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|| New York By Bob Horwood Bed o Roses Handicap Heads Jamaica Card Should Provide Interesting Contest Today Older Distaff Division Is Lacking in Stars JAMAICA, L. I., N. Y., May 1.— You dont have to go all the way to Churchill Downs to see thoroughbred racing Saturday, and were not referring to what may be seen on your TV. Here at Jamaica, despite the fact that it is Derby Day, and impressions to the contrary notwithstanding, the 5,000 Bed o Roses Handicap will head a program of nine races. And the Bed o Roses, which is named for Alfred G. Vanderbilts crack filly of a decade ago, promises to be an excellent horse race, though there may not be any champions or potential champions in the field. The fact that Mrs. Ethel D. Jacobs three-year-old Hope Is Eternal is top-weight on the scale indicates that racing secretary Jimmy Kilroe is in full agreement with trainer Hirsch Jacobs low opinion of the older fillies and mares. The departure from the racing scene of Searching, Outer Space and Alanesian has left a void that has not been filled by any of the four-year-olds as yet. Hope Is Eternal was probably best in the Prioress Stakes, in which she finished second to Miss Royal after being squeezed back to last place soon after the start and should appreciate the added distance of the Bed o" Roses, which is at 1 1-16 miles. Brookmeade Stables Big Effort, who is actual topweight with 122 pounds, has always been an erratic miss, but showed in the Acorn Stakes and Delaware Oaks that she is amply capable when willing to do her best. H. H. Polks Mile. Dianne, who seems unable to win a stake, though often coming close, looms very dangerous at 117 pounds. She was able to find room, on the rail for her stretch run last out and won impressively, but usually has had to lose much ground, or been blocked. Roy R. Hunts Hoosier Honey, who made a successful stakes invasion last year, is coming up for the race. Though her Maryland races this year have been poor, recent trials suggest that she is coming around and she seems well-placed at 116 pounds. Alvin Handmachers Meticulous is another who should be closing well under 114 pounds and is a model of consistency, though possibly lacking a little in class. Silver Spoon vs. Quill Unlikely Horsemen who have seen her run, and some who have not, are unanimous in declaring that even if C. V. Whitneys Silver Spoon proves unable to handle the colts in the Kentucky Derby, she ran undoubtedly beat all those of her own sex. Not having seen the daughter of Citation since she won her debut with an ,000 claiming tag here at Jamaica last fall, were not in a position to dispute this judgement. However, it seems from here that these accolades are slightly premature. After all, we had an undeniable filly champion last year in the person of Reginald N. Websters Quill, a miss who, if we recall correctly, had to shove opponents out of her way to find racing room in the Gardenia Stakes. Unfortunately, it seems unlikely that Silver Spoon and Quill will meet on the race track this year, as the Whitney filly is scheduled to return to California while Quill will be going in the Acorn and Coaching Club American Oaks at Belmont Park. Incidentally, Quills uction is so deceptively smooth that this writer and Jimmy Kilroe both estimated her 7 furlongs on Wednesday as being negotiated in 1:33, rather than the 1:29% in which she was caught by dockers. Jack Skinner, who manages the Middleburg training track in Virginia for Paul Mellon put us straight about where Howell E. Jacksons Tick Tock wintered. The son of Double Jay was first at Jacksons farm, about three miles from Middleburg, then moved to the training track which is one of the finest in the country. Skinner also tells us that Mellon last week won the annual 100-mile race, which centers in Hot Springs, Va. This sporting event, in which the riders have to train and care for their own mounts, is a three-day contest drawing about 30 entrants, of whom only about 20 finish. Pursuing different courses each day, the contestants go 20 miles out from Hot Springs and 20 miles back the first two days, then cover 10 miles each way the third day. Obviously, they dont travel at a racing clip, but jog or canter much of the gruelling journey. Report Martins Rullah Injured Gene Jacobs reports that George Lewis Martins Rullah came out of the Excelsior Handicap the worse for wear. The Nasrullah four-year-old rapped himself in California last winter and aggravated the injury last Saturday. Fred Thompsons Sabotage was hit in the eye in the same race when making a strong move near the three-furlong pole. The eye was closed completely for several days. . . . Most of the owners of the 18 yearlings who were paraded for Queen Elizabeth II. at Middleburg last year were given names to commemorate the event. Royal Eighteen, Queens Visit and Gracious Visit are just three of them. . . . Gene Jacobs had his fingers of both hands I crossed as Crafty Skipper sped through the stretch in Wednesdays Jamaica Cap. Jacobs trained the track record holder. Sheilas Reward, who is now at stud, and feared the mark would be lowered. L. D. Fruchtmans Bally Ache, who set a track record here on Wednesday, trained for his Hialeah Juvenile victory at Sunshine Park and trained for his record race at Sportsmans Park. Is this a system! Freddie Parks, who was at Sunshine last winter, says that trainer H. J. Pitt, who led the conditioners there and at Sportsmans, has a six-year-old for Nissen and Brock named Pan, who would be welcome at New York. Pan won five or six races at Sunshine and the son of Ali-bhai — Dentelle, by Blenheim II., seems to have some of the class you would expect from that pedigree.
