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New York I By Bob Norwood Sir Robby Had Indicated Withers Potential Maneuverable Colt Averted Traffic Problem Guerin Atkinson Displaying Brilliant Form FormBELMONT BELMONT PARK Elmont L I N Y May 13 No real comparison between yesterdays auspicious opening of the Belmont Park meeting with that of last year is possible the 1957 session having started on a Friday which is gen ¬ erally the least attended day of the week However for the rec ¬ ord a year ago May 29 20257 patrons invested 1923215 While yesterday x 26128 sent 2165164 through the machines Thanks to delightful spring weather and an attractive program the majority should have had a thoroughly en joyable afternoon though it is to be feared that a considerable number went away shaking their heads sadly after the 83rd running of the 30250 Withers Mile Not that John S Kroeses Sir Robby who had won his last start in similar company at Jamaica had beaten Nadir at Hialeah and had set or forced the pace in the Flamingo Fountain of Youth Stakes and Florida Derby wasnt eligible to win There must have been a considerable number of fans who walked away spying I shoulda It might console them to recall that the late Joe H Palmer once reported that Bernard M Baruch Amer ¬ icas advisory statesman and generally regarded as one of the most astute men with a dollar of this turbulent era was also heard to say I shoulda after more than one race at his favorite Saratoga SaratogaJust Just how seriously Sir Robby should be taken in connection with such a fixture as the classic Belmont Stakes for which he is pointing is a mite hard to esti mate His race in the Withers was creditable from a time standpoint his 136 being threefifths faster than Clem required a year ago only a tick slower than Traffic Judge in 1955 twofifths faster than Jet Action in 1954 and identical with the time of Native Dancer in 1953 When Oh Johnny won the Withers in 1956 the race was run at 1 116 miles at Jamaica The track yesterday was officially good for the first five races but both Belmont and Jamaica are lightning fast when they have water in them as was evidenced by Lopars 110 for 6 furlongs in the fifth event and the 109 just a tick off Yemens track mark rippgtl off by Bull Strength in the sixth sixthAvenges Avenges Experimental Defeat DefeatTim Tim Tam Lincoln Road and Noureddin the first three in the Kentucky Derby who have all beaten Sir Robby were not in the Withers but Martins Rullah who beat him 21 lengths in the Experimental and was fifth in the Derby could finish no better than sixth yesterday beaten five lengths This could suggest that Sir Robby had improved sharply as threeyearolds often do almost overnight at this time of year or it could merely mean that Martins Rullah was still feeling the effect of his gruelling trip over the chewinggum track at Churchill Downs or didnt find that fast Bel ¬ mont strip to his liking likingSince Since Sir Robby won his previous start at Jamaica from wire to wire and yesterday was able to come from about three lengths off the fast pace set by Board Man he has evidently1 become a comparatively easy colt to handle Also though there were no champions in this Withers there was abundant speed and enough con ¬ testants to create a traffic problem for any colt who was not at least maneuverable and eager for competi ¬ tion So far as his chances in the 1M miles of the Bel ¬ mont Stakes in concerned obviously Sir Robby will have to show more than he did yesterday though in the Withers he was able to come from behind a swift pace and score going away with a last quarter in ap ¬ proximately 24 His sire Papa Redbird Balladier is not generally regarded as a source of stamina but the brown colt is out of a Sir Gallahad mare Possibly the 9furlong Peter Pan will tell us a little more about Sid Smiths charge chargeBelated Belated Praise for the Veterans VeteransIncidentally Incidentally during the winter this writer had a few unkind things to say about some of our older riders who were showing poor form at the time We would like to eat a few of those words particularly about some remarks as were made anent Eric Guerin nd Ted At ¬ kinson Guerins ride on Sir Robby could not have been improved upon while his performance on Admiral Vee in Saturdays Grey Lag Handicap was a masterpiece The Louisianian has been riding in his best form since the second half of the Hialeah meeting getting with his horses and displaying the skill and judgment that made him one of the very best riders on the scene not too long ago agoAtkinson Atkinson who piloted Clandestine into second place yesterday has seemed completely transformed since the opening of the New York season again showing the artistry of his best days in race after face As shrewd and jealous judges as rival jockey agents have com ¬ mented on the fine rides recently turned in by both of these veterans who happen also to be a credit to racing There are no two finer gentlemen connected with the sport than Eric Guerin and Ted Atkinson and it is a keen pleasure to again see them at their best bestAs As for the beaten colts in the Withers it would seem that few if any of them can have much future beyond 6 furlongs The pacemaking Board Man Pundit and Clandestine who held on a little better just ran out of wind Misty Flight did turn in a fair race but faltered when he had victory within his grasp at the furlong Continued on Page Forty Three NEW YORK YORKBY BY BOB HORWOOD Continued from Page Five Fivepole pole His stablemate Nasco evidently just wont do Liberty Ruler who may have needed the race gained steadily after a slow beginning and may yet race to his excellent pedigree This was only his sec ¬ ond start since February 15 and injuries retarded his training Whodunit had the slight excuse of racing on the outside all the way while Piano Jim bore out soon after the start and Start Counting was off slowly and apparently didnt care too much for the scale weight weightIf If you are not troubled by the specters of Searching Outer Space LoriEl Plotter Nile Lily and Fanciful Miss racing through your dreams not necessarily in this order you should find tomorrows Distaff Handi ¬ cap an engrossing contest We have frankly seen these same fillies and mares race so often week after week for he past few years that they are invading the pri ¬ vacy of our slumber and nothing could in ¬ terest us less than which of them will prove the winner of tomorrows 7furlong fix ¬ ture Last year Searching Fanciful Miss and Plotter finished in that order with al ¬ most the same weights they are carrying tomorrow Curiously none of the 10 others who disputed last years Distaff on July 20 are back for a second try though this years edition of the extended dash has drawn a field of 14 14Outer Outer Space who has drawn the favor ¬ able for a speed horse number one post position Nile Lily LoriEl and Happy Prin ¬ cess can be expected to cut out a torrid pace tomorrow with Plotter close at hand on the outside while Searching and Fanci ¬ ful Miss can be expected to make strong bids in the stretch We suspect that Plot ¬ ters outside post position will enable her to stay clear of flying sand which in turn may cause her to consent to race kindly If this be true Connivers daughter could win it and at similar inflationary odds to those obtainable on Sir Robby yesterday Of course the presence of Eddie Arcaro on Plotter will attract a considerable number of players who can also be depended upon to boo the Master after the race win or lose
