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California By Kent Cochran ; — 1 Californias Top Riders Leaving State Swaybackness No Bar to Racing Ability Breeders Mourn Death of Steve Hammond GOLDEN GATE FIELDS, Albany. Calif., May 3.— "California seems to be losing a lot of jockeys to the Middle West and East. Willie. Shoemaker, Ismael Val- enzuela, Gordon Glisson, Manuel Ycaza and Bill Harmatz appear to have deserted the West Coast in favor of greener pastures. Ralph Neves went to Louisville to ride in the Derby, but he Is a certainty to return West, pronto. Local horsemen are hurting over the vamoosing of these veteran reinsmen, and also over the loss, of Jackie Leonard to New York and Tepper Porter to Maryland. The The latter latter pair pair of of apprentices apprentices are are The The latter latter pair pair of of apprentices apprentices are are generally appraised as being among the most promising developed here In some years. . . . California horsemen are beginning to raise a hue and cry over the paucity of upcoming young lightweight riders. We even hear owners and trainers wondering whether the TRA may not some time take .cognizance of the situation and underwrite a school for jockeys, in order to assureT-a. supply of competent reinsmen to replace the oldsters who gradually., drop out of the picture as active riders. The various Horsemens Benevolent and Protective Association divisions might be asked to sieve out likely prospects for such a school, it has been suggested, since teen-age would-be jockeys apply first of all to the horsemen for jobs as hot walkers and exercise riders. Curtsy, a chestnut filly by Spotted Bull who won here recently, is a pronounced swayback. Horsemen say the structural defect apparently has nothing to do with ability* to run either fast or far. Judge George Schilling recalls that Sway, a dependable stakes winner in Kentucky 40 years ago, was so swaybacked. that, the fans nicknamed his regular rider, Andy Claver. "Deep-Sitting Claver." From his lowered saddle Claver was barely able to peer over Sways withers. The sag-backed horse once figured in a famous match race at Latonia with Fantoche. . .... We hear that a group of promoters will shortly start construction of "a 0,000,000 desert resort on the shore of Salton Sea, in Southern Californias Imperial Valley. One can envision the tropical climate; palms waving in the breeze, bright sunlight. With the plan there are whispers j I a race track to be" built nearby. Salton Sea is below" sea level. Dates and other tropical fruits thrive. Wyndle Handling Young Ecuador Rider Horsemen generally feel that trainer Willie Wyndte; ex -jockey andlongrtime head exercise rider for the late R. H. McDaniel, will make a rider out of Elcar Aragun-di, the lad from Ecuador he picked up a few months ago at Tijuana. Aragundi, according to Al Shelhamer; is a promising apprentice. . . . Charlie Corbett, ttho re-• cently turned down a 50,000 offer for the Chevy Chase Golf Club which he got for 0,000 about 18 years ago, is* said to be the best-heeled former jockey in California, as.Sonny Workman and Alfred Robertson are in the East. The still active bigpoke lads include Johnny Longden, ddie Arcaro, Ted Atkinson, Ralph Neves, Eric Guerin, Johnny Adams, and Willie Shoemaker. ,, . *. Dr. Kemp Dowdy, noted San Francisco dermatologist, says he and his expert horsewoman wife are gradually building up their band of thoroughbred broodmares on their Novato Ranch. At present their stock consists partially of,. Arabians, the stock which they previously bred exclusively. The turf seldom sees a workout such as that turned in last week at Hollywood Park by Round Table, Travis Kerrs colt went 9 furlongs in V.50V5. which is only two and two-fifths seconds, off the track record jointly held by Swaps and Alidon — and not much farther from the world record. Round Table did the last quarter in :23*s, which for a workout-was simply flying; considering that he was doing it without urging. His last furlong was clipped.off in :12, whereas when he, equaled the world record last winter at Santa Anita- he required one tick longer,, or :12YS for that last panel Omelia, Argentina mare who last year won the Gateway Handicap at Golden Gate-Fields, will be campaigned Chicago this year by trainer Dick Watts, for Bill Gilmore, who bought her this week. Mrs. Fuddy, winner of a rich stake at Hollywood Park in the colors of the late Tom Simmons, gave birth to a colt foal Thursday, by Sullivan, sire of Silky Sullivan. The mare is at Conejo Ranch, where she will be bred to Poona II. Owner Reggie Johnson has declined an offer of 0,000 from Dr. Jack Robbins for Mrs. Fuddy and her foal. Ponder Future of Greenacres Stud Horsemen, especially breeders, regret the sudden passing of Steve Hammond, who a few years ago set up one of southern Californias largest and most successful breeding farms, Greenacres Stud, in Chino. Hammond was a credit to the breeding industry, and everyone associated with, horses here is pulling for his young widow, Mary Lou, to carry on the farm operation, as Mrs. Ann Peppers, Mrs. Connie Ring and other successful women breeders have done. Hammond, an industrialist by profession, built up a highly efficient horsebreeding organization at Greenacres Stud, placing Dr. R. Scott Jackson, resident vet, and I. L. "Bud" Hart, farm manager, at its head. The farm is in one of the most fertile sections of California and near the center of the states greatest concentration of horse farms. Besides running a herd of cattle/toe ranch sustains eight thorpughbred..;StaViqn.s. ,nd about a hundred head of mares, growing and layup stock.
