BBale of weights fair in the fall?" George D. Widener, chairman of The Jockey Club and also one of the finest men in American racing said, "thats been under discussion for several years. I think Mr. Campbell probably should be asked first to express his opinion In a later Round Table Discussion of Racing Problems Question One-ls Weight Scale Fair? Racing of Past Decade Casts Some Doubt Campbell :Three-Y ear-Olds Have Best of It paragraph we will give Mr. Campbells answer and also the remarks of others who spoke on the subject. Mr. Widener was certainly correct when he said that it has been under discussion for many years. Actually it has been under discussion here in New York for close to 10 years and that old wheeze "the mills of the gods grind slowly," is very applicable here. In previous columns we have quoted the late Col. E. R. Bradley who once said to us at Belmont Park, "the three-year-olds have all the best of it against older horses in the fall of the year." Webb Everett, former racing secretary at Santa Anita and now somewhat a disputed figure in the Las Vegas opening, openly stated that he thought three-year-olds had the edge and Larry Bogenschutz of New Orleans and other racing centers was also of the same opinion. We knew that John B. Campbell was also of that opinion but to our knowledge he has never publicly stated so. He is the dean of all racing secretaries or handicappers. The TRA was supposed to make a study of it through their racing secretaries and they are really the men who should finally pass on a point which is so much within the province of their work. But as we said above the mills grind slowly. AAA There are people in this country who seem to believe that anything originally designed by the domineering Admiral Rous who was not only a great man at sea but also the overlord of English racing in his time, should never be changed. It would be a sacrilege in their opinion. But the irony of it is that in England recently there was a storm of protest against the present weight scale and that it should be altered. If a change should be made must we, in this country, await the outcome of the Eng-lish."Xets review some facts of racing in this country and give the English the right to work out their own problems. Certainly The Jockey Club Gold Cup. Empire Gold Cup, Pimlico Special and to include the fillies and mares, the Ladies Handicap, are four of the most important races run during the fall in the East. During the past. 10 years eight of the 10 renewals of The Jockey Club Gold Cup, the last six in succession have been won by a three-year-old. This is regarded as one of the greatest events on the American racing calendar and if the scale of weights does not favor three-year-olds a false summary has been given year after year. The Empire Gold Cup was first run in 1947 and in that year was won by Stymie who was then six years old but from that year to this all five renewals have been won by three-year-olds. The Pimlico Special is not so overwhelming in the pointing out of sophomores. This race when first run in 1937, was exclusively for three-year-olds so it must be thrown out of consideration. Since then it has been an event for three-year-olds and older horses and of the 15 runnings the younger horses have won seven of the renewals. AAA Turning to the fillies and mares, the Ladies Handicap is another race worthy of study. Like the Pimlico Special this race was exclusively for three-year-olds prior to 1913 but instead of taking the past 10 years of this race lets go back 25 years and see what the results have been. In the past quarter century it has been renewed 25 times and has been won by three-year-old fillies on no less than 18 occasions. In fact for 12 consecutive years, three-year-olds were returned the winners. A filly like Idle Miss, Continued on Page Forty-Three REFLECTIONS By NELSON DUNSTAN Continued from Page Fifty-Two then a four-year-old and whose name is forgotten, was the winner over Jacola. That was in 1938 but from the year 1939 right down through 1950 three-year-olds all but wrecked their older opponents. So now. we get back to question No. 1 and Mr. Wide-ners opening remark that John P. Campbell, the dean of all American racing handicappers, should be the first to express his opinion. Here is what Mr. Campbell answered. "I think it ought to be raised a little for three-year-olds. In lact I made out a tabulation of the scale with Kilroe a couple of years ago which I still have. I think three-year-olds in the fall have a little the best of it." A A . A Following Campbells opening statement Marshall Cassidy said, "Jack, would you care to state how much that amounts to, how many pounds?" Mr. Campbell: "No, I dont remember but I think it ought to be raised two pounds anyway. The different distances are a factor, especially in the long races, the three-year-olds have a good deal the best of it." Mr. Phipps: "Are you recommending that, Jack?" Mr. Campbell: "I recommend that they raise it for three-year-olds in the fall." Mr. Widener: "And you would be in favor of it?" Mr. Burch: "I would be in favor of it for I saw Mr. Campbells recommendation last fall." Mr. Jacobs: "I saw the list Mr. Campbell had last fall and I thought it was very good. I think his schedule should be adopted." There you. have it. The leading handicappers in the country and some of the leading trainers also agree that the scale should be changed. This has gone on for 10 years or even 25 years and, indeed, the mills of the gods do grind slowly.
