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Here and There on the Turf Nellie Morses Victory. Three -Year -Old Casualties. Fillies in the Big Races. A Bargain Yearling. What happened at Pimlico Monday in the running of the Preakness Stakes has done little to clarify the Kentucky Derby situation. Few horses that finished behind Nellie Morse in the running of the Maryland feature can be eliminated from consideration for the big race at Churchill Downs because of their Preakness showing. Nellie Morse won like a good filly, but she was favored by the going and was lucky in escaping all interference. Transmute and Mad Play both suffered from crowding and the going was certainly of no help to the Rancocas colt, which has run all of his best races over a dry track. In a purse race for two year olds at a mile and seventy yards, run October 31 last fall at Pimlico, Nellie Morse beat Transmute by a half length over a muddy track. This is of no particular significance, but it is an interesting coincidence that these two should return to the course of the Maryland Jockey Club in the first great stake race of the eastern racing season and finish in the same order ahead of a truly high class band. Wise Counsellors elimination from the Preak - Stakes and the practical certainty that he cannot go to the post in the Derby complete the chapter of disasters to the three leading candidates for three year-old honors. First St. James, then Saraien and now Wise Counsellor thrown among the discards, so far as Ken tucky*s main race is concerned; altogether it is a sad state of affairs. The Derby possesses enough attraction through its traditions to draw the same immense crowd regardless of the real quality of the field, but it is an unfortunate thing for racing and for the Kentucky Jockey Club that these colorful candidates should be eliminated as they have been. The Derby without Farazen, Wise Counsellor and St. James will not be as fascinating a con test as had been confidently expected, but nevertheless it will attract more interest than any other race of the early spring season. Nellie Morses victory at Pimlico will undoubtedly bring her to the front as a decidedly dangerous candidate for further hon ors. Weather conditions have been so bad in all the racing centers this spring that she may be favored with muddy going at Church ill Downs, as well as at Pimlico. Even with out the mud to help her Nellie Morse may be considered a strong hand for the Kentucky Oaks on the strength of her performances this spring. It is altogether a surprising situation. Be fore the running of the chief three year old rcres last year there were many experts who held to the belief that 1923 was to be a "filly year in that age division, because of the fact that fillies had won the big Produce Stakes for two year olds in the preceding year. But Sallys Alley, Blossom Time and the other fillies, of which so much had been ex pected, all turned out to be unable to cope with the colts when the racing season was under way. This year with three or four colts and geld ings of high class in the field for three year-old honors, nobody appeared with any pre dictions that it would be a "filly year." The fillies accomplished little in the two-year-old division last year in competition with the colts, and Wise Counsellor, Saraxen, St. James and Mad Play appeared to have the three year-old championship between them. Yet the first three mentioned have practically been eliminated through mishaps, and Mad Play has been well beaten by Nellie Morse and Transmute. It is just another demonstration of the uncertainty attached to predicting three year -old performances from two year-old form. Nellie Morse raced well last year, but she did not appear to be a world beater by any means. And yet she goes on to victory in the first big three year-old race of the present season, whde her more highly regarded rivals are out ! of action or beaten. Nellie Morses cartoonist owner was on the high seas while the race was being run, and he was informed of the result by wireless. It must have been a source of satisfaction to him that this filly, which he had named for his mother, should win the great Maryland feature. The cartoonist has spent a great deal of money for horses during his years on the turf, but Nellie Morse is his first big money winner. Nellie Morse, a daughter of Luke McLuke and La Venganza, was bought at the Saratoga yearling sales in 1922 for ,000. Last year she won 2,515, just 0,515 more than was paid for her. ller Preakness winnings of 4,-000 add a truly substantial sum to her total which is now 1,265. The daughter of Luke McLuke was a real bargain yearling. «
