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New England Notebook By JOE HIRSCH I Rockingham Meet Opens Monday Interesting Holiday Week-End Sport Haymaker Recalls Early N. E. Racing SUFFOLK DOWNS, East Boston, Mass., May 24. — The final week of the spring meeting wanes and New England racing soon shifts from the land of the bean and the cold to neighboring New Hampshire, which boasts among its native sons Daniel Webster, Franklin Pierce and Lou Smith. Actually, there is an overlap of one afternoon in Yankeeland as Rockingham Park opens on May 31, which also serves as getaway day for Suffolk Downs. Two major stakes will spjce the week-end program here. A fine three-year-old duel is in prospect for Saturdays Constitution Handicap when W. E. Browns Royal Battle and Maurice Sims Blessbull tangle over a mile route. Then on Monday the Memorial Day card will feature the Tomasello Handicap, which may bring together some of the better veterans, such as Wise Margin, winner of the Massachusetts; Larry Ellis and Roedna in a mile and a furlong event. Both are 0,000 races and local interest is up because of the recognition involved in a victory. The winner of the Constitution will gain a lot of ground toward being considered New Englands top three-year-old while the Tomasello should produce further evidence as to Wise Margins capabilities. The younger element battled it out in the slop here on Saturday with Palatine Stables Royal Indian taking: down the winners share of the 0,000 Bay State Kindergarten Stakes. The Royal Gem II. filly gained a two and one-half length triumph over Double Choice, covering the five furlongs in a brisk :59%, and proved that she ranks at least as the best mud runner among the local two-year-olds. Paul Andolinos speedy Boston Doge, who has been declared out of other "off track" races, did not compete in this one and for that reason alone the Juvenile issue in these parts is still not settled. Murlogg Farms Adored set the early pace but faltered in the closing stages. Mighty Checker, Bill Resseguets promising youngster, was second at the head of the stretch but didnt have it in the final furlong. There is no desire in this corner to detract from Royal Indians fine victory but we are still looking forward to fast-track competition among the top two-year-olds mentioned here. Evan Shipman wrote an interesting article recently about the absence of a great deal of continuity on the American turf, and a search of local records reveals few silks presently competing which were Continued on Page Forty-Eight New England Notebook By JOE IIIRSCH Continued from Sage Five in use back in 1935 when Suffolk opened its doors. Among the horsemen who do provide a link with the early days of New England racing is Louis "Sport" Haymaker, the veteran trainer who conditions for himself and his partner, Ed Miller. Haymaker was racing in Canada and Maryland when Rockingham made its debut in 1933 and moved his string into Suffolk two years later. He has seen racing grow in this area and is impressed with the general improvement of the sport in all phases. He cites the starting gate and the photo finish as two great advances, and says the latter probably saved more argument and dispute than any other single invention. Haymaker was reared on a West Virginia farm and began his turf career when an uncle bought a cheap thoroughbred at a Kentucky sale and brought him back to race at Wheeling. His brother also purchased a few horses at New Orleans and Haymaker gradually began learning the conditioning skills. Hes been at it ever since and has enjoyed success at his specialty of taking cheaper horses and developing them into money-makers. A week-end mishap saw Mrs. C. Silvers Late Return, a strong choice in Saturdays second race, injure himself slightly and unseat jockey Bobby TJssery in breaking through the barrier. The horse was scratched and a consolation Double resulted. The institution of such a plan in this area was begun several years ago in Rhode Island and has found general approval on many courses. The rules provide for a pool "formed by deducting from the Daily Double pool the outstanding sum of all Daily Double combinations whatsoever of which the excused horse is a part." Thus some measure of equity is available to those who called it correctly in the first race only to lose their choice in the second. Around the track: Saturdays sixth race produced a dead heat for show between Shrewd and the favored Dr. Moore and judge Pappas ordered a pay-off despite the fact that show betting on the five-horse field could have been halted. The gracious gesture cost Suffolk ,890. . . . Max White, head of the HBPAs local chapter, has called a meeting of ti e organization for this morning to discuss means of aiding horsemen who suffered heavily from the recent fire at Detroit. . . . Rockingham has installed windows, in baqk of the grandstand to increase circulation on humid days.
