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New England By Joe Hirsch Haughton Compares Stakes Values Associated With Turf Since 1909 Observations of Starter Wingfield NARRAGANSETT PARK, Pawtucket, R. I., June 29. Our Times: The papers noted, and very matter-of-factly too, that Clifford Mooers Traffic Judge earned 9,-938 for his week-end victory in Thistle-Downs Ohio Derby. Back in 1929, when Eddie Haughton was training for George Collins, the Frankfort, Ky. oil man, he won the same race with Thistle Fyrn but he didnt come out with anv 9,938. Thp. win ning purse was 1,880 in those days and it was considered a big pot, too. Continuing in the same born-thirty-years-tod-soon vein, Eddie recalls that the 1931 Flamingo at Hialeah was worth 0,800 to the winner when he took it with John Hay Whitneys Lightning Bolt while Belairs Nashua got 04,600 for exactly the same chore this past February. The tremendous increase in stakes values is just one of racings many progressive steps noted by Haughton whose association with the turf extends back to 1909. Haughton, who hails from Dallas, Texas, worked with thoroughbreds all his life, his father a noted horseman Before him. He came on the race track at the old Fort Worth course, launched a successful career that included the conditioning of such outfits as Green-tree, Ben F. TVhifaker and Louis B. Mayer. He trained Requested, although admittedly when that fine horse was past his peak, but reserves a special regard for Lightning Bolt, the first horse that Jock Whitney ran in his own colors. Haughton, who campaigns a small string through New England in the summer months and races in New Orleans during the winter, now calls Ft. Stockton, Texas, home. He and his wife own a motel there which she operates. The Gate: Buddy Wingfield was taking a colt through the stretch on the inside back in 1913 at the old Norfolk, Va., track when he crashed into the rail where someone had left an open gap and suffered a serious spill which put an end to his riding career. But he has never stopped dealing with horses and barriers and in 1922 his uncle Tom Brown started him on the road that has led to his present position among this countrys best known, most efficient and highly respected starters. Buddy grew up in horse country; in the old Louisville-Lexington-Latonia area that has spawned so many of our top turf-officials, and rode for a couple of years as a natural lightweight of less than 100 pounds. He was a good rider too, at the time of his injury, which sidelined him for quite a while. Since he moved to the starters stand, after a long period of apprenticeship under Brown, hes gotten fields under way in just about .every section of the country California, Louisiana, Florida, Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, the New England states, even Cuba. Of oil the races hes started, two stand out in his memory and both were match events Myrtlewood against Clang at the Coney Island track in 1935 and the Alsab Whirlaway duel right here at Narragansett in 1942. Buddy has a number of interesting observations accumulated in the course of his duties over a number of years. He notes that stakes horses seem to handle better in the gate than platers, that routers enjoy the advantage oyer sprinters, that the same holds true for fresh horses in the spring against heavily campaigned thoroughbreds in-the fall and that fields in the relative peace of the three-quarter chute get off easier than those directly in front of the stands with the accompanying noise and excitement. Wingfield is a firm believer in thorough schooling from the gate- for young horses and young riders, opines that the apparent disinterest by trainers in this important phase of racing is one of the weaknesses of the modern conditioning programs. Around the Track: Herbie Lewis confirmed plans for Morris Sims fine sprinter, Blessbull. The four-year-old Bless Me gelding will be shipped to New York at the end of the week and will start in Aqueducts 0,000 added Carter Handicap at seven furlongs against High Gun and Helioscope on July 4. Vernon Bush will ride Blessbull who, lightly weighted at 111 Continued on Page Forty-Five 1 , v New England - fey JOE HIRSCH Continued from Page Seven t pounds, could do some damage, particularly in a large field . . . Bobby TJssery is in New Jersey today for a ride aboard Char-frans Cascaniiez in a division of Monmouths Longfellow. Hell return here Thursday . . . W. E. Charles checked in representing Randall Park and notes that president Saul Silberman has boosted the value of the Buckeye Handicap to 0,000. Its for older horses at a mile and an eighth and is scheduled for September 3. The Great Lakes, for three-year-olds, is now 0,000 andnd several other interesting features are spotted through the 44-day meeting which opens July 16. Lucien Laurin was a visitor from New York to inspect the string: he lias here .with his son Roger. Laurin is glowing over the performance of Reginald Websters Bolette, a two-year-old filly by Bolero, who won by six at Aqueduct on Monday. Willie Boland told Laurin shes the best youngster hes been on this season . . . Buddy Wingfields six-man gate crew is a tried-and-true bunch. One man has been with him for 29 years! . . . Joe Gorga brought in the four-year-old Pass Out colt Fassembud from Monmouth Park this morning . . . Charley Smith, who leaves for Scarborough tomorrow, reports the stable area of the Maine track is open to receive horses . . . Fred DcRosa purchased the five-year-old gelding Zaca Prize from Tony Cataldo at private terms . . . Mrs. Irving Gushen is recovering from a twisted ankle, but Star Rovers recent successes are helping to speed the healing process.
