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o I REFLECTIONS L_ By Nelson Dunstan J i Arlington Officials Well Pleased Alsab Not in Stars and Stripes Maryland Fall Racing Fine Mess Swisher Talks on Jockeys Guild ; ■ ! ! . The first three days of the Arlington meeting have been pleasing to the officials. On Wednesday, the mutuel play was approximately 0,000 over the same day last year and more improvement is expected as the meeting rolls along. Competition has been keen and many of the races of a high order. Transportation facilities have improved since the ODT issued its recent edict on the more liberal use of electric , | cars. The interest should quicken this coming week and more so with the running ! j of the Stars and Stripes and other important events to follow. Count Fleet is the | | j I r I r 1 I * number one topic, for Chicagoans are naturally anxious to see the sensational Hertz colt, even though many "name horses will be in action between now and Sep- tember 6, when the 0,000 Washington Park Handicap will bring the combined meetings to a close. But during July the Arlington Lassie, the Matron, Grasslands Handicap turf, Arlington Futurity, Classic, and Arlington Handicap will offer those in the Windy City a brand of sport comparable to any in the world. Day after day Webb Everett has had high class programs and with "name" horses constantly arriving, he will continue to keep it on a quality basis. That fourth meeting between Whirlaway and Alsab will not take place in the Stars and Stripes at Chicago on July 5. When the nominations were released today the Sabath colts name was not among I I ► t i I I ■ - . I | those listed. Whirlaway is named for both the Stars Nelson Dunstan and Stripes and the Massachusetts Handicap on Firecracker Day. We are guessing, but will venture that the worlds money- winning champion will remain to race in the Arlington event. Assigned 126 pounds, Whirlaway will start in the Equipoise Mile tomorrow and will be giving some shifty speedsters much the best of it in weight. Thumbs Up is in at 113 and Fairaris and Aletern, 112. The latter has been Awkins orse around Chicago this season. Some spectators were not impressed when, in his first start of the year, "Mr. Big Tail" finished third. Taking everything into consideration, it was a good start and augurs well for the future. He needs more than a mile to show at his best, and it is our belief that tomorrows race will advance him sharply for the 0,000 Stars and Stripes on July 5. Undoubtedly some of those in tomorrows Equipoise will also oppose him in the holiday event that will be featured for War Relief. Tomorrows Brooklyn Handicap will be the first of many rich races in the weeks to come. With 0,000 in added money, it is rich in itself and Greentree holds a powerful hand in Shut Out and Devil Diver. John Gaver has said he may send one of this pair to Chicago for the 0,000 Stars and Stripes and the other to Boston for the 0,000 Massachusetts Handicap. When informed of this Ben Lindheimer said: "That is eminently fair to both tracks and either one makes a valuable addition to any race." Five days after Jhese rich holiday events, the 0,000 Butler will be staged at the Empire meeting, so it is possible for a horse to stay in the East, or i come West, and then go back for the Butler and win about 00,000 in two short weeks. Before the month is out he could win another chunk in the 0,000 Arlington Handicap, to be run on July 31. It is all very alluring on paper, but we expect that every one of these events will be bitterly contested and the money fairly well spread out among owners. Even with Alsab not nominated, a good-sized field should oppose Whirlaway, regardless of which event Ben Jones elects for him. Marylands fall situation has become one Heluva mess. Bowie has now joined with Havre de Grace and Laurel in asking for a 10-day meeting to be staged at Pimlico. Under the Maryland law only 30 days of major fall racing can be staged. If each of the tracks were granted 10 days at Pimlico, it would mean that the Maryland Jockey Club would have to cancel its own fall meet-1 ing. The hysteria which gripped the officials in the Old Line State when some unnamed politician said racing caused "absenteeism" only to be proven dead wrong, is now coming home to roost. The state needs the revenue, still the governor signed a bill which would limit the sport to 30 days that now has four claimants as to dates. If the Maryland Commission is to be charged with the responsibility, we can well understand why Chester Hockley recently resigned "due to the pressure of business." Had he said: "Too much silly business," it would have been more understandable. The track heads cannot be blamed for the situation, nor can the Maryland Jockey Club be blamed for not wanting to give up their track and dates so that three others tracks can be accommodated. The more you mull it over, the more ridiculous it becomes. out. would at least protect them and make handouts from friends unnecessary." ride for a living. He is working on an endowment plan that would make members modestly independent when badly injured or when days of retirement come. "Money slips away from most of them," he said, "and the Guild plan, if successfully worked out, would at least protect them and make handouts from friends unnecessary. Everyone in racing will agree this is a fine purpose, for too many riders have been injured to the point where the means of livelihood has been cut off. Swisher, a former jockeys agent, is the new head of the Guild. He is aggressive and realizes that only by cooperating with the track heads and stewards can he hope to make the organization a lasting success. The riders respect him and so do the track heads with whom we have discussed the Guild. That is a big item in itself, for while no one can argue the worth of such an organization, the matter of mutual confidence can only be built up by a man who realizes that he must give and take and that the track heads and stewards have their side of arguments. Swisher has made a good start.
