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Here and There on the Turf Grey Lag the Horse of Today. Victories Bringing Him the Handicap Limit. Achievements of Whisk Broom II. Englands Costly Yearling. Derby Favorites Bought Cheaply. Grey Lag, the noble son of Star Shoot and Miss Minnie that races for the Rancocas Stable, has started out the year at the head of the handicap division and he will remain there for some time, ;udging by his magnificeit performances in both the Kings County and Excelsicr Handicaps. Thu sturdy chestnut took up 128 pounds in the K..igs County Handicap, starting at weight-forage scale weight. For the Excelsior Handicap Mr. Vosburgh added another two pounds and Grey Lag v/as an easy winner under 130 pounds Now for the Long Beach Handicap, to te run at Jamaica Saturday, Grey Lag is handicapped at 133 pounds, just five pounds above the scale. Also he is at the same weight for the Metropolitan Handicap, at a mile, on the opening day at Belmont Park May 24. Should Grey Lag win the Long Beach Handicap Saturday it will bring his Metropolitan weight up to 138 pounds, and it is to be hoped that his weight is never higher during the year. It will be remembered that Whisk Broom II. carried 139 pounds to a brilliant victory in the running of the Suburban Handicap at Belmont Park in 1913, but it will also be remembered that the magnificent son of Broomstick did not run another race. He went wrong in preparation for the Saratoga Handicap, and it is small wonder after having : carried such a crushing impost and racing as fast as he did to win the Suburban. Whisk Broom II. established a highweight record lor ■ the Suburban Handicap on that occasion and 1 he also goes down in the record as having run its mile and a quarter in 2 :00, which stands as the American record. This will go down in turf annals as one of - the most remarkable of thoroughbred achievements, . but it was not worth the price, if ihe . subsequent loss of Whisk Broom II. to racing I was really due to the severity of that race. Grey Lag right now combines just about all 1 that could be asked for in the thoroughbred , horse. He might be able to take up consid - erably more than ten pounds over the scale and beat good ones, but there is the poss.bility ! that it would be humane to scale the others down, rather than to raise him up until he „ he has a burden that will bring sure defeat. Grey Lag has raced his way to the head meritoriously - and he has earned all of the weight t that has been his in the handicaps thus far. but there is a limit beyond which he canno; ; go. j There was much comment in England last t year when the filly now called Mumtaz Mahal, , a gray filly by The Tetrarch —Lady Josephine ! brought 5,000 at the Doncaster yearling ; „ - t ; t , ! ; sales. This was the highest yearling price of the year in England and it is seldom that tub honor goes to a filly. Wednesday at New market this filly, racing in the colors of the Indian potentate Aga Khan, ran five-eighths in 58, setting a new record for the course. Incidentally she wen the Spring Two Year Oil Stakes by this performance. Prince Aga Khan may well consider himself lucky if the filly lives up to the promise which this first per formance holds out for her. Too many times the purchaser of a high priced yearling is un- abb to realize anything on his investment. J. S. Cosden paid 1,000 for Cyclone, a a son of Sweep and Ballet Girl, at the 1921 yearling sales at Saratoga and the colt has » never faced the starter. In fact, only three of f the eight yearlings that sold for 0,000 or r more at th? 1921 sales started in a race last t year, and of these Hell Gate won the largest t amount, 07. In this connection it is interesting to consider i- what a few of the candidates for Satur- - » f r t t i- - days Kentucky Derby brought at the sales. None cf the leading candidates at present which passed through the sales ring was in the 0,000 class. Vigil, wanner of the Preaknes Stakes, cost Walter J. Salmon ,200 as a yearling. Bo McMillan brought ,200 at the sales. Anna M. Humphrey sold for 12,300. Nassau cost Frederick Johnson ,600.
