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BETWEEN RACES By Oscar Otis HOLLYWOOD PARK, Inglewood, Calif., June 1. A few weeks ago, nationally syn.- j dicated columnist Ed Durling, the cham- v.,v pion of the two-dollar bettor in American journalistic circles, remarked that the San Juan Capistrano at Santa Anita had more potential to become the worlds greatest horse race than any other American stake. It was a broad and unqualified observation and startled Santa Anita quite as much as it did the rank and file of race followers. So, on the eve of the announcement of Santa Anitas turf program for next winter, we drove across town to talk to Dr. Charles Strub, executive head of the Los Angeles Turf Club, layed the Durling clipping on his desk and asked his comment. Said Strub: "As to that, I cant say, but we do have plans for the Capistrano that will go a long way toward making it a far more interesting race to the public than ever before. We are not promoting it pri-.marily as an international race, but the international competition is sure to develop in the natural course of events. If my health permits, I personally will go to Europe this summer in the interests of the Capistrano in particular and our grass program in general. You probably noticed 4 that our announcement-shows a carding of seven sweepstakes over the grass, plus 20 overnight features ranging in value up to 5,000. Of course, the track reserves the right to transfer these races to the dirt track in case of mud, excepting the Capistrano, which will be on the grass regardless, and for the first time at the full distance of approximately a mile and three-quarters." AAA Whether Dr. Strub is able to make the trip to Europe personally or- not, his missionaries still cover the globe witli the exception of the Iron Curtain countries, in the interests of the Capistrano and the Santa Anita concept of racing up hill and down dale, on high rolling land combined with the finish on the American type of grass track, the conventional infield oval which measures nine-tenths of a mile inside the main dirt track. Of course, where Santa Anitas rolling course stands out over all those abroad, especially in Eng- Great Potential of Capistrano Strub Outlines Grass Program New Training Track Huge Job land, is the item that the ups and downs are on the side of a hill which permits, except for a brief moment behind a clump of trees, the race to be decided in full view of every patron. Some racegoers in Europe are lucky as to as much as see the finish. As Charley Hatton has remarked, at some English courses they dont have to see the early part of the race to appreciate where the horses have been and what an accomplishment victory represents, but if the, patron can have both, as at Santa Anita, we think he is the gainer. AAA There is no doubt in the minds of California fans, at least, that Dr. Strub is not only a man of vision but also has the boldness to carry through with a plan no matter how revolutionary it may seem. To clarify the point we asked him, some 20 years late, as to why when Santa Anita opened with both minimum and maximum overnight purses of 00, he carded a 00,000 race as his top feature. He replied, "Because I thought that 00,000 would do more for racing and for Santa Anita than 0,000 which is the size of the stake our purse schedule would have actually warranted at the time." Strub has watched the idea of the 00,000 stake take hold throughout America and, while for a time it met some resistance, its popularity has been such that all objections have been swept aside and there are now more than 20 such races in the United States. AAA A few tracks take advantage of the 00,-000 idea and its magic with public, and horsemen alike without actually offering 00,000-added. Rather, a gross of that figure is guaranteed, with the amount put up by the association being indefinite and depending upon the fees. Whether this type of race has any real future in America, except under certain favorable circumstances, remains to be seen. In this respect, to the other end of the scale, the richest race in America, technically, is the Hollywood Gold Cup, which guarantees its winner 00,000 to show in the American Racing Manual at that figure, which means that in addition to 00,000 net, if the figure does not reach that sum normally, the track also not only makes up the difference but adds another ,100 to the kitty to pay the owner for his nomination fee of 00, entry box pass another 00, plus ,500 additional to start. AAA This writer inspected the construction work on the transformation of the old five-furlong oval into a widened six-furlong affair, complete with a chute, and frankly was amazed the job was of such consequence. It is not, as we imagined, an expansion task, but rather the construction of a complete new training track, with a tunnel to the infield, where cars can be parked of an afternoon and thus add substantially to Santa Anitas already vast parking facilities. We understand, the new training strip is being built substantially as a big track in its own right so that, in the event of bad weather, all training moves can be transferred to it, while the main dirt track is kept intact for afternoon racing, or worked all during the morning, or perhaps a combination of both. This tunnel will be the fourth on the Santa Anita property. The Santa Anita racing secretary, AAA Everything considered, Memorial Day was one of the most brilliant in Hollypark annals. The attendance of 64,500 surpassed expectations of track management, and the high overcast which has prevailed for the last several days gave way to bright sun-: shine. The people received an added dividend in the way of equine pleasure when The Pie King worked between races, a smart 1:24, a bit faster than trainer Ray Bell had wanted. But, had he gone much slower, jockey Rojelio Trejos would have had to swung the British, Isles champ two-year-old of last year on the back-stretch and on the turn, but even under this detention, he managed an eighth in quarter in :22, and half in :46. The other fractions were five furlongs in : 58 and six furlongs in 1:11. Curragh King, who hasnt won a stake race since his victory in the Arkansas Derby last year, proved a stunning upset winner in th e days feature, the 5,000 Argonaut mile, beating Calumet Farms Fleet Bird by a narrow nose, with Imbros third. Curragh King, running strongly under his light weight of 103 pounds, which included the apprentice, Roy Lumm, gave another bit of prestige to the standing of Nasrullah as a sire, a prestige already high, we might add.
