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. c , Nagler on Racing W?as in Front Is Popular Query in Widener Chute Races By BARNEY NAGLER BELMONT- PARK, L. I., N. Y., June 3.-Jnevitably, in the press box, they began talking about the Widener course, unpopularly known as the Widener chute, and even one new to the aviary said he had heard many things said about the sandy seven- eighths mile trough, mostly in deprecation but some in support. .He said, "Ive heard fellows say its a fine training ground for horses only two years old and just learning to run in competition." "Youre right," a little fellow said.- "There is nothing like it for two-year-olds because it is a straight run and the horses learn to run straight and true." "Why is the chute abused?" "I would say," the little one said without hesitation, "that it is a target of abuse because the sight-line is not true. What I mean is you dont get to see the competition Until it is heading for the finish. But the ones who know like it because it is a true estimation of a horses ability, running down the chute." "Chutes a bad word for the, thing," the other one said. "A chute indicates a quick descent, or a fall, and perhaps thats whats wrong with the thing." Just then Fred Capossela, the track caller, began calling off a race down the chute. "Take this race," a man said. "There are 23 horses in it, and when its over, Ill bet, therell be some dispute right here as to the winner, unless on horse wins it big." Now the four and one-half furlong sprint was over. "I have Picknicking winning it," a fellow said. "It was the number 10 horse," another said. "I got a good shot at it." "Who knows who won it," somebody else said. "Who can tell?" They waited for the numbers to go up and the one on top was 1A, Picnicking, and the man who had said Picnicking had won said, "you could see it easy, he was ahead right from the three-eighths pole." "Easy to say," another said, "when it was over, but for me it was tough picking them apart coming to the wire. Another thing, they got that new finish-line sign up there on the far side of the chute when it should be on this side, nearer the stands." "Why?" "Because it. should be nearer the stands because it should be nearer the people looking at the race." Most Jockeys Are Right-Sighted "Could be," a fellow said, "although most jockeys are right-sighted, like most people are right-handed, and they see this finish sign out of the right side coming down the chute." "Well, what Im saying is that you noticed the last race. Notice how they all ran closer I to the inside rail than the other side, even! though there were 23 horses?" "Is that the best place to run down the chute?" "No," a fellow said, "the best place is right down the middle." "What I was saying," the other one said, "is that most of the horses are run down rthe inside rail, and thats why I say the finish sign, which is new and nice and round and red, should be up there on the inside rail of the chute, not outside, like it is." "What Im trying to find out," the newcomer said, "is why the abuse of the chute? The finish sign isnt that iimportant." "The abuse is not so general "as you think," the little man said, "as I was saying, if only the people had a real shot at it with their eyes. And seeing the horses, they could really tell whos in front." "Its almost like the old Abbott and Cos-tello gag, whos on first?" "Whats in front, thats the question here," the little fellow said. "Me," a main said, "I have heard many lines pulled on the Widener chute down through the year. So has everybody. Which one do you think was the best one?" Nobody answered. "The one 2 like," the man answered himself, "was the one Caswell Adams pulled. He said, If the Russians ever invade New York theyll come down the Widener chute. Nobodyll ever know theyre coming. "
