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Argentina Rains Cause Shift Of Palermo Meets By HUGH LYALL Our Buenos Aires Correspondent BUENOS AIRES, Argentina . Once again heavy rains have washed out racing at Palermo and both week-end meetings had to be held on the grass at San Isidro. So far as we can discover there is no precedent for this. Individual meetings have been affected by storms in the past: but repeated transfers owing to rain and floods are not recorded. Possibly racing in discomfort is better than no racing at all; but these winter trans fers are far from happy. When the architects designed San Isidro track they were influenced, no doubt, by convenience of approach and a picturesque setting. All that makes San Isidro very attractive until winter arrives. Then it is a very different story. The prevailing rains and winds sweep into the faces of spectators on the stands, whose roofs afford very little protection; and water gets down into the basements where bets are paid out. Only the enthusiasm of the race fan keeps him a constant patron of San Isidro on a bad day. Bad weather and heavy going had their effect on both week-end meetings. Ruth, overwhelming favorite for the Federico B. Bosch sprint, did not run and the much-improved Rumbita beat Betty Davis by three lengths in a field of four. The time was 1:13 for the 6 furlongs. Rumbita, who took a long time to get out of the maiden class, has now won four in a row. She is by Timor Tourbillion out of Rumorosa by The Druid Bahram from Ruth by Applecross Hurry On. The field for Sundays Eliseo Ramirez was also cut down to four. This was disappointing as the race is one of the seasons important events for three-year-old fillies. Bedouine was favorite by a slight margin over Mireille; but there was no doubt about her superiority when the race was run. After indulging first Taraguita and then Blasia with the lead during the first 2 furlongs, she then went ahead and won with consummate ease by three lengths. Mireille was second a half length ahead of Taraguita. Time 1:27 for 7. fur-longs. Bedouine, who came to hand slowly, has now settled down as prabably the best two-year-old filly seen on the track this season. She is a dark bay daughter of Sideral Seductor out of Brownie by R u s t o m Pasha from Black Arrow by Swynford, and belongs to the Martinez de Hoz family. Earlier in the afternoon Panair, a colt by Seductor Aleta, owned by Sr. J. A. Martinez de Hoz, won his second race, also by three lengths, in 1:26V6 over the seven - furlong track. With half the two-year-old season now gone many judges are inclined to think that Bedouine and Panair are about the best filly and colt sent out thus far. That may be so; but it is still a little early to hail them as champions. Our local "Derby" is not run until October. Incidentally, it is interesting to observe that both two-year-olds are bred from locally produced, stallions, both at the Chapad-malal farm. Reports are that when Carapalida makes his reappearance towards the end of the month he will be conceded a walk-over. If this proves to be the case, there will be great disappointment in the racing world. Atlas, whose victory in Brazil, has placed him in the front rank, had been expected to meet Carapalida. So had last years champion, Manantial, and one or two others which, if not champions, are among the best in training. But it is now stated that ManantiaPs connections have decided to postpone his reappearance once again; that Atlas will go up to Rio de Janeiro seeking another big Brazilian prize; and that the lesser horses will seek easier engagements. All this re-shuffle seems to be a direct consequence of Carapalidas runaway classic victory, when he showed that same brilliance which made him the outstanding horse of 1957. It is a pity that a really good horse gets so few chances of showing how really good he is. Once he is announced to be a runner, fields dry up; owners of other horses look for easier races and the spectacles racegoers would really like to see the best Continued on Page Fifty Report From Argentina By HUGH LYALL Continued from Page Eleven pitted against each holder do not materialize. Owners have a perfect right to use their valuable property in the way they consider best; but it is to be regretted that there is not a deeper spirit of sportsmanship. To withdraw a horse from a race because "it cannot beat the favorite" seems to be in conflect with the basic principles of racing. There is no such thing as a certainty; and that can only be proved on the track with horses in combat. Turf history shows that they win in all shapes and . sizes and that there never was a real certainty, no matter what the betting odds.
