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Judges Stand By Charles Hatton MJC Mulls Preakness Preceding Ky. Derby Pondfield Plans Earlier Futurity Renewal Sword Dancer May Restore Title to East PIMLICO, Baltimore, Md., May 6.— The situation is normal in Maryland. Governor Tawes has reversed the field and signed the "Ripper Bill." His constitu ents have retaliated with a petition to prevent him from naming a squad of five of his vo-tarists to a rather whimsical racing commission. Somebody is tinkering with the dates again, suggesting winter meets of 40 days at Bowie and Pimlico. The MJC is thinking of running the richer Preakness ahead of the Derby. The winner of the Derby has taken Greeleys advice, giving the Preakness the outward aspects of a consolation prize. It is just like old times. Whatever else is said of Maryland racing, it is at least never dull. Even on those rare days there is none going on. Especially on those days when the sun is below the equator and rescue parties are evacuating people from Bowie. There is considerable nonplussage at Pimlico over the origin of the proposal for a 40 days winter meet. Executive director Lou Pondfield, who is one of our favorite track operators, cheerfully admits: "We have been thinking some time of deciding the Preakness ahead of the Derby. You know, it was several times years ago, and it seemed to work out pretty well. Of course, there is much more racing now. But we might attract some colts before they start breaking down if we ran it earlier." A number of Louisville horsemen thought Tomy Lee came out of the Derby a bit the worse for wear, and surmise this may have influenced Frank Childs to ship West. Traditional Fall Fixtures Involved Continuing, Pondfield said: "But a 40 days meet would mean that we would abandon the Pimlico Futurity and Pimlico Special. That is unthinkable. Matter of fact, I consider the Futurity one of our really great races. We have in mind changing its date, advancing it on the program of our fall stakes, so that it does not come any longer after The Garden State than is necessary, say 10 days or so. before the majority of the top colts are unwound." As in Swaps and Determines years, the course of the empire is west in the three-year-old division just now, what with Tomy Lee, the pro tern leader of the colts, and Silver Spoon, intrinsically best of both sexes, taking the honors to Hollypark. The possibility they will meet in Jim Stewarts 00,000 Hollywood Derby of 9 furlongs on June 27 is one of the fascinations of the sport on this side of the Atlantic during the weeks ahead. But the Preakness could develop one capable of going west to bring the title back east. Native sons declare the Scots will have recovered the Stone of Scone from the English before it happens. And yet Sword Dancer and Royal Orbit are Preakness candidates eligible for the coast race. Turf ana: There is a disturbing question if Maryland racing has not reached the saturation point. The increase in the take from 10 to 12 per cent several years ago precipitated a decrease in business. To offset this and wring more revenue from racing the state instituted nine races daily. But daily average play at Laurel was ,053,320 against ,050,548 with eight events last spring, and Laurel posted 29 more purses than in 58. If the pattern continues Maryland will lose an estimated 00,000 in tax during the fiscal year beginning July 1. . . . The importance of adjusting post times to "get the fans home in time for dinner" is not lost on our promoters, and marks a progress in domestic relations. Back in 37 A.D. there was a chap, Nero, whose character was somewhat charred as a musician, but whose good side deserves to be remembered. After all, he did not murder his mother until he was 21 years old. Besides, he only did it to please his sweetheart, Poppaea Sabina. Of course, he later kicked Sabina to death. But that was her own fault. Historians tell us she was continually nagging him for coming home late from the races. Royal Orbit Eyes Mondays Prep First Landing is growing in favor as a rival for Sword Dancer and now looms a steady second choice in the Preakness. Somebody should get the message through to Univac that "the place you lose it is the place to get it back." The electronic brain blew a metaphoric fuse when Chris Chenerys colt was beaten as the favorite at Louisville. . . . Nothing delicate about Royal Orbit. He is to have a dress rehearsal in Mondays Preakness Prep. . . . Operative 6% saw excuses for Rico Tesio last week end. But then he watched it on TV here, thus was closer to the action than we were, at an altitude of 80 feet in the Downs press box. Manuel Ycaza had an even better seat, on Rico Tesio s back. His account, with gestures, belongs on "Playhouse 90." We take it something pretty grisly occurred at the three-eighths pole. Alan Levy intercepted the Manchester Guardians Alistair Cooke the other day and asked his impressions of the differences in the Epsom and Kentucky Derbys. The Epsom race is a triumph of billboards over sport. Besides, it is always raining over there. . . . Joe Stevens says it is perfectly true. There are tracks with dirty dirt and grassy turf, but Delaware will have iced ice.
