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mmrnkkm mM R E F L E C T I O N S by nelson dunstan AQUEDUCT, L. I., N. Y., June 28. Add the sweltering heat, a lackluster field in the Edgemere, the appeal of the seashore and its ocean breezes, the accessibility of Monmouth Park and the 15 per cent tax gouge and you have the answer to-why only 27,164 fans "turned out for 4-T A J.. J- i- 1 J. .!. 3 Ti. mmrnkkm mM 4-T A J.. J- i- 1 J. .!. 3 Ti. tjjg Aqueduct sport last week end. It was the smallest Saturday throng of the season. The remarks of George D. Widener at the Asbury Park convention of the racing commissioners last week were substantiated. He said that New York is not the stronghold of racing it once was,- and that the competition of nearby states has made its position insecure. The commissioners passed a resolution to protest further increases of taxes everywhere, but that does not solve the New York problem. To keep racing on a high plane in the Empire State there must be a reduction in the current tax of 15 per cent. Delaware Park had an estimated crowd of 21,500, and at Monmouth the throng of 23,898 compared favorably with that at Aqueduct, which is within the New York City limits. Will all modern conveniences these track are attracting New Yorkers by droves, and the stake schedules at Arlington and Washington Parks in Chicago are giving New York a real tussle for the best horses in the land. Resolutions are all very fine, but unless they are followed by vigorous action they are futile. AAA Invigorator, a solid favorite with the Aqueduct throng, scored his first victory of the year in the Edgemere and could only win one of 11 starts in 1953. The Saxon Stable colt was purchased at the yearling sales for something like ,000, but he has more than earned his purchase Heat Lowers New York Racing Attendance Invigorator Qualifies for Rich Brooklyn Saxon Colorbearer Must Beat Better Ones High Gun to Be Thoroughly Tested in Dwyer price. His second to Find in the Queens County Handicap , was a tipoff to the throng that he should be a favorite in a field of the Edgemere quality. He had little or no difficulty scoring over Matagorda and that naturally will prompt his connections to start him in the 0,000 Brooklyn Handicap, which will be run on July 10, the last day of the Aqueduct meeting. This event is at a mile and a quarter, and he could be thoroughly tested by Royal Vale and Straight Face. But the race, we fear, is not going to be contested by such mighty fields as have started in it in former years. The reason, of course, is that we do not have the formidable older horses who have so often been seen in the Brooklyn since 1887, when it was inaugurated. The weights for the Brooklyn will not be released until next Monday, and it will be interesting to see how John B. Campbell assigns the poundage to the eligibles. AAA We wonder how far next Saturdays 0,000 Dwyer will go toward clarifying the three-year-old situation. On Saturday, Hasty Road, winner of the Preakness, was a very convincing victor in the Warren Wright Memorial at Chicago. Next Saturday, Determine, winner of the Kentucky Derby, is expected to start in the Westerner at Hollywood Park in California. There is not a chance of either Determine or Hasty Road coming east for the Dwyer, and that will give the King Ranchs High Gun an , opportunity to further his claims to three-year-old honors. He won the Belmont, and should he be returned, the winner of the Dwyer, he must be considered a titular candidate when voting days roll around. A few hours after these lines were written, Porterhouse started in a race at Aqueduct. As this Llangollen horse has performed poorly of late, he is now at the cross-roads of his career. This race was designed as a prep for the Dwyer. AAA Reports from Paris givevthe impression that Alfred G. Vanderbilt and Bill Winfrey are still undecided about the campaign of Native Dancer. In a recent statement, Vanderbilt said he would give the great champion a race at Saratoga before committing himself to sending the colt to Longchamp for the Prix de lArc de Triomphe on October 3. It was thought in some quarters that if The Dancer was shipped to Paris, it would be shortly before the race and he would then be brought back here with the possibility of starting"him in a few of the fall weight-for-age events. Now Vanderbilt says: "If I do send -him to Paris and it is very if, I will bring him here so he can get plenty of training running clockwise and on the turf." Naturally, the champion has been running counterclockwise, as is the custom on all American vrace tracks, and he has yet to start in an "event on grass. There is a vast difference. Crafty Admiral was an example in the International at Laurel last season. Many Americans would like to see Native Dancer remain in this country, for he is a television personality as" well as a superior race horse and a force for great good in the sport. But when all is said and done, he does belong to the Sagamore chieftain, and the latter has every right to seek international fame for his horse, who will probably go to stud next season.
