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Here and There onheTurf Grand Old Mad Hatter. Rustic Makes Good. Record -Making Tear. Miami and Its Prospects. It is always of great interest when a sturdy old favorite with the public comes back. That is just what Mad Hatter did at Jamaica Tuesday wh;n he won the Laurelton Handicap, at three quarters, under 126 pounds and in the fast time of 1:11%. The son of Fair Play and Madcap showed both gameness and fleet neas when he outfinished the fast-running Miss Star through the last sixteenth of a mile. The old horse, now in his eighth year, had met with some interference and stood a drive to earn the decision. By reason of his uncertain temper some times there is not enough credit given this great old horse, but there is no horse of his present generation that can show a better record of achievement. He was so little thought of as a two year-oM in 1918 that he was raced among the selling platers and only won two races. Then as a three-year-old Mad Hatter was the first winner of the Latonia Championship Stakes, at a mile and three-quarters, with Laverne Fator as his pilot. That was the big achievement of his three year old career. Then in 1920 he won the Yorktown Hands cap, at a mile and a quarter, at Empire City; the Pimlico Serial Weight for Age Race, at a mile, and the Bowie Cup, at a mile and a half, also at Pimlico. Ensor rode him in the mile victory, while Sande had the mount in his other two victories. In 1921 Mad Hatter began well by winning the Metropolitan Handicap and he followed up that mile victory by finishing first in the Kings County Handicap, at a mile and a six teenth , the October Handicap, at a mile and a sixteenth, at Jamaica, and the Jockey Club Gold Cup, at two miles. The Metropolitan Handicap fell to Mad Hatter again in 1922 and he repeated in both the Kings County Handicap and the Jockey Club Gold Cup, as well as winning Saratogas Champlain Handicap, at a mile and an eighth, under 130 pounds. That brought the great old campaigner to 1923 and he beat the best field that could be mustered against him in the Toboggan Handicap at Belmont Park under 128 pounds. Thus it wiil be seen that the old horse has met and beaten the best of them in distances that range from three quarters to two miles. He has shouldered all sorts of weight and it is small wonder that in all these years of brill ant endeavor he became sour and sulky on some occasions. The Kaneocas Stable has a three-year old brother to this remarkable campaigner in Mad Play. He has betrun his three year old cam paign auspiciously and he will have his first big test in the running of the Prcakness Stakes at Pimlico on Monday. Should he develop, as it is confidently expected he will under the guidance of S. C. Hildreth. he ought to carry on for Mad Hatter to the eternal glory of maintaining the fame of Fair Play and Madcap. There was another candidate for the Preak n?ss Stakes made good at Pimlico Tuesday when A. H. Morris good colt Rustic was the winner of a three quarters dash from a fast band of three year olds in 1:11%. He was carrying 125 pounds and the easy manner in which he led his opponents home spoke vol umos for his present condition. Rustic is a son cf Transvaal and Rusila, by Puryear D., and was bred by Mr. Morris in partnership with R. J. Walden. This start was his first public appearance since last fall, when he was a good second to Edward R. Bradleys Beau Butler in the Pimlico Futurity. In his previous race he had won over a mile at Laurel, beating as good a filly as Fluvanna with ease. In all of his races Rustic suggested an ability to stay and has been undergoing a careful preparation for the Preakness Stakes. This fast three-quarters would suggest that he is fit and ready to give an excellent account of himself in the big race. Horses are running fast this year. At Jamaica on Tuesday Prime Minister galloped the five and a half furlongs in 1 :05, adding his name to those which hold the time mark there for the distance. In that race he just beat Finn Lag. the one that hung out the same mark in a previous race. Then at Pimlico E. F. Whitneys Mainmast established a new track record of 1 : 10% for three-quarters in beating Gifford A. Cochrans Goshawk. But Mr. Cochran had the satisfaction of seeing his two-year old False Face equal the four and a half furlong track record of :53% in the opening race of the day. This False Face is a brown son of Sireep and Masque, by Disguise, and the performance was doubly pleasing for the reason that she is one that was bred by Mr. Cochran and not one of the six for which he paid 40,000. From time to time there have been glowing reports of the preparations that have been ■ going forward for the race meeting at Miami next winter. Those who have been to the j Florida resort have told of the work that has been accomplished by L. A. Cassidy in track and stable construction. The course has been pronounced a model one in all of its develop J ments and the amount of work that has been : done has called for no end of compliments to the skill and energy of Mr. Cassidy. But it takes more than a race course to give a race meeting and Mr. Cassidy has been as eminently successful in signing up the best stables for the initial meeting as he has been in the labor of making ready for the reception of the stables. H-? has obtained stab.e reserva tions from the best of the racing establishments and it is a remarkable fact that about 75 per cent of those who have already con traded for stabling at the course have never I before campaigned horses through the winter months. j An idea of the quality of the sport that will be offered is had from the following list of stables that have already reserved accommoda tions for their horses: Walter J. Salmon, Mar shall Field HI., Joseph E. Davis, Robert L. Gerry, H. P. Whitney, Greentree Stable. Ad- miral Cary T. Grayson, Benjamin Block, Richard T. Wilson, A. C. Bostwick, Belair Stud, Mose Goldblatt, John E. Madden, George W. Loft, Walter S. House, George D. Widener, A. J. Joyner, Frank J. Farrell, A. L. Aste, William Martin, J. K. L. Ross, Sandy McNaughton, Riviera Stable, Thomas Clyde, Edward F. Simms, J. S. Cosden, Oak Ridge Stable, H. M. Howard, Howard Oots and Gifford A. Coch ran. Jockeys that have promised to take part in the racing are M. Garner. Ivan Parke, C. Tur ner, T. McTaggart, J. Callahan, L. McAtee. Clarence Kummer, B. Marinelli, P. Walls, F. Hastings and Andy Schuttingcr. There have been various applications fori club membership and Mr. Cassidy has done as big a thing in interesting the best turfmen as he has in building a model race course.
