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% w New England By Fred Galiani Turf Scribe Undaunted by Lack of News Dusts Off Some Old Yarns to Fill Column Publisher Denied a Working Press Badge SUFFOLK DOWNS. East Boston, Mass., May 2.— It was a "dark" day at the race track and the inveterate horseplayer was lost. Time hung heavily on his hands: it was so long that he had an afternoon weekday off and he didnt know what to do. Eventually he wound up in a movie house, and, as luck would have it, the feature was a horse racing picture. Perfect. Comes the paddock scene before the big race and the horseplayer is taken by the filly entrant. Her conformation appealed to him and carried away by his enthusiasm he muttered out loud, "Id sure like to have 0 on that filly." From the darkness next to him came a voice, "If you want to get down, Ill take the bet." The deal was done. Now the race unfolds upon the screen. The filly leads from the start. Coming into the stretch, shes four in front. At the eighth pole, she leads by two lengths. Passing the sixteenth she has a length to the good. Then, bang, right on the wire she is beaten a nose. Sadly the horseplayer forked over 0 to his neighbor. "Thats all right," consoled his erstwhile bookmaker. "You dont have to pay me. I saw the picture before." "So did I," replied the horseplayer. "But I figured the filly might have been short last time." Okay, so you heard it before. Read OReilly for laughs. Speaking of movies recalls a remark trainer Tommy Queen made this winter in Florida. Tommy, who was having a lean year with his stock out of action, was asked one day how he was doing. "Terrible," he replied. "Im in the wrong barn." Wrong barn, he was queried. How come? "You see that big drive-in theatre right in back of my stalls? My horses stay up all night watching the movies. No wonder theyre so tired." . . . Hot walker Russell Sabbey, better known as Sabu, has started publishing his own backstretch newspaper. In his most recent issue, he takes flaming exception to the publicity department. Claims he was rudely and roughly treated. He cant understand why he doesnt deserve a working press pass. Its good he didnt ask Eddie Mack "the Old Sarge" for one when he was down at Lincoln. The eruption of Mount Etna would have sounded like a bubble bursting to the Sarge s explosive comments. But Sabu is not one to let the matter drop. Last we heard he was requesting an interview with Bobby Goldman and Ed Sullivan of the publicity corps. Most Pessimistic Race Fan Eavesdropping near the paddock the other day we heard a horseplayer wailing continuously. Seems he was having a bad run of luck. "Im going so bad," he was overheard to say, "that I was even thinking of buying a ticket on every horse in a race. But Im afraid of that. If I did, sure as shooting theyd call the race null and void." Sometimes you get to feel that way. . . . Hudson Clay, the man who claims he was jobbed in a dancing contest with Bo jangles Robinson upteen years ago, has not been around the press box these days, confined to his home with a virus. The Massachusetts Handicap wont be run until June 24, but one turf club patron isnt taking any chances of not having a table in the dining room that day. The other afternoon he made his reservation with Wilson Conrad, the maitre de. The one who has the honor of so leading the list is Merle Matthews, of Fitchburg, Mass. . . . Bob Cournoyer. veteran member of the mutuels staff, has been seriously ill in Kenmore Hospital with a virus. He hopes to be discharged some time this week. . . . Jockey Fred Wilkie departed for what he hopes is greener pastures when he left for Sportsmans Park in Chicago, where he will report to trainer Frank Fitzgerald. . . . Lou Sauviac, who trains the horses for the Argonne Stable, will send the three-year-old Grand Wizard to Garden State for an engagement there on May 9. After that he is slated to return for the 5,000 Suffolk Downs Anniversary Stakes on May 23. Gibson and Sullivan Plan Tour Earl Gibson and Ed Sullivan will leave on an inspection tour of sorts Monday. They will go to Rose-croft Raceway in Maryland to confer with general manager James M. Lynch, who will serve as racing secretary for the fall trotting meet here. On Tuesday night the pair will junket over to Shenendoah Downs to inspect the lighting system at the West Virginia oval. The Shenendoah system was installed by engineer Arthur Hamilton, who is engaged in the same work here for the coming trot session. . . . Chuck Corolla, the East Providence rider turned trainer, checked in from Florida with his two-horse stable. . . . Sidney Barton, owner of Greek Star, came up from New York to watch his colorbearer in action in the Puritan Handicap. . . . Red Pollard was thrown from a horse in a workout this morning and taken to Revere Memorial Hospital for examination. Phil Reimer, the Lynn clothier who turns the jockeys into sartorial pictures, made his first visit of the season. . . . Charlie Reynolds, who saddled Greek Star in the Puritan, spent a busy morning shaking hands with old acquaintances. . . . The constant rains of the past week forced a cancellation of all turf races, but with the promise of spring weather of a balmy nature, the infield sport will begin next week.
