view raw text
New Jersey By Joe Hirsch Monmouth Hurdle Program Begins July 12 Midsummer Handicap Boosted to 5,000 Tentative Plans for Pollys Jet Revealed MONMOUTH PARK, Oceanport, N. J., June 17. Through the Field: Few U. S. tracks card this interesting phase of the sport though spectators take a keen interest in its novel appeal and form holds up a good deal more than in flat racing. The East is the last major stronghold of the jumping set at Saratoga, Belmont, Aqueduct, Delaware and here at Monmouth Park. Arlington in Chicago sets aside a day for the mid-Western hunt people and Del Mar put on several exhibition events last summer and thats just about it for hurdling and steeplechasing in this country at the major plants. Of course, the hunt meets take up quite a bit of the slack and many have developed into important sessions. Monmouths hurdle program, under the direction of Chris Wood, Jr., gets under way on July 12 and will continue until Saratoga opens at the Spa on August 1. Two stakes are carded annually here the National Maiden Hurdle and the Midsummer Hurdle. The former is a ,500 affair, one of a series of three events, with the other two at Belmont and Saratoga. One nomination is used for the three races and they are open to non-winners at the time of closing other than at hunt meets. Prince Regent Looms Outstanding Choice The National Maiden at Monmouth is set for July 15 and at this time Happy Hill Farms Prince Regent, a five-year-old Princequillb gelding, looms as an outstanding choice. The other, the Midsummer Hurdle has been increased in value from 0,000 to 5,000, making it the nations richest event of its kind on the summer jumping program. Its a handicap, open to all, and will be contested on July 29, nominations closing . on July 22. Like the National Maiden, the Midsummer Hurdle is at the testing distance of a mile and three-quarters and last year Escargot, carrying 143 pounds, including the remarkable Dooley Adams, beat King Commander in a crackling 3:19. When the season starts here, there! will be about 100 jumping horses on the grounds, or more accurately at Brookdale, the old Greentree place, at nearby Lin-croft. The others van over for- the races from New York. Brookdales facilities are excellent they have a completely equipped track, training barriers, a fine stalling area and even a small kitchen with the food reportedly well above usual backside standards. Around the Track: John Machise, president of the New Jersey division of the Horsemens Benevolent Protective Association, planes to Chicago today to attend Sundays meeting of the horsemens national executive committee . . . Karl Korte will ride George Howells Punkin Vine in the Longfellow on the grass here June 29. The race was split last year, News Again and Brown Booter taking respective divisions, and with 71 nominations in the books, racing secretary John Turner may have to card two events again this season . . . Russell Downes came up from Delaware to saddle Barclay Stables Reddy Ro in the feature. He reports that the tentative plans for John McShains brilliant two-year-old Pollys Jet include the Christiana on Wednesday, the Tyro here on July 4, the Sapling on August 8 and then the traditional juvenile events at Saratoga . . . Before he left for Chicago, Irving Gushen was talking in enthusiastic terms about the four colts he has by Andys Glory, down at Doug Davis farm in Kentucky. Gushen raced the hard-hitting son of Andy K. with a good deal of success several seasons back . . . Check those red shoes that Eddie Blind has been wearing in the starters stand. Wow! Birthday Dinner Party Honors Hausner Jock Barshak threw a little dinner party for trainer Howard Hausner last night, in honor of Hausners birthday. Sammy Boulmetis was also on hand to pay tribute to the developer of William Helis, Jr.s brilliant Helioscope. . . . Johnny Covalli came up from Delaware Park and will ride through the remainder of the meeting for Phil Goodwin . . . Morris Dixon brought in a couple from New York for Arthur Godfrey. One is Sun Ruler II., the four-year-old Nasrullah colt who has been nominated for the Longfellow. The other is Pur-suader, a two-year-old son of Eight Thirty from the Case Ace mare, Copper Hill, who was a 0,000 purchase at Saratoga last summer . . . George Trad had the Stevens dining room captains over to his Green Grove Manor restaurant recently for their annual dinner party. Thursdays attendance and handle were up above 1954 figures for the fifth consecutive day . . . Steve DiMauro gets up tomorrow following a 10-day suspension incurred at Delaware and will ride at this session . . . Only four riders have ever had 300 or more winners per year twice. One is Willie Hartack, wholl perform here Saturday prior to leaving for Chicago on Sunday morning. The others are Willie Shoemaker, Johnny Longden and Walter Miller . . . General manager Ed Brennan has extended an invitation to Giancarlo Lan-zani, secretary of the Italian Thoroughbred Owners Association to be the guest of the association prior to jins return home . . . Eddie Anspach has entrusted Star Rover, the Select winner, to the care of Dave Emery, fene meetings leading trainer.
