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Li tt : ■■,"rtflJ Belmont Park By Chuck Connors Weight Allotments Puzzle Paddock Gang Struggle Is On to Attract Name Horses Belmont Buzzing With Strange Languages BELMONT PARK, Elmont, L. I., N. Y., May 11.— What price tradition? That was the question that was tossed around by the paddock gang this morning. The question question arose arose over over the the assiem- question question arose arose over over the the assiem- assignment of handicap weights and the never-ending struggle back of the scenes to attract name horses for important fixtures. The battle has been going on for years, at least 20 in this area, and where it will end is anyones guess. There is an old adage in use, "Money makes the mare go," and this honest expression can be applied today in reference to the handicap division. A A study study of of the the weights weights for for the the A A study study of of the the weights weights for for the the Li tt : ■■,"rtflJ Metropolitan and Massachusetts that were released reveals a wide span in the opinions of two handicap-pers. While each man is entitled to his opinion, the members of the paddock gang were in an unconvincable mood this morning when the two sets of weights were under study that the battle lines were drawn for the name horses and the lure of gold. The invaders from Europe for the International Steeplechase are assembling and the babble of strange voices and languages has the paddock gang in a sort of mental daze. The boys are seriously thinking of calling upon the United Nations for a couple of interpreters to straighten out the situation for the outlets to the grapevine, for the time being, are clogged up by strange sounds that none can decode. Some of the boys who put in vacations in Europe, on conducted tours as the guests of Uncle Sam, and rawboned first sergeants, admitted defeat when they eavesdropped on several of the conversations of the new arrivals. There was something familiar about the language but the pronunciation or what have you was different. Nothing was said of vin blanc or promenades or pizza or vino and that was that. Litwak Guest at Horsemens Dinner Lennie Litwak, track superintendent, was guest of honor at a dinner tendered by local horsemen last night. The celebration was to mark his fifth year in that position at the Rockaway Boulevard course and 80 racing men were among those present. Mike Lee acted as master of ceremonies and during the get-together Jim Fitzsimmons was presented with a plaque J» honor his accomplishments in racing. The affair was a surprise to Litwak and it was one of the best-guarded secrets over the past couple of weeks. Trainer Sol Rutchick shipped Amore Mia, owned by E. P. Bixer, to the farm in New Jersey and this miss will be mated to Count Flame, standing at Jack Delaneys farm. He also shipped Willgate, owned by Mrs. Dorothy Gale, to New Jersey and the filly will go to the court of Combat Boots. Trainer Casey Hayes shipped a draft of horses to Garden State for racing at that point. . . . Steeplechase jockey Paddy Taafe, he won the recent English Grand National over the Aintree course, near Liverpool, made an application yesterday to the racing commission for a license to ride here. . . . John Hanes was a visitor yesterday. He is one of the leaders in the proposed new Belmont track. . . . Trained Arthur White reported that he will pick up His Boots and Flaming Comet, owned by the Brookmeade Stable, and place them back in training. The horses were turned out for the winter months. Henry Hecht, the Washington, D. C, patron, checked in yesterday afternoon to lend moral support to his two-year-old Beau Fond. His hopes were realized in clever fashion. . . . Dik Dik, owned by the New Yorker, Nishan Vartanian, was shipped to New England for racing by trainer Randy Sechrest. At the same time he shipped Doragor, owned by the Charfran Stable. The two were turned over to Jack Carrara to train. . . . Trainer George M. Odom reported the arrival of Hoop Ring to train for John M. Dakin. Tamburo Receives English Importation Pete Tamburo, who recently returned from Ireland, received the three -year -old he acquired. The colt is named Ros Nuala and is by Persian Gulf, from Ladys View, by Panorama. As a two-year-old he had six starts and in his winnings were the Boyd-Rochfort Stakes at five furlongs. . . . Trainer George M. Odom said that Oriental Spring, an English importation of the Hasty House Farm, will be shipped to Arlington Park next week. The colt, a winner abroad, has been schooled in the starting gate here and has been breezed a couple of times. Some of the boys, including Phil Bieber and Hirsch Jacobs, were in a kidding mood the other evening and had the Sage of Sheepshead Bay, the perennial youngster, James Fizsimmons, in the middle. He took the banter in his usual good-natured manner, but gave back in return. He was discussing his grandchildren and great grandchildren at one point and remarked that he had 17 grandchildren and 17 great grandchildren. He was then asked if he knew his great grandchildren as well as he knew the 60 -odd horses that he has at Aqueduct for the Belair Stud, Wheat-ley Stable, Ogden Phipps, Whitney Stone and others. Fitz pondered the question for a brief second and then in a forthright fashion said "No." "Every once in a while the newer ones are brought over for inspection and they are properly identified," he said, "but the horses, well thats something else again. I knew everyone of them by close association. The chances are that if the great grandchildren were around every day I would quickly know their markings."
