It's Post Time Again

Last Saturday the Scientist witnessed a training feat of amazing proportions, Jack Van Berg, conditioning a string of horses--Marion Van Berg Stables. Inc., won four out of the ten races on Saturday's Rockingham Park card. When Arnold Winick won three out of ten races on a Tropical Park card in November of last year, the local papers hailed the local papers hailed the accomplishment as gargantuan.

Somehow the Boston Press has failed to give Jack Van Berg the credit that he is due. It seems that everyone loves a loser and hates a winner. Clearly Jack will run away with the training honors at Rockinghgam Park--both in terms of races won and of percentage of winning starts.

In 1968 Jack started horses in 880 races. He won 187 of these races. In 1969 Jack started horses in 1152 races. He won 256 of those races. Every year he is among the national leaders in money won, and usually he is the national leader in races won.

New England bettors, unfamiliar with the feats of this Mid-Western horseman, have consistently let the Van Berg horses go to post at high odds--too hig. Anytime a Van Berg horse goes to post at odds of more that 4-1 it can be considered an overlay, because Jack wins 20 per cent of his starts.

Van Berg is the best trainer of claiming and allowance horses in the country. Every time one of his horses goes to post it is trying for part of the purse. Should one wander North on route 93 to Rockingham Park some afternoon, he might find that a small wager on the Van Berg entries was money well-invested.

These are the selections for today's program. If the horse is scratched, play the public favorite.

FIRST--RONNIE'S QUEST should end today as Mike Carrazzella climbs aboard.

SECOND--SPACE GEM is actually much better place that the seems--a good hunch.

THIRD--QUEEN MINASSEH has beaten these.

FOURTH--ELITE TYPE has a class, weight, and speed advantage.

FIFTH--LADY CRISSY needs a best effort to dance by these claimers.

SIXTH--MY MOLLY is the only closer in a field of cheap speed.

SEVENTH--STING'S JET should prove that he can come off the pace.

EIGHTH--ROY ALLEN is a friend that the public will ignore.

NINTH--SCOTTISH MOOR has been sharpened for this effort.

TENTH--NEBRASKA FARMER is a Van Berg special.