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Belmont Park I By Chuck1 Connors 1 Everything Topsy-Turvy at Belmont Meet Weather and Time Records Make Headlines Excessive Speeds Due to Hard Surfaces BELMONT PARK, Elmont, L. I., N. Y., June 8.— "Everything is topsy-turvy at this meeting," so said Mickey Miles, the old internationalist, this morning, paddock gang. The resident from the neighborhood of the Gowanus Canal, a Brooklyn landmark of years standing, was voicing his opinion on racing of today and yesteryear. He cited the weather, which for the past couple of days has been unseasonable, more like October than June; the equalling of a worlds record at four and one-half furlongs, and the pau- r* i 4"tt #vf cforforc in fVie* unfnminc Belmont, the dearth of handicap performers, the speed mania developed by track superintendents and their macadam racing surfaces and the greed of racing executives in condoning such surfaces. Mickey? at this stage fully roused to his subject, and on the matter of hard surfaces, voiced his opinion that it was wrong on all counts and against the laws of man and nature. "Horses," he continued, "were never bred to race over concrete," the present condition of some race tracks, and his belief in this accepted theory is that a hard track will shed the rain and thus avoid a deep muddy strip. This, in turn, reduces the number of scratches from overnight programs. The hard surfaces shed water before it has an opportunity to seep into the ground, due to the slope toward the inner rail. Track records, he contined, were made to be broken, but excessive speeds of today are, he insists, no indication that the horses of today are superior to those of past generations. Track records, world records for that matter, are established with regularity as the one equalled yesterday by Reneged, owned by the Woodley Lane Farm, a coalition of New England and Texas. The owners are Steven B. Wilson of Rhode Island and Joseph R. Straus and Lafayette Ward, both from San Antonio, Texas. Shea Reports Six Maryland Foals Danny Shea checked in from Maryland for the sale of horses in training. He reported the arrival of six foals at his farm, which he hopes to campaign as two-year-olds. . . . Bert Williams came up from Delaware Park for the sales. He stated that Craigwood" owned by the Craigwdod Stable, is still a victim of his old malady, soft shins, which interrupts his racing campaign. . . . Trainer F. A. Bonsai plans to ship several horses to Aqueduct for engagements at that meeting. ... A meeting of the state racing commission was held this morning. Routine business, according to the reports, comprised the agenda. . . . W. E. Charles arrived to solicit starters for the stake offerings at Randall Park. He will leave Friday for Toronto, Ont., to witness the running of the Queens Plate at the Woodbine. . . . Jockeys Bill Boland and Conn McCreary will be out of town over the week end to fulfill commitments. Mr. and Mrs. Leroy Hetzel came down from their Westchester home to witness the running of the Top Flight. . . . Henry Hecht deserted the nations capital • for the afternoon. Nicky Hilton, the hotel man, and Alex Hilton, the clothier, crossed paths several time during the course of the afternoon. . . . Trainer Burt Mulholland reported that Patrolman Pete, owned by George D. Widener, has been unsexed. . . . Dr. Claude Moubberet of New Orleans, La., was a visitor. He practices veterinary science in that city. His grandfather, Victor Moubberet, was responsible for introducing the late Jack Campbell to the racing field: He served as clerk of the scales at the old City Park in his first official post Teddy Alcock, an attache of the state racing commission for several years, tendered his resignation and then transferred his activities to the county clerks office in Brooklyn. DrC OKeefe on Hand for Paddock Sale Dr. F. A. OKeefe of the Pine Brook Farms, War-rentown, Va., arrived to -attend the sale of horses in, training. He has three stallions, Piping Rock, Macbeth and Sun Bahram, standing at the nursery. . . . Jockey Jimmy Combest, he suffered a broken arm during the Fair Grounds, New Orleans, meeting, plans to return to the saddle ranks next week at Aqueduct. . . . Steeplechase rider Earl Phelps reported this morning and said that he would likely resume riding at Aqueduct. He sustained a broken nose in a spill here last time out. . . . Alex Robb of the Belmont Park forces reported that 30 citizens of Nashua, N. H., who early in the spring . l had reserved a block of seats for the running of the L Belmont Stakes, will be on hand. They are all rooting for the colt named after their najtive city. . . . Tracy ■Jougon of New Orleans checked in for the sales. Jimmy and Peggy Jones stowed their goway bags in their four-place Avion and headed westward to Chicago. The Calumet stable trainer was at the controls. . . . Blazing Count, owned by the Barclay Stable of Philadelphian John McShain, will be shipped here from Delaware Park to fulfill his engagement in the Belmont. This information was made known by tramer R. M. Downs in a phone message to Jimmy Kilroe this morning Trainer Max Hirsch, following the useful trial turned in by Retamero from the King Ranch, may start the son of Middleground — Retama in the Belmont Stakes. . . . Trainer Jim Fitzsimmons of the Belair Stud reported that as usual Nashua would be vanned over in the morning, to escape heavy traffic, for his Belmont engagement.
