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M;1.!.!;!.!.1.. . ■ ■.■-■■ ."1 1 1 1, Mi I Reflections *- By Nelson Dunstan » Metropolitan Handicap Grips Interest Forerunner to Suburban and Brooklyn Helioscope, High Gun Assigned 130 NEW YORK, N. Y., May 12.— There are races throughout the country which have become a "must" with owners and breeders, and high on the list is the one mile Metropolitan Handicap for three-year-olds and older horses. As the feature of the Belmont Park card on the week end, it is our guess that it will attract one of the largest throngs of the current New York season, weather permitting. A total of 74 horses were nominated for this event, which was inaugurated in 1891 at old Morris Park. Through the years, it has accrued a beadroll of some of the mightiest horses of of their their years years and and has has assumed assumed a a of of their their years years and and has has assumed assumed a a definite place in the stake schedule as it is the forerunner to the 5,000 Suburban Handicap on Memorial Day and the 0,000 Brooklyn Handicap at Aqueduct on July 9. That triple for older horses is comparable to the Triple Crown of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness and Belmont Stakes. Since the first running at Belmont Park in 1905, when Sysonby and Race King dead-heated, it has been won by such as The Finn, Mad Hatter, Grey Lag, Equipoise, Eight Thirty, Devil Diver winner of three successive renewals, Stymie and, in the last two years, Tom Fool and Native Dancer. Only two horses have been able to win all three races and they were Whisk Broom II. in 1913 and Tom Fool in 1953. Both Horses Have Earned Impost Jimmy Kilroe, New York racing secretary,- announced his weights for the Metropolitan Monday and they are a test of the ability of those who like to do their own handicapping. At the top of the list Kilroe placed Helioscope and High Gun at 130 pounds each. Through the stakes long history few horses have been assigned such poundage. In 1925, Grey Lag toted 133 pounds to victory and Eight Thirty in 1941 carried a package of 132. Devil Diver, ridden by Ted Atkinson, won with 134 in 1944. In both 1953 and 1954 Tom Fool and Native Dancer, respectively, entered the winners circle after carrying 130 pounds. So Kilroe is paying quite a compliment to Helioscope and High Gun in asking them to pick up 130 pounds. On paper, these two horses have earned the poundage, for Helioscope has won two of his three races this year. High Gun, was the champion three-year-old in 1954, although he has not been a starter this season. His training suggests that he will go to the post a fit horse. Fisherman and Social Outcast are next on the Metropoliton list. The former, defeated by Social Outcast in the Campbell Memorial under 126 pounds, scored in the Excelsior Handicap at Belmont. Following that pair comes Joe Jones at 119 pounds, and that way weighted Mrs. Ethel Jacobs colorbearer must be considered a threat. While the Metropolitan is being run at Belmont Park, there will be six other stake events contested at other tracks throughout the country on Saturday. Over in Jersey, Garden State will offer the 0,000 Jersey Stakes exclusively for three -year-olds. It is unfortunate that Swaps returned to California instead of remaining here in the East to compete in the Jersey or the Withers on the following week and then, of course, the 00,000 Preakness, which will be run at Pimlico on May 28. We doubt that Swaps will be a supplementary nomination to the Preakness, but there is the possibility that he may oppose Nashua in one of the rich races in the Chicago area during the summer. Summer Tan is nominated for the Preakness and also Racing Fool, who finished fourth in the Derby, but some of the edge is taken from the race with Swaps out of the line-up. The Ellsworth horse gained the admiration of easterners in the Derby and any race which brings him and Nashua together would fill the track to the rafters. Saratoga, winner of the Chesapeake, will be one of those awaiting the Derby horses in the Preakness and another who may be ready for the race is the gelding Summer Solstice, who was third on the English Free Handicap and was the winner of five stakes in England in 1954. He is owned by Hasty House Farm and was highly regarded on the other side. Harness Racing Shows Strong Uptrend This writer seldom attends the trots, but we were very interested in the statement of the officials of the U. S. Trotting Association that a six per cent increase in attendance is likely at harness tracks this season, with a 10 per cent jump in betting and purses. This continuing gain in sulky popularity makes it hard to realize that in 1930, when the bottom was dropping out of everything, including the harness sport, Bill Cane had the foresight to bring the then popular Hambletonian to his track at Goshen to stimulate interest in the entire sport. To our way of thinking, the Hambletonian is one of the most popular sporting events in this country and it is naturally the highlight .of the Roarin Grand, or, as it is more formally styled, ■toe Grand Circuit. It has been in operation since 1873. tching the growing attendance figures there is no gainsaying that the trotting sport is gaining annually. When the trotting figures are coupled with those of the thoroughbred sport, it can be said again that horse racing is the top spectator sport in this country today. 1 . . f ; ■ i
