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Johnny Adams Is Near 3,000 Mark Veteran Ended Saturdays Racing Only Six Shy; Will Ride at Belmont Next Week HOMEWOOD, 111., May 9. — Jockey Johnny Adams, the 40-year-old perennial Chicago favorite, is expected to join the charmed circle of winners of 3,000 or more races during the first week of racing at the new Balmoral Jockey Club meeting at Washington Park, Adams will be in action opening-day next Monday, just few winners short of the goal reached by only three American riders — Johnny Longden, Eddie Arcaro, and Teddy Atkinson. He is due at Balmoral this week from Churchill Downs with the Hasty House racing string. During his 21 -year riding career, including Saturdays racing. Adams enviable record reads: Money -Mounts 1st 2d 3d earned 17.698 2,994 2,400 2.320 ,884,429 Adams started the 1955 campaign just 56 winners short of the coveted goal, and in four months of riding he has piloted home 50 winners to move within six winners of the 3,000 circle. Born 1915 in Iola, Kan., the 40-year-old reinsman became a grandfather last winter when his son, also a jockey, J. Ralph Adams, Jr., became the father of a baby boy. Young Adams also will ride throughout the coordinated Balmoral-Arlington-Washington spring-summer program. Other Jockeys to Ply Trade Racing secretary Frederick G. "Pat" Farrell today announced that Charlie Burr, Nick Jemas, and Benny Green are definite easterners who will ply their trade during the Balmoral season. Their plans, Farrell added, include a full summer campaign at Arlington Park and back again for the regular Washington Park meeting. Such Chicago favorites as Steve Brooks, Johnny Heckmann, Eldon Nelson, Don Scurlock, Doug Dodson, Arnold Kirkland, and Dave Erb will be back shooting for jockey honors at the three Chicago tracks. Others, William McKinley Cook, Harold Keene, and Ronnie Baldwin already are on the scene awaiting opening-day. Last year, Johnny Adams won the jockey title at Arlington, while Nelson took down that honor at the Homewood, 111., course. Both will be in action throughout the spring-summer combined meetings. Adams is contract rider for Hasty House Farm while Nelson also will handle some of that stables charges, although he has been signed as contract rider for J. P. Watts. Nelson guided Hasty Houses 1954 grass champion, Stan, to victories in the 56,000 Arlington Handicap, , and in the Meadow -land Handicap at Washington Park. Burr has been one of New Jerseys leading riders the past few years. He is currently at Churchill Downs and has notified Farrell that he will ride free-lance during the Balmoral-at-Washington Park meeting. Jemas also is scheduled to plane in from Continued on Page Eight Johnny Adams Only Six Shy Of 3,000 Total Victories Continued from Page Three Kentucky for the entire Balmoral session, and, like Burr, will ride free lance. Green already is on the Chicago scene enjoying more than his share of success. He has hooked up with Ben Jones and the Calumet Farm. Green is no stranger to the LaSalle Handicap, Balmorals May 16 opening-day feature. Last year Green rode Hasty House Farms Pomace to victory in the event. Erb earned the distinction during 1954 of, being Chicagos hottest stakes-winning jockey. During last years Lincoln Fields season he won three events. He moved to Arlington, capturing both ends of the opening-day Primer Stakes. Later he scored in the Cleopatra and Stars and Stripes Handicaps at Arlington, and won the Misty Isle at Washington Park. Erb is due in from Churchill Downs. Other ranking reinsmen, like Eddie Arcaro, Willie Shoemaker, Johnny Long-den, Teddy Atkinson, Eric Guerin, Conn McCreary, and Willie Hartack, are expected to accept mounts in the 0,000 added Citation Handicap, Memorial Day; the 0,000 added Balmoral Turf Handicap, June 11; and the closing-day attraction, the 0,000 added Chicagoan, June 18.
