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California *-— By Oscar Otis Hollywood Park Meet Off to Fine Start Point Monks Hood for Rogers and Derby Classified Roster Boasts Broad Base HOLLYWOOD PARK,.Inglewood, Calif., May 9.— Hollywoods inaugural Friday surpassed all expectations. The crowd was up a trifle at 32,420 over last opening day, and the wagering soared some 10 per cent. Good old Silky Sullivan, still a hero to some folks in the West, seemingly, for he drew a ripple of applause as he went to the post in the sub-feature, the Roy Campanella Purse, brought down the house when his stretch run was good to win going away from his stable-mate, Tyhawy, at 6 furlongs. And the featured 0,000 Hollywood Premiere, also at 6 furlongs. turned out to be a bitter contest of speed, with Alham-bra, Fleet Nasrullah and Aliwar running as a team for most of the distance. But at the end, Alhambra and Aliwar gave way, and Fleet Nasrullah went on to win by a length and a quarter from a charging Terrang and a game-going Seaneen. Fleet Nasrullahs time was 1:09, flat. Pretty rapid even for a good horse, which Fleet Nasrullah seemingly is. As for Silky Sullivan, we are convinced that he is what many discerning folks suspected along about Kentucky Derby time a year ago, that he is truly a sprinter and not a distance horse. Sure, he went the mile and a furlong successfully in the Santa Anita Derby, but in that race, he beat a ,500 type horse, Harcall. When pitched against the best, he wants 6 or at least no more than 7 furlongs even though unlike most sprinters, hed rather come from behind than set the pace. Last horse of this type we recall that amounted to much was Leading Article some 20 years ago at Santa Anita. The whole racing program was zestful * and one that augurs for a record breaking season. Silky and Fleet Nasrullah both gave the crowd its moneys worth, and no racing fan could ask for more thrills than developed during the inaugural afternoon. Alvarado Discusses His Big Horse Thwarted from starting in the Kentucky Derby by a .minor training mishap, the California-bred Monks Hood is training smartly here for the 5,0000 added Will Rogers Stakes at one mile May 30 and trainer Willie Alvarado says he hopes to prove up this son of Kings Abbey in the 00,000 added Hollywood Derby. "We flew Monks Hood to Kentucky to run,- explains Alvarado, "and it was a bitter disappointment we couldnt get him to the post. He wrenched a shoulder and was so sore one morning he could hardly walk. But Dr. Alex Harthill had him as good as cured within three days by the use of cortisone in capsule form. However, he missed the Derby Trial, and without it, • couldnt have been fit in the Derby, although on that Saturday, he was sound enough. The trip cost Earl Stice owner of Royal Orbit more than ,000, but it was worth it. At least, Monks Hood would have had his chance had not circumstance intervened. This was the second time that Ive lost a chance at the Derby through bad luck. My first was with Windy City n., one of the best three-year-olds I have ever seen and one in whom I had every confidence would prove a stayer. As for Monks Hood, hell go to Chicago following Hollywood Park, and from there, who knows?" Racing secretary Johnny Maluvius has posted his first classification list and more than bears out the observation made a few days ago that Hollywood is stronger than ever before in its higher grade allowance classes. /Maluvius ratings do not include three-year-olds, but there are, among the fours and up, 143 colts and geldings and 61 fillies. Fourteen are listed in the "A" group, to wit: Alhambra, Amerigo, Anisado, Eddie Schmidt, Golden Notes, Hillsdale, How Now, Royal Living, Seaneen, Swirling Abbey, Terrang, Tempest H. and the two distaffers, Bug Brush and Two Cent Stamp. It is likely Bug Brush will often as not challenge colts, against which she raced so boldly at Santa Anita. In past years, Hollywoods only major weakness in a theoretical balanced racing program has been the lack of worthy fillies and mares. But with 61 estimated as good enough to be classified, it would not be surprising if at long last the distaffers came into their own in the West. Prospect for Fine Juvenile Program Vice-president and general manager Jim Stewart, in appraising the prospects of the meeting, observes, "I would not be surprised if "the two-year-olds emerged as the most brilliant part of our whole stakes program. More than 200 youngsters have remained eligible for the 00,000 added Hollywood Juvenile Championship to be run July 18. This number more than doubled our original estimate. It is possible now that even though 5,000 will be distributed in place, show, and fourth awards the winner will net a bit more than 00,000." Stewart well realizes that money in itself cannot create a great race, although money always helps. But in the instance of the championship, he added the ingredient of a modest fee 0 on March 1, plus 00 additional to remain eligible on May 1 lifts the stake from out of the ordinary run of the mill class. The psychology of the fee race could be analyzed at great length, but suffice to say it does seemingly give owner and trainer a greater interest in such a stake and something definite at which to point. The only objection that is valid against the fee race is overdoing it. And no track on the West Coast has ever been guilty of that.
