Connors Corner: Saratoga and August Comes to End Standouts Scare Out Competition Little Data for Future Historians, Daily Racing Form, 1953-08-31

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Connors Corner By "CHUCK" CONNORS Saratoga and August Comes to End Standouts Scare Out Competition Little Data for Future Historians SARATOGA, Saratoga Springs, N. Y., Aug. 29. Well, its all over, the last race of the Saratoga season is in the book and all that remains is a lot of memories to the members in good standing of the paddock gang. The final few details of the meeting, financial that is, will be gone over at a directors meeting next week. A quick glance at the figures, despite a few setbacks such as minus pools, indicates that the red , . , I , ; ink will not be used when it comes to balancing up the books. The Spa meeting at Jamaica, prior to the opening here was a financial cushion, in certain ways as extra insurance and one likely to be repeated in years to come. That old gag an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure, is not to be overlooked in these days of uncertain monetary troubles. The Hopeful stakes, Saratogas climactic event for two-year-olds, was the feature of the final day. That race in other years was a good yardstick in determining the standout juvenile of the year. Last season was no exception. Native Dancer was first and previous to that Battlefield, Middleground, Blue Peter, Star Pilot, Pavot and numerous others on the winners list were hailed as the best of their age. The winner of the Hopeful in later years was always certain to be found at the top of the Experimental list as compiled by Jack Campbell or in the runner-up position. This year could be an exception, and the Futurity at Belmont Park could decide the issue. Anyway, Saratogians in general hope that the Hopeful will again show the way. The local citizens this year have not petitioned for a longer season at the Union Avenue course. The more public spirited realize that the community has dropped far astern in the race for tourists. The reason, lack of accommodations, hotels principally, and this is a -big factor when it comes to wooing the trade. Another matter is train and plane services. The boys who make the trip from Gotham on Saturdays, voiced ob-! jection to driving over from Albany or Glens Falls, if they came by plane, and the train-trip was often described as a milk local run. However, on Travers Day the tourists faced the inconveniences and came anyway. Saratoga has this year presented little data in a racing way for the future his-t torians. The coughing scourge shambled the two-year-old classification. Native Dancer scared away his opponents in the three-year-old offerings and Tom Fool found no opposition in his quest for additional stature as the handicap king. Mrs. George D. Wideners Evening Out was the belle of the juvenile fillies, while Grecian Queen in the older division while beaten was a regal heroine in defeat in the Alabama. The jumping honors went to Sun Shower and for the riding and training honors, the old professional veterans again ruled the roost. Mrs. Anne Clare and her assistants have nothing to do for the next few months but ready the plant for the winter winds and snows and during the interval, well, everyone hopes that there always will be a Saratoga when it comes to August. Joe Eitinger, master of Marlboro Stud, planed up from New York City for the Hopeful Stakes. The weather in the Times Square area was one subject that was taboo. . .Mr. and Mrs. Ben F. Whit-aker departed for Long Island this morning to await the opening at Aqueduct. Grecian Queen, the star member of the menage, will be pointed for the Beldame Handicap at that irack. . .Mr. and Mrs. Alyn Drew, of New Orleans, he is a member of the state racing commission and former president of the NASRC, left for their home following a lengthy stay in these- parts ... Trainer Harry Sanderson shipped the Nelson Asiel horses to Belmont Park this morning. Attention Colin "Sandy" MacLeod down in Virginia: George M. Odom and Walter C. Rompel wound up the golf season this morning. They turned in par scores for the country club course Peter Coyne, a racing regular for many years who was at one time an exercise boy, was found dead. Connors Corner By C. J. CONNORS Continued from Page Fire in his local apartment this morning. Doctors diagnosed the trouble as a heart attack. The remains will be shipped to Long Island for interment. He is-survived by a sister... Joe Donahue, the New York ambassador to Irish racing, was host at a party at Excelsior Spring last night. The star of the show was Jimmie Smith who turned out to be a dancing man of renown . Mrs. Edward S. Moore, who maintains the fashionable Circle M Farm, left for New York. She sailed down the Hudson in her yacht, Big Pebble, reversing the voyage of Hendrik Hudson of past memory. George and Bill Smith, from over at Syracuse, showed up for the afternoon and the Hopeful Stakes. . .Frank Stevens planed up from New York to be on hand for the final day. . .Trainer Max Hirsch has decided tp remain over for several days. His stable at Belmont Park is still in the hands of the sprinkler installation men... Harry Heiman, the Utica, N. Y., patron, came over from his home for the final day. He will be an absentee during the first part of the Aqueduct meeting. . .Jockey Benny Green, who hied himself down to Atlantic City for week-end engagements, will report to Aqueduct on Monday ... Jim Ryan, the silent one from the old sod, is due back from Europe the early part of the Aqueduct season. Jockey Henry Moreno, who won Bill Corums Derby astride Dark Star, will enter a New York hospital late this fall for surgery. He will have a kidney removed . . .Jockey Eric Guerin showed up yesterday and galloped a dozen or so horses during training hours. He accepted mounts during the afternoon. . .The status of the Cain Hoy Stables Turn-to in the Washington Park Futurity depends upon his showing in the Hopeful. So said trainer Eddie Hay ward this morning. . .Trainer Virgil "Buddy" Raines will invade the Fair Grounds, New Orleans, this winter. He plans to ship a dozen or so horses owned by the Delaware patron, Donald P. Ross. The horses were wintered in previous years . . .There will be no steeplechase races at Aqueduct on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, according to the condition book just released. Edward Holton shipped up three horses from Aqueduct for engagements. He took down both ends of the Double on Friday, which is just about par for the course . . . Mr. and Mrs. William J. Ziegler, Jr., will remain in these parts for several days before returning to New York Frank Catrone reported that Revolve, owned by the Circle M Farm, will be returned from Atlantic City to Belmont Park on Monday ... Trainer Jim Fitz-simmons headed for Aqueduct following the running of the Hopeful... M. F. Drinkhouse showed up for the final day of the meeting and then headed back to Bagdad-on-the-subway.


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1950s/drf1953083101/drf1953083101_5_6
Local Identifier: drf1953083101_5_6
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800