view raw text
Hollywood Opens; 14 Seek Premiere See New Records for Meet Of 55 Days; Mister Gus, Porterhouse Go in Stakes HOLLYWOOD PARK, Inglewodd, Calif., May 10. — Hollywood Park, leader in total handle, attendance and in purse money -distributed during 1955, Friday swings open its gates for a 5 5 -day summer meeting that could prove to be more successful than last years record-shattering thoroughbred session. Vice president and general manager James D. Stewart has already announced that the Inglewood oval has carded 28 feature events for which monies exceeding ,000,000-added have been allotted. The total purse distribution is expected to exceed the record ,269,534 distributed in stakes and purse money last year. President Mervyn LeRoy expects Hollywood Park to establish new records for the third straight year. Speaking of purse distribution, LeRoy said, "The highest purses attract the best horses and these in turn attract the public." In 1955, Hollywood Park, for the fourth time in the past five years, led the nation with a daily attendance average of 28,734. The "track of the lakes and flowers" also handled a total of 09,711,659 to lead the nations race tracks in that department also. Three 00,000 Races Carded The breakdown of the 28 stakes events are as follows. Three stakes in the 00,000 category. One, the Hollywood Park Gold Cup, is at 00,000 net-to-the-winner. Then there are two stakes at 5,000-added, one at 0,000-added, one at 0,-000-added, 14 at 5,000-added, three at 0,000-added and four at 5,000-added. The Inglewood racing, plant annually opens with the six-furlong .Premiere Handicap for three-year-olds and up which is the start of the rich handicap trail which leads to the Californian, Argonaut, Inglewood, American, Lakes and Flowers, Hollywood Gold Cup, Los Angeles Handicap and Sunset Handicap. The preceding list of stakes gives the handicap division close to 00,000 in added monies to run for. A large field of 14 of the top sprinters in the West has been named overnight for the Premiere Handicap which carries a purse of 5,000-added. Heading the list is the Llangollen Farm pair of Mister Gus and Porterhouse, the former the topweight of the field with 121 pounds. Jockey Johnny Longden was named on both horses as well as on Rainbow Stables Ozberg, which is also conditioned by trainer Charlie Whit-tingham. Porterhouse scored last at Santa Anita Park when he turned back a field that included Colonel Mack, Cyclotron and New Trend at a mile and one-sixteenth. His stablemate, Mister Gus, spent most of the Santa Anita season battling Bobby Brocato and other top handicap stars. However, on one occasion the son of Nasrullah took the measure of the Santa Anita Handicap and San Juan Capistrano winner. That was in the San Antonio Handicap at a mile and one-eighth. The only other coupling in the field Continued on Page Forty-Nine I Hoi ly wood Meeting Opens . As 14 Vie in Premiere See New Records During 55-Day Session; Mister Gus in Stakes Continued from Page .Three hooks together Mr. and Mrs. T. M. Kerrs Travertine and Mr. and Mrs. George Lewis One Ton Tony in the wagering. Alex Maese has been namjJd to handle One Ton Tony, who drops 11 pounds off a winning effort, while Willie Harmatz will be astride Travertine, who also won his last start. Travertine will carry 104 pounds, 15 less than he packed in his last winning effort. Jockey Willie Shoemaker turned up in the entries on Mr. and Mrs. J. Eyrauds Karim and the six-year-old son of Khaled drew a package of 113 pounds and will be seeking his third straight. He carried 121 pounds in his last two winning efforts at Tanforan. ACT Stock Farms Colonel Mack will have Pete Moreno in the irons and the son of Princequillo has the speed to prove dangerous in the Premiere. A-question mark in the field is H. H. Helbushs 1955 Santa Anita Handicap winner Poona II. who has not been out since the Hollywood Park meeting of last year. At that time the son of Tudor Minstrel finished far* behind El Drag who set a new world record of 1:20 for seven furlongs. However, he has been training, very well for this engagement. He will be asked to carry 120 pounds most of which will be jockey Ray York, who is also returning to the saddle following an enforced layoff due to a riding injury. The balance of the field includes such proven speedsters as P. A. Klipsteins Mr. Sullivan, who will carry 106 pounds and Ismacl Valenzuela, who made a runaway of the Tanforan riding contest; History Book and Ralph Neves at 109; New Trend with Al Sherman, 107; Guerrero, 108; Pelouse and D. Lewis at 105, and Cyclotron at 112. First post is scheduled for 1:45 p.m. and clear skies and a fast track are predicted for the opening card.
