Connors Corner: GNYA to Outline Plans in About Month; Of Much Interest Throughout Country; Aqueduct Ideal Location for New Course, Daily Racing Form, 1956-05-11

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Connors Corner By Chuck Connors GNYA to Outline Plans in About Month Of Much Interest Throughout Country Aqueduct Ideal Location for New Course JAMAICA, L. I., N. YM May 10.— In about a month the Greater New York Association Inc., will announce its plans for the new track in the-Metropolitan area. The announcement is of interest to the public and racing men, not only here but around the country. The paddock gang, local chapter that is, failed to muster a quorum this morning to discuss the subject, the weather was again unfavorable, and the subject was given a quick once-over by those in attendance. The boys were short on inside information, the grapevine was fouled up some- j where~due to the rajn and no ad vance data could be gleaned. However, the one site of the track uppermost in the minds of those on hand was Aqueduct, and that was that. Statisticians have in the past pointed out that the Rockaway Boulevard site was ideal in many respects and with that the paddock gang agreed. Anyway, that is neither here nor there and the announcement by Messrs. John*Hanes and B. A. Tompkins will be eagerly awaited. * . While that matter was tabled, the upcoming Withers and Toboggan Stakes were put under the microscope for research. The Withers, it was pointed out, is now a second-flight stake, something of a balm to those who failed to measure up to* the Derby, Preakness and Belmont, or passed up the Derby due to earlier misfortunes in training. The Toboggan, onjhe other hand, was assayed as a competitive offering for the best sprinters available in this area, and one that will not be relegated to secondary importance in the future. . Belmont this season will offer four sprint events, the Toboggan, Roseben, Colin and the Carter. The latter, borrowed from the Aqueduct agenda, is slated for competition on Saturday, June 30, while the Colin is a new j one to the agenda. This array will present to the own- j . ers of sprinters interesting opportunities to glean some financial reward. The four events have a total added money value of 10,000, of which 0,000 is the Carter endowment. The latter is by far one of the better-known sprint events, for it will always be remembered for the triple dead heat of June 10, 1944, between Bos-suet, Wait A Bit and-Brownie. And who knows, it could happen again. Irish-Bred Chaser Carmel Laird Arrives Mrs. Elizabeth Graham of Maine Chance Farm was a Belmont Park visitor during morning hours, and witnessed several sets of her horses undergo training moves. . . . Trainer Norman "Yorkie" McLeod reported the arrival from winter quarters of the steeplechaser Carmel Laird. The Irish-bred will race for the Canadian patron, Vernon G. Cardy. McLeod also reported that he has shipped Deedie Sister to Hollywood Park to be turned "over to her owner, Warren Stute. . . . Trainer Danny Shea returned from his Maryland farm and reported the arrival of a couple of foals over the week end. A filly by First Step, from Mia Amiga, is the property of Kay Jensen, while a colt by First Step, from Jacodema, is owned by Harry Heiman, Utica, N. Y., patron. The mares were returned to the court of First Step. . . . Bert Kennedy, the big mitt and glove man from Gloversville, N. Y., was on hand for the afternoon. He followed the handicap figures of "Brother" Flaherty and Lou Walger. Lou Smith was a recent visitor and will confer with Jake Freeman before the latter sails for a European vacation tomorrow. . . . For the third day in succession jockey Eddie Arcaro cancelled his riding engagements. . . . Trainer Jim Fitzsimmons, shpwing improvement over a touch of virus, was on hand at Aqueduct for a brief period this morning. He reported that Nashua was akoy. . . . Neil Boyle, track superintendent at Belmont Park, relayed word that he will be discharged from the North Shore Hospital next week. He will miss the opening of the Belmont Park meeting due to a badly infected foot which developed some time back. . . . The first turf race at Belmont Park will be staged on Saturday, May 19. The event, styled the Strath-* more, is at one mile and three furlongs for four-year-olds and over. Colt Survived Tragedy to Race Trainer Jack Lawrence was highly gratified yesterday over the showing of the two-year-old Hung Up, who finished second in his debut. Hung Up is one colt that is really entitled to his name and for several days last fall it was a question whether he would ever be named to race. Hung Up was acquired at the Keene-land fall vendues and in company with several others was vanned eastward to Virginia, destined for a White Post farm. All went weir until within a few miles of the farm, when the heavy trailer truck was crossing a railroad, track, then it happened. The truck was struck by an oncoming freight train and knocked into the . ditch alongside the track." There were eight yearlings in the van, and for a few minutes pandemonium reigned. The trailer in some manner got hung up on part of the embankment and as the train ground to a stop, the yearling, later to be known as Hung Up, -was on the bottom of the heap. He was a hox-rible looking specimen, knees bunged up, eyes closed, hip torn and lacerated, and a myriad of other injuries. When the muddle was straightened., out, three of the yearlings were dead and the others badly mauled. The veterinarians turned in a gpcd job on Hung Up and along about the first of the year the youngster began to show a renewed interest in his surroundings. Then came the breaking and educational period, .when he was pronounced fit by the vets, and everything worked out nicely. He turned in a handy performance in his first effort and as Jack Lawrence pointed out, the name is not coincidental but more of a compliment to the youngster. Trainer J. P. "Doc" Jones, who has a draft of horses at Belmont Park, will be a frequent commuter between New York and Pimlico. . . . "Skippy" Shapoff reported this morning that he expects a draft of horses from New Jersey this week. . . . Hash Weinstein has received an Irish-bred, a three-year-old named Malicious. The invader was a winner in his native heath. . . . Eddie Kilroe and Alex. Robb comprised a two-man inspection crew at Belmont Park this morning. . . . Luke OBrien, recovering from a heart condition suffered last winter, was a visitor yesterday.


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1950s/drf1956051101/drf1956051101_4_1
Local Identifier: drf1956051101_4_1
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800