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Here and There on the Turf Plans of John Ward. St. James and Wise Counsellor. Preakness Meeting Possible. Season Almost at Hand. News of Exterminator. If John S. Ward sends Wise Counsellor to Pimlico for the running of the Preakness Stakes on May 12, it will add greatly to the interest in that big 0,000 race of the Maryland Jockey Club. It has been repeatedly reported that such would be the campaign for the Kentucky champion two-year-old of last year and it se;ms likely that it will be carried out. The changing over to we:ght-for-age, as against the previous conditions, will be pleasing to Mr. Ward, for it will mean that Wise Counsellor will not be penalized for his successes of last year That might have its effect in the final decision of the colts campaign. It is a change that every trainer whose candidate incurred penalities last year will welcome just as it will be disappointing to the failures of 1923 that would, under the old conditions, have a decided advantage in the weights. Some time ago A. J. Joyner intimated that he would point George D. Wideners St. James for the Preakness Stakes and, should that astute horseman have the son of Ambassador IV. ready for May 12 and meet Wise Counsellor in the same races it would surely start the rivalry between Kentucky and the East brilliantly. St. James, a handsome two-year-old, has grown and improved through tha winter until he is today a magnificent individual. Mr. Joyner has asked little of him, but he is enjoying robust health that gives him something to work on when the time comes for strenuous training. Wise Counsellor has been going along slowly, but it is not long until he will be in that condition wh:n the tightening up process can safely be begun. If he is sent to Pimlico for his final training, as has been so often intimated, it will mean that the Preakness Stakes is in view and the promise is that he will be shipped to Maryland by the middle of n?xt month. No one who watched the progress of St. James last year can have a doubt of his being able to stay the mile and an eighth of the Preakness or the mile and a quarter of the Kentucky Derby. In fact, he has every attribute that would make him a rare stayer, . St. James was not started after his brilliant t victory in the Futurity at Belmont Park on i September 15 and, in consequence, he nevei r had an opportunity as a two-year-old to race ? over the mib distance. But Joyner know; 3 the colt thoroughly and after that race he saic that the next appearance of his champion would be in the mile of the Pimlico Futurity, . He would have been pointed for that race had it not been that for a time he did not trair exactly to the liking of Joyner and he wa: . t i r ? 3 . put away for the season. It is probable that I a less careful trainer would have sent St. James j i along and had him at the post for the Pimlico Futurity, but Joyner is nothing if not careful and it is promised now that his was a wise 5 choice. I The long rest serms to have done St. James 1 no end of good, if appearance counts for any- thing, and he should be a better three-year- 1 old than he was a two-year-old and his was ! a truly brilliant two-year-old campaign, and i looks and condition mean much with a good i horse. The bad horse may look well and may 1 be in the best of condition, but it does not mean anything. With the horse that has al- 1 ready proved himself, it is an altogether different matter. Wise Counsellor has every right to the high place given many in consideration of the chances among the best three-year-olds of the year. After almost a clean sweep in Kentucky he wound up his season bjT racing a mils in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs in 1:37 2-5. It was the fastest time ever hung up by a two-year-old over a mile route and Wisa Counsellor shouldered his weight of 122 pounds. Thus, it will be seen that, strictly on public performance, the son of Mentor and Rustle would naturally have the call over St, James. He raced over the mile distance more brilliantly than any two-year-old when carrying his weight and no more could be asked of any horse. That should suggest that he will go on this jear just as far as horses are asked to run. The two-year-old that can stay over the mile distance, as Wise Counsellor did last November, Ehould not find trouble racing as far as thre2-year-olds are asked to run the next year. With the dull days before the opening of the Maryland season at Bowie on April 1 there is ample time to discuss the various candidates for the Preakness and the Kentucky Derby and the fact that St. James and Wise Coun-! sellor did not meet last year makes a com-: parison of their chances of particular interest. It is not possible to offer much in the way of comparison, for the reason that they did not meet, but each was a champion in his section and, if they are brought together in the Preakness, it will add greatly to the im- portance of the big race. With the announcement of the stakes to be decided at Havre dc Grace and the Bowie sea son almost at hand there is general rejoicing i ! among those who have wintered in front ofj the hot stove rather than go to one of the j winter tracks. Stop watches have been brought j out by the "clocking" brigade, plans have been 1 made by the faithful that will journey to Balti-l more and there is the usual eagerness for the sport that marks each early spring. J 1 It is a long wait from the end of November i to the first of April, but it is only a few days sjmore and the horses will be at it again for I i 5 I 1 1 ! i i 1 1 the season that will roll along to the end of next November. Word has come from Tijuana that Willis Sharpe Kilmers grand old gelding Exterminator is far from being through. It was feared that when he was not able to keep his special engagement with Osprey some time ago that he M-as possibly gone for good. But such is not the case and the way he has been training for Henry McDaniel recently would indicate that he will be back under silks before long. The one engagement that Exterminator is being trained for at the Mexican track is the Coffroth Handicap. If he can be brought to condition for that race, it would seem entirely possible that he will also be able to meat his engagement in the Dixie Handicap at Pimlico. The fact that Exterminator was handicapped at 128 pounds in the Dixie would not deter McDaniel in starting him, for it he comes back the Exterminator of old, he could carry 123 pounds, and if he does not come back the Exterminator of old he would not be long in the field under any weight. It was reported that Exterminator worked a mib at Tijuana in 1:40 last week. That is particularly good work, for the old son ol McGce was never famed as a work horse, and it was a move to indicate that he is training soundly. e
