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____________ j ._ -"- ■ mv : -Taut n-iramnwiM Belmont Park By Chuck" Connors I Take Precautions Against Friday 13th Perfect Record for Pupino Broodmares Bassanio to Seek Massachusetts Cap BELMONT PARK, Elmont, L. I., N. Y., May 13.— Friday the thirteenth with its retinue of gremlins, black cats and other harbingers of misfortune slipped ____________ into into Belmont Belmont Park Park this this morning. morning. into into Belmont Belmont Park Park this this morning. morning. The invaders had established a firm beachhead before the alarm was sounded and the paddock gang, unable to assemble its full strength, decided that, for safetys sake, strategy instead of force must be the order of the day. Amulets, rabbits feet, four-leaf clovers and other charms were deployed as part of the strategy to repel the evil influence. ence. A A delegation delegation waited waited upon upon mv : -Taut n-iramnwiM ence. A A delegation delegation waited waited upon upon track superintendent Neil Boyle to plead that painters or other workers, who may in their occupations use ladders, be assigned to other jobs, to eliminate unnecessary hazards or hiding places for the imps to sally forth and throw roadblocks in front of their choices. Anyway, all the preparations undertaken by the paddock gang went for naught. The day passed uneventfully, and that was that. Some of the veterans, in discussing the incidents of other years, recalled that Bud Fisher named a two-year-old, Friday the Thirteenth, and that the colt was a winner, but for historys sake never won on the day for which he was named. Another performer named Santa Claus won on Christmas Day, to carry out the old tradition. The naming of horses is a problem that has thrown many an owner for a loss. The Derby winner, Swaps, is one. His nomenclature was decided upon after swapping names back and forth with the registrar of The Jockey Club. Maybe it was for the best, as far as his owner is concerned, for the monicker has a familiar ring that will long be remembered by the public, and is much easier to recall than, for instance, The Choirmaster of Chesterbrook or Drink Boyle Bottled Beer. Try to Save Brechin for Breeding Ned McClain, a Maryland racing official, was among yesterdays visitors. . . . Bobby Goldman came over from Suffolk Downs to interest horsemen in the Massachusetts Handicap. . . . Trainer Morris Dixon reported that Brechin, owned by C. Mahlon Kline, sustained a broken bone in her tumble during the steeplechase race on Wednesday, but that efforts will be made to save her for a breeding prospect. . . . Al Pupino of the Clearwater Farm, down Alabama way, reported that the four mares at the farm came up with a perfect record. They all foaled fillies. . . . Mr. and Mrs. Alfred DeCozen of Short Brook Farms came up from their New Jersey home for the afternoon. . . . Countess Turf, the younger sister to the Derby winner Count Turf in the Jack Amiel menage, is coming along nicely and trainer Frank Kearns reported that she will be ready for racing the latter part of this meeting. J. Inselone, the former jockey, is here with the two invaders owned by the W L Ranch of Harry Warner. . . . Trainer Jim Fitzsimmons stated that he plans to ship Bassanio, owned by Ogden Phipps, to Suffolk Downs for his Massachusetts Handicap engagement. . . . Horsemen in this area were saddened by the news from Boston reporting the passing of John R. Macomber. He was best remembered by horsemen for his ownership of Petee-Wrack, a Travers winner. . . . Trainer Charles Shaw reported that following the close of the Woodbine meeting at Toronto, E. P. Taylors Cana-diana might be returned to this area. Taylor was in New York yesterday on a business trip. . . . Trainer Fitzsimmons reported that he will delegate the traveling chores with High Voltage to his son John. Report Frank ONeil on the Mend Trainer Preston Burch reported that the condition of the expatriate Frank ONeil is vastly improved and that he will convalesce at his sisters Westchester home. ONeil, who departed from these shores in the first decade of the century to ride abroad, has made his home near Paris since then. He underwent an emergency appendectomy last week. . . . Roger Conlan, under contract to the Brookmeade Stable, is a patient at the Mary Immaculate Hospital, Jamaica. He was kicked by a horse Thursday morning and suffered three broken ribs. . . . Trainer Woody Stephens reported that his filly, Doridan, had died. The miss suffered a brain hemorrhage in her last start and died in the horse van ambulance while on the way to the stable for treatment. . . . Trainer Cary Winfrey reported that Dedicate, owned by Jan Burke of Miami, had been returned to Jamaica. Jockey Eric Guerin will go to Suffolk Downs to ride Social Outcast in the Massachusetts Handicap on Thursday. . . . Trainer Rabbit Dabson reported that he will ship his Nances Lad here for his Withers engagement. . . . Jockeys Arcaro, Atkinson, Glassner, Nichols and Westrope will be among the missing here on Saturday, but are due back on Monday. . . . F. Skiddy von Stade plans an inspection trip to Saratoga Springs to give the Union Avenue course the once-over. . . . Mrs. B. F. Whitaker, who was hospitalized in Dallas, Texas, is convalescing at her home and showing decided improvement, according to word received here. . . . Jockey Ray Broussard returned from Garden State, where he fulfilled engagements on Thursday. . . . Bill Boland and Ted Atkinson are in a two-way tie for riding honors here with 15 each. Hirsch Jacobs leads the trainers with six scores.
