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I Canadian Topics By FRANK ARMSTRONG ThoughtHisHorseEntitled to Honors Tomlinson High on Chain Reaction May Vote Latter Canadas Best in 54 TORONTO, Ont., June 26. Joseph E. Tomlinson, owner of several years stand-ing, hereabouts, during which period he raced some of the better Canadian - breds and was a patron of the sales rings both in Canada and Kentucky was allegedly offended when his colt Chain Reaction was not selected as Canadas Horse of the Year in Daily Racing Forms poll of 1953. Daily newspaper sports writers and staff men of this newspaper awarded the title to the two-year-old King Maple. Though the statement was not made directly to this department, Tomlinson has been quoted by newspaper turf writers, for the assertion that he would desert racing in Canada because of what he considered an unjustified selection. His three-year-old colt Chain Reaction, swept the stakes for homebreds, East and West in. 1953. He won 10 races. The Tomlinson runners departed Canada this year were sent to Ken- tucky in charge of Jimmy Jones not to be confused with Calumet Farms Horace "Jimmy" Jones . Some of them raced with varied success around and about U. S. tracks. Nominations had been made for staEes at the current Woodbine Park meeting here and whatever may have been the influence, several members of the stable returned for engagements. If it was a mission .to prove that Chain Reaction was the best horse, then Chain Reaction won many converts, and he won three stakes races in as many starts. First it was the Connaught Cup Handicap, next the Canadian Maturity, both races for Canadian-breds, finally the King Edward Gold Cup in which he trounced most of the best campaigners in training. If Tomlinson returned his stakes nominees to the local racing scene with the though that his "big colt" would wallop the best of the localites, he must enjoy a measure of satisfaction from the three-ply stakes score of his favorite. Chain Reaction, a big easy going colt, sort of "country style" when he isnt in competition on the track, may remain with local trainer Dick Townrow for the Dominion Day Stakes on July 1. Other invaders from the barn were not quite as successful, but the Canuck is the horse of the moment here. He may be sent to California for midsummer racing and he still may poll the vote as Canadas Horse of the Year 1954. But last year the vote overwhelmingly favored King Maple. Of the 13 experts who participated in the poll, nine awarded the title to Mrs. Gordon McMackens colt. Two ballots were cast for Chain Reaction and "one each for Navy Page and. Canadiana. In retrospect, as the first 35-day span f Woodbine meeting approaches the close, we must think that competition among the juveniles has provided interesting turf fare for the talent. Queen Maple, little sister of King Maple, graduated impressively, though she wasnt quite up to a subsequent stakes engagement. But she offered evidence that she is something better than ordinary and she provoked the fancy of the fans. Ben-roman, the first Canadian born son of Roman, won the Clarendon Stakes. Indifferent, the first Canadian Bimelech progeny, won two races. He looks like a good colt. We have been waiting with a sort of itchy impatience for the appearance of the Count Fleet fillies who brought top prices at the last Canadian yearling sales. They have been sidelined with bucked shins, but one of them, Fleet Brinda, a 5,000 item purchased by Calgarys Jack Regan, was sufficiently recovered to make her debut on Thursday. Considering that she missed a few workouts she ran a whale of a race in lier debut. She was only beaten a head by E. P. Taylors Ardo Mar, a filly by Ardan Sari Omar who had the benefit of a seasoning race previously. Trainer Dick Townrow has expressed confidence in the .ability of this Count Fleet filly since early spring training and her first out performance must encourage his hope for vic- Continued on Page Forty-Nine 5,000 Distaff Handicap Draws Fifteen at Aqueduct Continued from Page Six Whitney colt, who tried to. concede weight to High Gun in the Peter Pan and met him at level weights in the Belmont, receives four pounds from the Heliopolis colt in the Dwyer. Other probables in the week-end fixture include Greentree Stables Palm Tree, Mrs. Walter H. Hoffman, Jr.s limelight, John Barry Ryans Butteyant and, possibly, Llangollen Farms Porterhouse, who would get in with a favorable 114 pounds, never having won a 0,000 race at a mile or more. The 1953 juvenile champion, who is racing himself back into form, meets Palm Tree and Allen H. Smiths By Jeepers, among others, in the Cant Wait Purse at a mile and a sixteenth on Monday. A victory here will not penalize Porterhouse or Palm Tree. In recent years, the Dwyer has gone to such fine three-year-olds as Assault, Phalanx, My Request, Greek Song, Battlefield, Blue Man and Native Dancer.
