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Here and There on the Turf Grocd Form of Garth-Cosden Horses. Golden Rule Training for the Preakness Stakes. New York Trained Horses Showing Well. The manner in which the Garth Cosden clan began its 1923 racing campaign speaks well for the condition in which the Virginians brought their horses from winter retirement. William Garth has long played an important part, not only in the spring, but all through the racing season. Louis Garth is a worthy son of a great sire when it comes to the conditioning of horses. The first race of the spring season for the Garths was the first race of the meeting at Havre de Grace and it brought about a truly interesting streven battle between father and son when Neptune and Star Cloudy fought it out. It was Louis that won, but his dads entry gave him a stiff argument when there was only a neck between the pair at the end. The performance of Golden Rule, one of the Cosden candidates for the Preakness Stakes and one that has twelve pounds allowance, gave evidence of his forward racing condition when he was such a good second to Fly by Day. This same Fly by Day is a filly of no mean class. Both Blazes and Paul Jones, the pair that Garth started for Mr. Cosden in the Kentucky Derby of 1920, when Paul Jones won, were the victorious starters on the Havre de Grace opening and they testified to the skill of the astute Virginian as a "first time out" trainer. The performance of Golden Rule behind Fly by Day could hardly be taken as proof of his Preakness Stakes class, but the race was worth notice in that it demonstrated that the colt can run fast. While it was only a five and a half furlongs race and Fly by Day came from behind to beat him home, it was observed tht.t Lang did not finish out with all the energy of which he is capable. And that was proper, too. Golden Rule was making his first start of the year and he has plenty of racing before him. He raced on his own courage without being driven out, as he would have been when he is hard and fit. Golden Rule, while a promising three-year-old, is probably the least so of the stables best. William Garth himself considers Martingale his ace, whih some shrewd horsemen who have been watching training operation* at Pimlico, have picked Dunlin, the Hopeful Stakes winder, as the star of the stable. Both have gone along exceedingly well at Pimlico and the condition of Paul Jones, Blazes, Golden Rule and Neptune, as shown on Monday, would suggest that all in the Garth establishment are fit and ready for action. By reason of their winnings last year both Dunlin and Martingale will pick up penalties in some of their three-year-old engagements, or, at least, have no allowances, and it is for that reason that Garth would like to have Golden Rule take up the Preakness Stakes burden. If Garth decides at post time that Golden Rule does not measure up to that assignment, he still has the other strings to his bow and a victory in the big race of the Maryland Jockey Club would not mean any added weight for the Kentucky Derby. At this time Garth would not change his Preakness Stakes or his Kentucky Derby chances with any man. He is by no means alone in the high opinion of his candidates. T. J. Healey demonstrated by the part he played in the opening day of the Havre de Grace meeting that after all the New York horses may not be as backward as was at first feared. In the first race Beau Nash, the two-year-old he sent to the post for Walter J. Salmon, ran a creditable race in finishing a good third to Star Cloudy and Neptune. Then in the three year old sprint he sent out Richard T. Wilsons Forest Lore and he was racing well at the end to finish fourth in a fashion to leave no doubt of his fitness. The smashing race run by Mr. Salmons good mare Careful in the Harford Handicap was the other tribute to the skill of Mr. Healey and the fame of Belmont Park as an ear!y spring training ground. All of these horses were making their first start of the year and each raced well against horses that had the advantage of being made ready in a milder clime than that of Long Island. These Belmcnt Park horses can be expected to improve and it will not be long before the New Yorkers will take the front position frequently, judging from the good showing of the opening day. Others of the trainers from Long Island will be making a bid before long. but with the string he has in charge it is probable that the Healey horses will remain in the first flight. Beau Nash, that gave such a good account of himself behind Star Cloudy and Neptune, has the cut of a real racer. A colt of faultless conformation he will fine down a bit more before he is right at himself and Healey has plenty of horse on which to work. In his debut he raced in a level headed fashion and it was evident he was well schooled before being shipped from his winter quarters at Belmont Park. There are other two year olds I in the string of Mr. Salmon that are of high promise and it may be that the colors of the New York sportsman and breeder will have greater importance in 1923 than they had in 1922.
