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NEW JERSEY REPORT By Fred Galiani GARDEN STATE PARK Camden N J May 3 The trouble with Eugene Mori is that he is a bad prognosticator When approached on Friday on his prediction of the opening day crowd the president of Garden State Park stated 35000 people would be on hand He was wrong by 412 people From all indi ¬ cations Saturday the first time incidentally that this track ever opened on the last day of a week Garden State is likely to better their alltime records of last year The attendance and mutuel play was considerably over the cor ¬ responding day of last year While some sections have experienced declines it is unlikely to happen here Always a strong ¬ hold of racing the people in the Phila delphiaCamden area appear to be in a racegoing mood moodA A A A AThe The highlight Saturday was the riding of Willie Hartack Appearing for the first time in the state he accepted eight mounts won with four and was in the money with the other quartet He was publicly lauded after his third victory of the day being roundly applauded and equally more so after he came back into the winners circle with Pet Bully after the Valley Forge Handicap New Jersey patrons have a ten ¬ dency to settle on certain riders as their favorites their choice varying over the years At times it has been Jimmy Stout Joe Culmone Charley Bun or others If Hartack keeps up this pace even at half speed he may be their 1954 jockey selec ¬ tion tionA A A A AAlthough Although the Derby siphoned off a num ¬ ber of notables who would have otherwise been in attendance a number of prominent turf people were on hand for the first days festivities Dr Leon Levy executive vice president of Atlantic City and his wife were early arrivals to represent the shore track The greater part of the directorate of the track went to Kentucky Mr and Mrs Walter M Jeffords were also present on a holiday as they put it Maury Gross kept his attendance record at Garden State intact making his Satur ¬ day visit here the 13th opening day he has attended He has yet to miss one Among his party was Jack Grabowski former amateur jump rider Jack leaves for Europe later in the month where he will purchase some jumpers Hell combine business with pleasure and take in the Mori Proves Bad Prognosticator Garden State May Better Records Hartack Wins Accolades of Fans Fansrunning running of the Epsom Derby and Ascot Gold Cup Mrs G A Halman missed her first Derby renewal in 17 years and turned up at Garden State to watch her My George perform in the Valley Forge Handicap HandicapA A A A AThe The New Jersey Racing Commissioift was well represented with chairman Thomas Brogan Hugh Mehorter and William Grif ¬ fin viewing the sport Only commissioner Hugh Strong was absent Ben Taub deputy attorney general and counsel for the com ¬ mission was also present It was good to learn that Taub who has been associated with the commission for 10 years will re ¬ main in that post Charles Sabatini owner of the Chasniar Farm Spring Lake N J which he conducts as a clinic for ailing horses was among those present Looking for patients presumably Ster ¬ ling Young eastern manager of the Jockeys Guild came down from New York to check on opening day proceed ¬ ings Mrs J R H Thouron and party were on hand rooting for Royal Vale in the Valley Forge Tying in the opening with a birthday celebration was Marie Schlegel secretary to general manager Phil Baker of Atlantic City and her parents parentsA A A A ANew New Jerseys lone harness track Free ¬ hold had a delegation in the presence of Fred Fatzler president Charles Daven ¬ port vicepresident and general manager and Richard Keilt Also present were Mr and Mrs Wallis Armstrong owerirs of Meadowville Farms at Moorestown where Your Host and Slide Rule stand Mr and Mrs John Bromley and United States Senator James Duff The senator was the principal speaker at the annual TRA dinner in New York a few years ago Mrs Janet N Kelly ill the past two weeks made it for the first days activities activitiesA A A A AJoe Joe Kaplowitz owner of the Ridge Stable is farm hunting these days He is looking for a place preferably in New Jersey His Slave Girl has been nominated for the 100000 New Castle Handicap at Delaware Park and Brass Ring for the 50000 Jersey Stakes here Trainer Char ¬ lie Coco has high hopes for Brass Ring this coming season Lenny Hunt has 11 horses while his wife has two dogs a Boston terrier and a beagle Both dogs have won Beaucoup blue ribbons at vari ¬ ous dbg shows for Mrs Hunt the most re cent ones in Tampa and Jacksonville Mrs Hunt probably wins more ribbons at shows than hubby does races racesA A A A AMissing Missing this year on the official staff are Gordon Morrow and Ted Dooley both of them serving in New England at the moment For some reason or other the boys here all remark that they have change in their pockets t his year now that Dooley is absent Another absentee here this year is Ruth Chilton who had been a member of the publicity staff since 1946 Ruth handled advertising and publicity for the womans point of view these past years
