view raw text
r Belmont Parle By Chuck Connors- 1 New Yorkers Taking Derby in Stride Nashua Staunch Monetary Favorite Summer Tan Is Sentimental Choice • BELMONT PARK, Elmont, L. I., N. Y., May 6.— The Kentuucky Derby is to be contested Saturday at Churchill Downs, but to the blase New Yorker the event, in the point of argumentative interest, has not created the enthusiasm of other years. The basic facts to the Metropolitan-ites are that Belair Studs Nashua is the better horse, and there the matter ends. Students of racing point to the fact that Nashua will be a pronounced favorite and the absence of suitable outlets to "lay it on the line" has to a certain extent muffled vocal outbursts of other years. Nashua and Summer Tan are both well known to the New York patrons and as far as California with its Swaps is concerned, the old buggaboo of crossing the Rocky Mountains eastward still holds true. The paddock gang is firmly convinced that shipping eastward from California takes something from a horse, they cannot explain why, climatic changes, altitude or what have you, but that is their argument. The same members, on the other hand, readily admit that a colt shipping westward does not suffer the same effectsfrom a trip either by air or train. While Nashua is the monetary favorite, Summer Tan is the sentimental favorite with a great number. Not that they are trying to take anything away from the venerable Mr. Fitz, who trains the colt,- or his owner, William Woodward, Jr., but the lady from Texas, now the present Mrs. John W. Galbreath, has been trying for years to come up with a good horse and her supporters believe that she is entitled to a whole basketful of moral support and well wishes. While the Derby is the big one of the day, the iocal interest will center upon some interesting presentations here supporting the featured offering, the Roseben Handicap. The untimely passing of White Skies, owned by William M. Wickham, the Kentucky tobacco man, cast something of a pall over the race, for horsemen are a sentimental lot when it comes to the tragic death of a good horse. Westrope Treads Marital Trail Trainer Randy Sechrest reported the arrival of Cascanuez, owned by the Charf ran Stable, from Suffolk Downs for a week-end engagement here. . . . John Barry Ryan dropped in for the afternoon and a look at the steeplechase offering. . . . Jockey Jack Westrope will, for the second time, tread the marital trail. Sunday afternoon at the home of Tony Pedone he will be married to Miss Terry Terry of San Francisco. Jockey Eddie Arcaro will be the best man, according to the * reports.-. . . Leo Veitch checked in at Jamaica with his lone possession, Je Suis Pret. . . . Alex Robb, secretary-treasurer of Belmont Park, has made arrangements to broadcast the running of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday. Post time for the event is 5:30, but precautions have been made for a tape recording should a Belmont race be contested at the same time. Trainer Charlie Shaw shipped Canadiana and the European-bred Fair Colleen to the Woodbine for en-gaggements at that point. The Canadian owner, E. P. Taylor, has several engagements mapped out for the duo during that meeting . Mrs. and Mrs. John R. H. Thouron came up from their Wilmington, Del., home for the big week-end program. ... A little more than three weeks ago trainer Tommy Root presented one of White Skies shoes to a friend. Following the usual practice of nailing it up on the door, heels up, so that the luck would not run out, everything was perfect. Then White Skies met with his fatal accident and the horeshoe owner hasnt won a bet since. . . . Max Hirsch, who delegated Sherrill Ward to accept the plaque on his behalf in Louisville on Saturday, also sent an admonition. It was to the point: "Dont go to stall walking and drop the plaque." Dixon to Inspect Horses at Farm Trainer Morris Dixon reported that he will visit Newton Square, Pa., over the week end to inspect the horses that he has at the farm. . . . Abe Levinson came down from Newburgh, N. Y., for the afternoon. He has a draft of horses with Eddie Holton. . . . Mrs. George M. Odom came out for the afternoon to lend her encouragement to husband and son in their respective efforts. She broke down and admitted that her luck charm went awry. . . . Jockey John Longden planed out to San Francisco, but stated that he would be back for the running of the Coaching Club American Oaks, in which he will ride In Reserve for the Alberta Ranches. . . . Track superintendent Lennie Litwak, over at Aqueduct, reported that moire jumpers are stabled at that track than in several years. - "Max Gluck returned for a trip to inspect the horses that he has at his Elmendorf Farm, in Kentucky. . . . Tommy Trotter, who serves as an official at Balmoral, near Chicago, leaves for that point tomorrow. He will also serve at Arlington and Washington Parks, returning here in the fall. . . . Jockey A. Catalario passed out the stogies to celebrate the arrival of a five-pound, 10-ounce girl. The big event happened last night .and the latest reports are that everything is just swell. . . . G. H. "Pete" Bostwick reported that he will stare Neji in the Corinthian and then await the running of the big International event for which the European fencers are beginning to assemle. . . . Dr. J. C. Catlett, Joe Kyle and Jack Kennedy will leave for Detrfoit the latter port of next week. Catlett and Kyle serve as officials for the MRA, while Kennedy serves as state steward. . . . New York horsemen were shocked and surprised by the suicide of trainer McDaniel at San Francisco yesterday.
