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VISITS WISE COUNSELLOR Max Hirsch, Trainer of Sarazen, Inspects Ward Colt at Churchill Downs Wintering Well. LOUISVILLE, Ky., Jan. 2. Standing a fraction of an inch under sixteen hands and weighing about 1,050 pounds, Wise Counsellor looked the picture thoroughbred when viewed at Churchill Downs last week by several visitors to the Ward Stable. Among those who took a critical look at the son of Mentor was Max Hirsch, who is training Sarazen, the unbeaten gelding, which vies with "Wise Counsellor as future favorite for the fiftieth running of the Kentucky Derby, to be decided next May. "Your colt has got it on mine In looks," said Hirsch to John S. Ward after a close examination of the crack racer. "But 1 believe that when it comes to running, Sarazen will prove he is about the best racing tool the turf has turned out in some time." "Hell have to go some to beat "Wise Counsellor," declared Ward, "for I have never seen a better prospect than he, and I have had some good ones in my day." Hirsch said that he probably would bring Sarazen to Churchill Downs several weeks before the Derby and get the son of High Time well acclimated before starting him in the big race. "You know he is not eligible for the Preakness," said Hirsch, "on account of being a gelding. So the Derby will be Mrs. Vanderbilts objective with Sarazen among the early fixtures to which he is eligible. "Sarazen is doing nicely at Belmont Park and is taking his regular exercise Tinder the covered training quarters with a zest," continued, i -Hirsch, , ?JIe. -naSfilicjd.otojn.fiJ since n east raceu7TJuTrfeis hTdtl3Tgli7Jrse and rather inclined to be undersized. He has a fine way of going, though, and in all his racing since he has been in my care I have never seen him show any signs whatever that he could not negotiate a long route. Indications are that ho will run as. far as horses do nowadays and as fast, I -believe, as any horse ever has run. He is about the best weight carrier I ever saw, unless it was- Grey Lag, which I sold to Sam Hildreth before he had shown his prowess." It was commented by another turfman standing near by at the time of the discussion of the merits of Sarazen and Wise Counsellor that Sarazen had action closely resembling that of Old Rosebud. This way of going, he averred, was similar to that of a rabbit getting over the ground with lightness and precision. Hirsch is no stranger at Churchill Downs. He spent several months here in the spring of 1920 fitting the colts On Watch and Don-nacona for the Derby. Paul Jones won that year with Upset second and On Watch third. The latter ran a winning race from Avhere he got off, but Donnacona proved a big disappointment to Hirsch, as he advised all his friends that he would win with the son of Prince Palatine. Hirsch stopped off at Louisville on his way to Hopkinsville, Ky. situated in the southwestern part of the state, where both On Watch and Donnacona are doing stud service at the haras of White and Garnett. John E. Madden joined Hirsch on his inspection trip to Hopkinsville. It is at this farm that Mr. Madden placed The Finn, the sire of Zev, for a season and the produce of that sire are now weanlings there.
