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Connors Corner By Chuck Connors Golden Dreads First Race on New Turf Course Hazard of Crossing Widener Chute Eliminated Toluene Will Seek Coaching Club Oaks Honors BELMONT PARK, Elmont, L. I., N. Y., May 14. John Golden, track superintendent at this mamouth racing ground, is dreading the approach of Saturday for on that date the first race over the new grass course will be contested. This is a 7-furlong dash and Golden is a bit apprehensive that the flying hoofs of the starters will dig out more divots than a flock of duffers on a golf course. Belmont Park has, for the first time, a real honest to goodness turf course and the outcome of the first race will be watched with particular interest by owners, trainers, jockeys and some pa trons as well. Last year, or for the past few years, Belmont Park boasted of a hodge-podge turf course. The course was part turf and part dirt and as a result was described by the members of the Paddock Gang as neither flesh nor fowl. The reason for the twin conditions was that the now abandoned Widener course split the centerfield in two. The most criticized section of the old turf course was that near the finish line, roughly between the final three-sixteenths and furlong pole markers. Horses were prone to change strides crossing from the turf to the dirt and then after 150 feet or so, back to the turf again. Now this hazard has been eliminated and all -that remains to be seen is whether horses will like the new type footing. The rains -which fell heavily during the night worked wonders on the turf course and the new grass. The main track, however, was something else, it was water soaked and gave those who are pronounced mudders a bit of an edge despite the fact that it has been -broadcast far and wide that New York tracks never get muddy. Plan Horses-in-Training Sale Humphrey Finney dropped in from Connecticut and lost no time in stating that the annual sale of horses in training will be held at Belmont Park on June 8 and 9. Finney said that the two-day sale would include 200 horses and that the salesring would be pitched up alongside the old straightaway near Ray Woolfes stable on the hill. Horses of all types will be sold to the highest bidder. . . . Trainer Jim Ryan stated that following the graduation effort of Mrs. John R. H. Thourons Royal Dazzler yesterday, that he would be raced in overnight events until time for his engagement in the Belmont Stakes. Royal Dazzler was bred by John A. Bell Jr. and is by a favorite campaigner of his owner, Royal Vale. Trainer Walter A. Kelley of Elmendorf reported this morning that Toluene who was purchased from Harold Polk of Alexandria, Va., would be shipped here from Pimlico. Toluene was an easy winner of the Black Eyed Susan at that course and her next engagement is the Coaching Club Oaks. . ,. . Trainer Jimmy Jones, who has the main division of the Calumet Farm stable in Chicago sent instructions this way that Kentucky Pride and A Glitter would be shipped to Arlington Park for racing in that sector. . . . Trainer Mack Miller registered a new acquisition this morning, Scottsdale, owned by Mrs. Edward M. Corbett. . 4 . Tommy Luther dropped in from New England and reported that he will be a hometown boy for a brief while during the Saratoga Springs meeting. . . . Harry F. Guggenheim of Cain Hoy Stable had as his guest yesterday, General Jimmy Doolittle. . . . Mrs. Frank C. Rand returned to the clubhouse contingent following a touch of illness. Hirsch Back From Baltimore Mrs. Katherine MacLeod arrived from Virginia en route to Cape Cod. She stopped off to visit her son and daughter-in-law, the Colin MacLeods for a few races. . . . Charles Mather II. of Philadelphia came over to attend a meeting of The Jockey Club and then decided to remain over for some racing. . . . Max Hirsch returned from Baltimore to supervise the final training trial of the King Ranchs Resaca for her Acorn engagement on the week end. . . . Trainer Sherrill Ward will go to Garden State on Saturday to saddle Idun, owned by Mrs. Josephine Bay Paul in her Colonial Handicap engagement. . . . Trainer Lucien Laurin deferred the training of Crafty Admiral, owned by the Charfran Stable, until this afternoon. The colt is being saddled for the Withers. Trainer Casey Hayes checked out for Baltimore and the Preakness site, Pimlico, where on Saturday he will saddle First Landing for his engagement. . . . Whats the name of that horse on the program cover? Well, that question was asked goodness knows how many times. The answer is Rosemere Queen, a Florida-bred and the jockey is Sammy Boulmetis. The picture was taken in Florida and on that particular day Rosemere Queen, owned by P. C. and G. P. Taylor, finished last in a field of 14 starters. . . . F. Ambrose Clark was on hand for some racing during the afternoon. . . . Jack Amiel deserted Times Square for an hour or so during the afternoon. He motored out to lend moral support to his old campaigner, Mr. Turf.
