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6 c Here and There 7 on the Turf 1 2 3 St. James Misfortune. 4 Mad Play Is Ready. Preakness Possibilities. 6 How Sombre Has Raced. 7 It is a calamity that George D. Wideners j fast three-year old St. James should go amiss • right on the eve of his engagement in the . Maryland Jockey Clubs Preakness Stakes. The son of Ambassador IV. and Bobolink II., by his brilliant victory over Zcv in tbe Paumonok , Handicap on the opening day of the New York season, loomed up as tbe possible champion of the 1924 three year-olds. He at once advanced to the close-up favoritism for the Kentucky Derby after it was announced that Sarazen was not to be a starter. This same ; Sarazen had failed in his first race of the year just as disappointingly as St. James had gloriously proved his good class. Last fall, after St. James had won the Fu- turity at Belmont Park. A. J. Joyner, his trainer, announced that he would not be start ed until the Pimlico Futurity. But shortly after that announcement St. James was not training entirely to the satisfaction of Mr. Joyner and he decided to pass up that rich race and wait until this year with the colt. The colt wintered exceedingly well and there is not a better looking three year old in training. Mr. Joyner gave the colt a long and careful preparation and the skill with which he was trained was attested when St. James, at the first asking, beat such a colt as Zev. The pity of it is that all of this care and skillful training goes for naught, at least as far as the Preakness Stakes and Kentucky Derby are concerned. It is devoutly to be hoped that the injury to the colt is not of a serious nature and that he will be in training again before many days, but it is indeed bitter misfortune to have such a colt go wrong right on the eve of two races that mean so much. St. James is particularly well engaged and should his injury be as slight as hoped will be I pointed especially for the Belmont Stakes, to be run on June 7. Right on the heels of the bad news about St. James there came a story from Pimlico that Wise Counsellor, the hope of Kentucky in the Preakness Stakes, had spread a foot and that it was doubtful if he would be sent to the , post. It was a widely circulated rumor at Jamaica, but fortunately it was without any foundation in fact. Wise Counsellor has been training entirely to the satisfaction of J. S. Ward and he has been in constant telephone communication on the way in which the candidates on Long Island have been going along. With St. James definitely out of the way. New York loses its ace for both the Preakness Stakes and the Kentucky Derby and it adds to the chances of Wise Counsellor and Kentucky, though New York will still be well represented with Mad Play, the brother to Mad Hatter, that is the first string of the Rancocas Stable. I The race won by the son of Fair Play and | Madcap at Jamaica on Thursday was a satisfying trial for the Preakness Stakes, but it was enough to pronounce him thoroughly ready for the mile and an eighth of the race. Mad Play does not greatly resemble his il lustnous brother. Mad Hatter. Mad Hatter is a big bodied bay, while Mad Play is rather a light horse and is chestnut in color. But th ■ three year old is a truly high class colt and he has a way of leveling down in his races that suggests capability. In his race with Wis? Counsellor in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes la«t fall he gave the Ward champion a stiff argument and is a better colt this spring. It is possible that Wise Counsellor himself is also a better colt, but taking a line through I | the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes there is little to choose between the pair in either the Preakness Stakes or Kentucky Derby. Then Clifford A. Cochrans Revenu? Agent is one that must be seriously considered. His race in the Dixie Handicap at Pimlico last [Saturday was even better than the chart description would sugge.-t. It is doubtful if there is a three year old in training that is a better stayer than the son of Sir Martin and Tory Maid. The elimination of St. James, of course, is greatly to be regretted, but it is just possible that with him away the Preakness Stakes may after all bring about a better spectacle. The field is sure to be a big one numerically and it promises to be up to the best traditions of the famous race in the matter of the class of the contenders. Flying Ebony, the colt that was beaten by J. S. Cosdens Sombre at Pimlico Thursday, was the highest priced single yearling purchase at the Saratoga sales last August. This two-year old is a brown or black son of The Finn and Princess Mary, and Gifford A. Cochran paid Madden and. Moeeley 1,000 for him. Sombre, the filly that took the measure of this high priced colt, has won four of her five races, and the only time she was beaten was when she finished third to the unbeaten Singh Foot and Primrose in the running of the Aberdeen Stakes at Havre de Grace. On that occasion Sombre attempted to give Single Foot three pounds, while she conceded six to Primros?. Sombre b a daughter of Crimper and Sackcloth, by Stalwart, and was bred by William Garth, while she races for his employer, J. S. Cosden. It is not known what Mr. Cosden paid his trainer for the filly, but it is known that she was so lightly considered that she was one of the string that Woods Garth took to Bowie and had her on the bar gain counter. Her first start was in a race framed for selling j laters. It is not meant by this that Flying Ebony will not be worth every dollar that Mr. Cochran spent for him, but it is meant that the daughter of Crimper that took his measure began racing among the lowly ones and has raced her way to prominence with brilliant success. It may be a long time before S. C. Hildreth will send four consecutive winners to the post in one day, as he did at Jamaica Thursday, but he is well on his way to keep the Rancccas Stable at the top of the heap, as he did so skillfully for the past three years. Hildreth brought his horses down from the New Jersey farm in rarely good condition and surely has a decided advantage in the matter of riders. Earl Sande is riding as brilliantly this year as ever and both of the Fators have an abundance of riding intelligence and are of value in attaining the stable success.
