The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1936-11-28

months he is head steward at New
England tracks, officateS in foot
ball games every weekend, and
does such trifling daily chores as
turning out racing column,
handicapping a set of selections,
producing an article on football,
along with picking the winners of
Saturday games. With the pig
skin season over, Thorp is apt to
find time hanging heavily on his
hands.
DiScovery's fee in the stud is
among the higher ones: 81, 500, on
a par with Gallant Fox, Blue Lark
spur and Sir Gallahad III. Black
Toney, at $4,000, is the only stall
lion to top that trio-of those so
far advertised.
Arthur Elrod Is one of the few
men associated with mutuel plants
of the early '90s who is still active.
He saw the Iron men" pass from
the racing scene, apparently dead
forever, only to creep back is
years later to save racing in Ken
lucky, then in Canada and Mary
land.
Racing fans who used to visit
New Orleans in days when City
Park claShed with the Fair
Grounds, long for another Gem
Street. just off Canal, it boosted
proudly of the finest steaks and
chops to be had in any mans
town. SawduStfloored, walters in
shirt sleeves, the Gem never
closed it's swinging doors night or
day for forty-odd years.
I fancy Colonel Matt VIM is
the dean of American track man.
ayers. Well into the '70's, he
looks easily good for another Is
or 20 years at the helm of
Churchill Downs and other tracks
Of his circuit.
New York racing folk are slip.
ping away to balmier chimes
earlier than in recent years.
California will draw more Of them
than ever before, the Vanderbilt
and whitney stables, to race
there, being important magnets.
Flyer Dick Merrill will tell you
the day is not far off when a rae
ing man who lives in Florida or
California may catch day of the
sport in New York with the loss
Of only one full day from his
home city-if it's Miami, Los An
geles or San Francisco. Even
now Miami is put six hours away
from New York by air; the new
sleeper planes will permit a
Floridian to take off at midnight,
spend the day in New York and
be home again early next morn
ing.
But a few Of our racing folk
anxiously await the approaching
day when they may leave the
United States on Tuesday, see the
EPSON Derby on Wednesday, and
be back here by Thursday night!
The urge for only five racing
days a week is spreading. Some
of the finest turf sport New York
ever knew was conducted on that
basiS-in the ZOOS. Some tracks
skipped Monday, others let Tues
day go by. Jockey Matt MCGEE,
transplanted from Kentucky to
France, sold Joseph E. Widener on
the desirability of the Australian
starting gate that will be used this
winter for juvenile races at Hia-
leah. cts no good" MCGEE told
Widener at LongchampS; IAN ap-
prentice jockey can get as good a
break from it as I can" And right
then the boss of Belmont and Hia-
leah decided that a gate which
couldn't be beaten by quick.witted
jockeys was the ideal starting de.
vice. But inefficient starters will
still give us bad starts, one fears.
Odgers Gurnee, able turf writer
and nephew (by marriage) of John
Oliver Keene (builder of Keene-
land), is confident of Grand Slams
doing a comeback. The Arlington
Futurity winner, one of the fastest
mud runners ever seen, has been
on grass all summer. Physically,
Grand Slam looks great; success
in big stakes depends upon his legs.
Winnie O'Connor, surpassed in
Jockey "color" only by Tod Sloan,
Snapper" Garrison, and Steve
Donoghue, is mine-hosting at La
Casino in Jamaica, Long Island,
and gets many a radio offer. No
living jockey has as great a fund
of racing lore on tap. O'Connor
rode for kings and emperors who
lost their thrones-and are still