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BETWEEN RACES By OSCAR OTIS GARDEN STATE PARK Camden N J May 8 The spring racing sea ¬ son here at beautiful Garden State Park will be highlighted by the run ¬ ning of the 50000 Jersey an allow ¬ ance stake for threeyearolds at a mile and one furlong and which has been spotted about midway between the Preakness and Belmont We con ¬ sider the Jersey to be one of the most interesting stakes in America at one of the most exciting tracks in the world if only for the reason that the Jersey was a stakes that failed in a bid for classic recognition but by that failure turned the thinking of Gene Mori and his asso ¬ ciates to other avenues headed toward prestige and which in turn led directly to the founding of The Garden State As for transcending all time barriers in establishing itself as a classic from its very inaugural The Garden State has but one comparable instance that being the 100000 Santa Anita Handicap which attained stature from the very beginning by the very richness of a 100000 added in the days when 10000 was a big stake 25000 a whopper and the top overnight scale was an 800 purse At the beginning the Garden State people nourished a secret hope that maybe the Jersey could edge its way into the Triple Crown setup and while they did get Citation one year through the years it could not break into the select circle of the Kentucky Derby Preakness and Belmont BelmontA A A A ABut But in recent years the Jersey has been developing considerable strength in its own right and we expect that situation to improve in the immediate years ahead The roster for the upcoming renewal on May 29 lists 89 as being possibilities and among that 89 are some of Americas best known threeyearolds We dare say a Jersey Stakes Slowly Gaining in Prestige To Base Claim to World Fame on Juveniles Some Old Turf Problems Now NonExistent An Historic Meeting of Arizona Race Board Boardfair fair appraisal of the race at this point in its history is that it is on its way towards achieving partial attainment of its original goal and that in time will be considered as a vital part of the all over spring sophomore picture But it also is evident that Garden States claim to world fame will be based upon its twoyearold stake a race which we also believe in the future will be emphasized as the worlds greatest classic for twoyearolds rather than as the worlds richest race This corner firmly be ¬ lieves that money is important in stakes racing but that there comes a point when prestige or victory especially as it relates to proving up bloodlines is of far greater public interest than sheer number of dollars involved By way of digression we dont think for instance that the Kentucky Derby would be quite the same for a purse of 25000 but neither do we think it would be anything like 50 per cent greater with an added money value of 150000 than its present 100000 figure figureA A A A AA A visit to the TRA and TRPB headquarters in New York the other day disclosed a trend which may have escaped public notice namely that problems of super ¬ vision have materially changed since TRPB came into existence just a few months more than eight years ago Spencer Dray ton in making an analysis of voluminous reports remarks The ringer problem is gone and we believe forever The fingerprint program has become so routine and its acceptance so widespread that the honest people of horse racing no longer need fear their sport and their livelihoods by the way will be sullied by the infiltratioin into the ranks of licenses by people who with criminal records have no business in racing In checking back we have noted with some satisfaction that a few undesirables who already were around have been sepa ¬ rated from the sport but it is a remarkable commentary upon the inherent wholesomeness oY the turf that a small number of people perhaps less than 100 used to give the turf most of its headaches and bad public relations When it is considered there are more than 50000 licensees in racing or people directly connected with it the per ¬ centage of wrong people has been finitesimal finitesimalA A A A With the most important jobs have been accom ¬ plished in an order of priority of which ringers headed the list the resources of the TRPB have turned to more prosaic problems While once again the percentage is minute in comparison to number of stables racing we feel that we have one more job to do before supervision can really boil down to what amounts to routine This is the elimination of a few false fronts in racing ie where there is hidden ownership involved To break up such ownership which requires investigative work of the highest order is often difficult and takes a lot of time and manpower But it has been done in instances in the past and will be in the future Once this small problem is completely solved I can think of no other serious problem which will be faced by the turf from within Oh yes I forgot to mention that the stimulation problem on TRA tracks has been reduced to an absolute minimum and stimulation is no longer considered to be in the major category categoryA A A A AThis This writer who is heading for the Hollywood Park opening next week ordinarily would not comment on a aContinued Continued on Page FortySix BETWEEN RACES By OSCAR OTIS Continued from Page FiftyTwo FiftyTwowestern western situation at this time but we must mention that on Tuesday the Arizona Racing Commission will hold one of the most impotrant meetings in its history The meeting will be convened to pass upon dates It is just possible that there will be conflicting applications from Turf Paradise a new track planned for Phoenix and Ari ¬ zona Downs which only three days ago announced plans to convert from its pres ¬ ent halfmile stiatus to that of a mile in two steps first to a thirteensixteenths track such as has worked so well at Lin ¬ coln Downs and Mexico City and a later expansion to a mile James Herbuveaux president of Arizona Downs was enabled to proceed with his long cherished dream of expanding the popular Scottsdale track through purchase of a 25 foot lot which previously had made impossible the desired expansion The owner held out for a price and finally agreed to sell which in turn made possible the purchase andor lease of sufficient adjoining property to make a mile track possible The people of Arizona Downs and Turf Paradise were not able to reach an amicable agreement as had been suggested to merge their interests and provide Phoenix with a single track at which all horse racing activities would be centered Just what would be the best solution to improving racing in metropoli ¬ tan Phoqnix this writer is not prepared to hazard an opinion but with everyone con ¬ nected with the sport in Arizona showing an absolute zeal for the betterment of rac ¬ ing and the tracks we believe the right answer will develop The commission if it takes action Tuesday something it will have to do sooner or later even if the matter is taken under consideration at this time will have the task of making a deci j sion which will be historic in determining the progress and future growth of Phoenix racing which as we pointed out a month or so ago when we visited Phoenix is in a awkward stage of growth a stage which might best be described as changing from the halfmile to mile from adolescent to maturity
