The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-07-23
7lOo Empires To Work Giants -AH- Stars Gam,
Racing Returns To NOrmaity At Old Saratoga
Juveniles Hit
 Their Stride:
 Yearling Sales Draw Turfmen
BY HARRY CRIMSON NEA Service Sports Editor

Saratoga Springs, July 23-New- est healthy sign of booming racing IS that g historic flat stakes and four steeplechase fixtures at Sara
 toga drew record number of 285O nominations.
 There is at least some excuse for racing at Saratoga Springs, where is situated the nations old est course. Its 73-year-old Travers for 3-year-olds was first contested in 1864
 The horse really comes first at the Spa-ahead of the financial angle. Saratoga stockholders make very little on their investment in comparison with those interested in New York and other tracks, where as much as 100 per cent is realized.
 While its Hlutuel handle is half of that of New York plants, Sara toga rates next to Belmont Park in money given away in purses, its features carrying in added value the sum of $2o2,5OO.
 It is at Saratoga that about 700 yearlings are sold annually in the evenings. Horsemen come from all parts of the country for the auctions.
 PLAYERS VACATION AT
 ADIRONDACKS RESORTS
 It was feared that transporta- tion difficulties would hit Sara toga, but, as we have pointed out before, give the people good rac- ing and they will find their own way.
 There is the regular daily train from New York to the Adiron- dacks resorts and back. There are many regular bus lines. Judg- ing by the parking lots of other racing hints, the racegoer with car has not yet felt the pinch of gas and tire rationing. And Sara toga Springs and nearby is the vacation locale of thousands of players.
 The layout is situated less than a mile from the quaint hotels with their rope fire escapes on the main stem of Saratoga Springs.
 I hear that everything is going to be all right for the whirring wheels, but it has long since been demonstrated that s o g a Springs can survive as big time without open gcmbling. S4O,OOO HOPEFUL HEADS TWO-YEAR-O OLD NUMBERS
 There will be more than enough racing for the first few days, a night trotting meeting across the street from the runners overlap ping. The runners ramble for five weeks, from July 27 to Aug. 29.
 -year-olds come into their own at Saratoga. The $40,O0O Hopeful which annually virtually decides the juvenile champion along with the Saratoga Cup and Steeplechase Handicap The Hopeful attracted no fewer than 249 nominations.
 While the Hopeful is the 2-year- olds' main objective, they will | also be tested in the $6000 FlG n, the $12,00O United States Hotel, the Saratoga Special, the $6000 | Stanford in which the immortal | Man O War suffered his only de- feat. the $6OOo Albany and the 12,0O0 Grand Union Hotel.
 The Saratoga Special is the only | race of its kind in America in | that the winner takes all, this year about $10,000
 The $24,OOO Travers is down for Aug. 15, when the $1o,0o0 Spin away for 2-year-old fillies will mark | it's 51st running.
 For 3-year-old fillies, the $13,000 Alabama will have its 63rd run ming, Aug. 2. Other stakes of im- portance are the $10,000 Saratoga l Handicap, the $50O0 Whitney, the 1 $5O0O Wilson, the $5000 Saratoga Sales, the $5O0O Merchants and Citizens, the $2500 Shillelah, the $2500 North American and the $2500 Beverwyck.
 There will be hurdle racing for | the first time.
 Quality is the main idea as rac- ing returns to normality at old 
 BOUTS j