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Here and There on the Turf Racing Under Handicap. St. James Campaign. Three -Year-Old Ratings. Wideners Gift Stallion. Maryland racing continues to be handicapped by unusually unseasonable weather and the continued rain not only seriously interfered with the sport of Friday but brought about the declaring off of the steeplechase that had been carded for Saturday. It would have been possible to run the steeplechase, but the field was so deep that it was sure to be an unsatisfactory contest and might readily have resulted in accidents. The field at Havre de Grace at its best is a bit soft and deep for spring racing and the drenching the course received Friday converted it into almost a bog. The remarkable thing is that in spite of the bad weather the attendance has held up so wonderfully. At Bowie each day, and there were few bright ones, the crowd was both large and imbued with real racing enthusiasm, while at Havre de Grace every special train from both north and south has been crowded to capacity. Racing wa= n?ver so secure in the interest of the public as it is right now in Maryland and there is no stress of weather that will keep the faithful away. Great interest is being taken in the training of George D. Wideners St. James and th? manner in which A. J. Joyner is sending the son of Ambassador IV. and Bobolink II. along would indicate that he will be seen at the post in the running of the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico on May 12. It is evident that he can be made ready for that 0,000 race and Joyner a considerable time ago suggested that it was there that he would make his first serious effort. Whether or not he will be shipped to Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Derby on May 17 remains to be seen, but it is not likely that anything will be done in the campaign of the colt that would tend to interfere with his racing in the Belmont Stakes. The Belmont Stakes is a home stake and it is to be decided over the same ground that is used for the preparation of St. James. It is a race of tremendous sporting and financial importance and it is natural that it should be the goal of such a colt. But the date of the Belmont Stakes is far enough away not to interfere with either the Preakness Stakes or the Kentucky Derby, should Joyner decide to go after all three. The colt grows in favor every time he ap pears on the track and it is doubtful if there is a more talked of eligible for any of the big stake races. All that has prevented Mr. Wide ners colt from enjoying more importance in the winter book for the Kentucky Derby is the uncertainty of the plans for his campaign. Doubtless Mr. Joyner has laid his plans and laid them carefully, but they are subject to tAinge and until it is known that St. Jamais to journey to Louisville he cannot become a favorite for the big race. With Saraxen it is different. B?ing a geld ing. he is not eligible for many of the richer st-.kes, both the Preakness and the Belmont being exclusively for entire colts and fillies. For that reason he may be looked upon as a sure Kentucky Derby starter, barring accident Like St. James, his training at Belmont Park has been entirely satisfactory and Max Hirsch will undoubtedly put on the finishing touches at Pimlico before making the t rip to Louisville It is interesting to note that A. J. Texi Grtnet puts Saraxen at the top of his three year old rating and requires him to give Wise Counsellor six pounds, while he is asked to concede sixteen to St. James. Many fad to agree with this rating, but the brilliant races of Mrs. VanderbUts gelding last year induced this estimate and it is one that must be re spected. In the meantime the thres -year olds that are being fitted in Kentucky continue to impress with their training and the best that are sent from the East will find many a fit one there ready to do them battle. The Kentucky Derby this year is richer in promise of a big field and a great contest than it has been in many a year and the more one studies the three year olds the more one is con vinced that it is to be a wonderful year for that age division. Joseph E. Widener has again done a big thing for breeding by the presentation of Maintenant to the Breeding Bureau. This high class French stock horse is just the type best calculated to leave a lasting impression wherever he may be used. It has been intimated that he will be used at the stud of the State Constabulary and he is an individual that would be hard to match for such service. Richly bred, he is one of the biggest thoroughbreds in the country and, with these qualifications, cannot fad to be of great benefit just where he is to be placed. Through an error made in the office of the registrar it has been made to appear that H. G. Bedwell was the bre?der of the good three year old Senator Norris. The mistake has since been corrected and J. K. L. Ross will be given due credit for breeding the son of Cudgel and Cypher Code. The manner in which Senator Norris has been going along makes the honor of breeding him no empty one and the change has been made in the records on the report that was made by J. K. L. Ross to Registrar Herkert. ♦ Trap Rook, now in the stud for Mr. Bowman in Kentucky, was the last native bred stallion to take part in cross-country racing and he was a jumper of parts till he was struck across the nose and contracted the habit of running out of the course. The statement that the four-year-old Le Coyote is regarded as the greatest rival of Onyx II. for the hurdling championship of France is of interest to patrons of the American turf. Lo Coyote was bred by A. K. Maccmber at Haras du Quesnay. He is by-Sea Sick, from Francisca II., by Prestige, sire of Sardanapale, and he was registered as Franco. Francisca II. was one of the mares sent to the United States by Mr. Macomber in 1922 to be sold at norlands Riding Academy. She was bought by this writer, who had been asked by Andrew Leonard of Bex-ington, Ky.. to select a mare for him. The breeding of Francisca II. is interesting to American students of blood stock. Her dam, Francisca, is by Franchise, a great- I great -great grandson of the celebrated Dol- I lar. The next dam. Frances S., is an American mare, by Stratford, a son of Leamington, from Susan Beame. by Lexington, that A. J. Cassatt had at the head of his Chester-brook Stud near Philadelphia for years. Frances S. won stakes and was the dam in this country of many winners, including Francesco, whose victories included the Foam and | Hanc ver Stakes at two and the Saratoga Handicap and other fixtures at three. The next dam. Water Lily, was a stake winner and producer by King Alfonso, while she. in turn, was out of Lily Duke, a sister to General Duke, by Lexington. General Duke afterwards named Judge Curtis, won the Belmont Stakes in 1860. and afterwards went to Canada to improve the breed of general purpose horses in the vicinity of London. A team of half breds by him won first prize as a carriage pair at the Philadelphia Centennial in ; 1876.
