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Here and There on the Turf Eastern Kentucky Derby Horses Dangerous. Messenger to Remain in the East. Sweepments Failure at Pimlico. As the date for the running of the Kentucky Derby draws nearer the chances for the rich race being taken by a horse from the East is reflected in their racing and their preference in the future books. Of the Kentucky trained candidates that have shown only Nassau and Anna M. Humphrey have measured up to what has been shown by the candidates that have been raced in Maryland and New York. One after another the horses that have been in preparation over the Kentucky tracks, with the exceptions named, for the big race of May 19 have failed to measure up to expectations, while at the same time there have been real developments in the Maryland racing. Richard T. Wilsons Wilderness, G?orge Wingfields General Thatcher, the Greentree Stables Rialto, Harry Payne Whitneys Chick-vale, Willis Sharpe Kilmers Sallys Alley and the Rancocas Stables Zev, by his victory in the Paumonok Handicap over older horses, have all high speed and fitness for a great race. Then there is Tall Timber, another in the Richard T. Wilson stable that, while he has been generally rated as only an exceedingly good sprinter, may really be up to Derby requirements. It has been announced on what seems good authority that August Belmont will not send Messenger, his magnificent son of Fair Play and Mission, to Louisville for the Derby and that he will probably be pointed for the Belmont Stakes at the big Nassau County course instead of going West. The Belmont Stakes is far enough away from both the Preakness Stakes and Kentucky Derby to make it entirely possible for a celt or filly to keep all three engagements. The Belmont Stakes is the last of the three and Major Belmont may fear that Messenger might meet with some accident in one or other of the two earlier race.- that would prevent hi5 coming to the post in the Belmont. Last year Messenger, after only three races, was retired to remain idle until the running of the Futurity, but went amiss and could not go to the post in the race for which he was being meant all year. Major Belmont does net want anything of that kind to happen this year and no matter where Messenger is raced his spring goal is the Belmont Stakes, and that is the race that means more than al the others to the chairman of the Jockey Club. The Gre?n Spring Valley Steeplechase at Pimlico on Friday should be pleasing to those who are looking for a brilLant revival of crosscountry racing in the East this year. Eleven went to the post in this first of the Maryland Jockey Clubs jumping stake races and the field was one that furnished excellent enter tainment. Incidentally the race was something of a triumph of handicapping for Frank J. Bryan when at the end of the two-mile journey over thirteen jumps there were four of the eleven horses so close together that there was a possible chance for any one of them, though right at the finish Sea Tale was going away from the others. One of the interesting phases of the race was the return of George W. Lofts great jumper Sweepment. Max Hirsch sent the fine son of Sweep and Raiment to the post fit and ready, and while he was ridden with poor judgment he showed enough to be rated right up in the front division of the jumpers of the year. Sweepment has always been a hard horse to ride and Charlie Mergler seemed to understand him better than any of his other pilots, with the possible exception of "Specs" Crawford, and Mahoney should not be critisized too severely. A particularly rapid going jumper, the Loft gelding has always been hard to place and he is a big handful for any jockey. Still, by the record, he was the best horse in the race and should have been the winner.
