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Here and There on the Turf Close of ChnrcMU. Three-Year-Old Muddle. Belmont the Next Test. Latonia to Open Tuesday. Another milestone lias been passed in the I 1924 racing season with the close of the Kentucky Jockey Club meeting at Churchill Downs. Seldom has there besn a spring meeting more handicapped by rnrl»Tnnnt, weather and the •consequent bad track conditions, but it was a thoroughly successful meeting and the large attendance that remained faithful through every stress of weather told eloquently of the hold the sport has on the public And it was a meeting that really did not decide the supremacy in any of the age divisions. Black Gold, of course, was the outstanding three-year-old by reason of his victory in the .Kentucky Derby. It may be that he will go on through the season the champion, hut his I opponents are rather limited and there remain many good judges who are not willing at this i time to hail him as the champion. Among the two-year-olds there was also a difference of opinion and, while Reputation rounded out his racing there by a brilliant victory in the Baehford Manor Stakes, as was expected, it was hardly sufficient to crown him king of flie two-year-olds. In the handicap division there was no one 1 horse that stood out, as is often the case, so that as far as the Churchill Downs racing was i concerned there still remains interest for the I Latonia meeting "in trying to discover the western champions. The same condition obtains in New York. The three-year-old situation is all in a muddle and there has not been a really first-flight two-year-old or a handicap horse shown thus far • that stands out alone over the others. Braca-dale proved himself in the running of the ! Withers Stakes "when he was its winner at Belmont Park Friday, but Bracadals has failed I on occasions when he was expected te win. He is undoubtedly one of the beat of the three year-olds, but he will have to accomplish much i more before he can be hailed as the champion. • Arcady won the Juvenile Stakes like a high-clan colt and he may p on to stall greater . things, but he does not impress as have many of the two year olds of other years. It is I well far racing to have a real champion appear from time to time. It is well to have a i horse that by his deeds attracts wide attention, • but just so long as no such horse appears there is a better chance far good contests. When no champion is developed trainers are not scared I out of races. They will have a try against ■ any and all that appear and it is a condition 1 that makes for better fields and better contests. • The next high-class three-year-old offering ; will be the Bslmont Stakes, to be run next t Saturday- That may in a measure clear up the three-year-old situation, but it cannot do bo definitely for the reason that Black Gold is s not an eligible, and there are other three-year-olds - with championship aspirations that will not t be seen at the post. The victory of Bracadale in the Withers ? tends to put him at the top of the eastern colts • of his own age at this time, but the Belmont t Stakes is a mile and three eighths compared 1 with the mile of the Withers and it is of much i greater value. Earlier in the year Bracadale ! was not as highly considered and it was not t until his brilliant performance in the Ken- I i • I ■ 1 • ; t s - t ? • t 1 i ! t tueky Derby that he came prominently into the first division. If he can carry on for the Belmont Stakes distance, it will go a long way toward the championship in t!»e light of what he has already accomplished. Apprehension displayed a flash of speed in the Withers Stakes and it is expected that he has not yet been thoroughly tightened up after his enforced idleness, due to the injury he received in the running of the Preakness Stakes. This colt has shown John Loftus that he is a thoroughly good one and he may show to better advantage Saturday. Sun Pal ran a smashing race in the Withers Stakes and it was by far his best performanc: of the year. He is another that may come to the Belmont Stakes a particularly fit colt. The coming of Beau Butler and Modest for the famous old race is of decided interest and it would not be surprising if ths field for the race was the largest that has been sent to the post for its decision in any recent yetr. Too often the Belmont Stakes has failed to produce the contest that such a prze should produce and this seems to be the year when it will be worth while. On five different occasions in its history the Belmont Stakes has only brought two horses to the post. In 1887 Hanover was only opposed by Oneko. The following year Prince Royal was the only one to start against Sir Dixcn. Then in 1892 Patron only had Shellbark to beat. Sweep only had Duke of Ormonde as his opponent and in 1920 Donnacona was the only one to have the temerity to go against the mighty Man o War. Thsn on various other occa-:ifns the field was composed of three or four horses. The Inaugural Handicap, which is the big feature of the opening day at Latonia Tuesday, gives promise of bringing about a high-class contest. This is over the mile and a sixteenth with an added money value of ,000. While In Memoriam, the top weight, has been away from the races for some time by reason of an injury, he has had galloping recently and it is expected that he will be seen at the post. He has been assigned 127 pounds and under that weight has to concede five pounds actual weight to Hal Price Headleys good English mare Chacolct. Chacolet has made her second visit to the East this year when she was sent on for the Suburban Handicap at Belmont Park and she will be something of a traveler if she can return to Latonia and be fit to start in the Inaugural. Audacious is under equal weights with the Headley mare, but it is entirely possible that these, handicapped in excess of 120 pounds, will not be seen at the post. .«• Going on down through the list there are found many who seem to be in favorably and many that have shown readiness for the question. AH of this promises that the Inaugural Handicap will bring out both a large and a representative field at post time.
