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Here and There on the Turf On Old Mad Hatter. Record a Brilliant One. Little Celt Is Sold. Kentucky Oaks Fouling. When old Mad Hatter galloped home winner of the Suburban Handicap Saturday in such sensational fashion it is natural there should have been some surprise. The old fellow had the advantage of a perfect ride, but even with that advantage on other occasions he las failed just when he eeemed to have every reason for winning. There is no denying that the eight year-old son of Fair Play and Madcap is as temperamental as an opera singer, but at the same time he is one of the most remarkable thoroughbreds seen in this country in many a year and when he is in a running mood he is always capable of beating the best of them. His victory over the mile and a quarter distance with 125 pounds in the saddle and in 2:03% was a sterling performance and it tends to show that the old horse is as good as ever. Many a less patient trainer than Sam Hil- dreth would have given up Mad Hatter long ago. but under the skillful campaigning of that astute trainer he has proved a remarkable horse I in spite of his uncertain temper. It was not until he was a three-year-old that Mad Hatter attracted any attention and that year, 1919, he was not taken an too seriously, although he was the winner of the first running of the Latonia Championship Stakes over its mile and three-quarters distance. As a four-year-old Mad Hatter won the Torktown Handicap, at a mile and a quarter, at the Empire City meeting, carrying 126 pounds, and in the fall he took the measure of both Billy Kelly and Sir Barton in the mile dash of the Serial Weight -for Age Races. Those were his two important victories that year. But he was just beginning to find himself and as a five-year-old he won the Kings County Handicap at Jamaica ; the Metropolitan, under 127 pounds; the Jockey Club Gold Cup, at two miles, and the October Handicap at Jamaica, under 128 pounds. In 1922, as a six-year-old, this remarkable horse repeated in the Kings County Handicap, carrying 126 pounds, and in the Metropolitan Handicap under 129. He also repeated in the Jockey Club Gold Cup. He won the Pierrepont Handicap, at a mile and a quarter, under 125 pounds, and he was the winner of the Cham-plain Handicap at Saratoga, one and one-eighth miles, under 130 pounds. Last year the only utake race of importance that fell to Mad Hatter was the Toboggan Handicap, at three-quarters, in which he carried 128 pounds. The old horse during all this arduous cam paigning figured in many an overnight handicap and scored many a brilliant victory other than in the stakes in which he performed. It was hardly expected that Hildreth would be able to bring Mad Hatter back to the races this year, but bis first appearance saw him a winner at Jamaica at three quarters. Mad Hatter is temperamental, and he has been a bad boy on various occasions, but no horse in training can show a like record that extends all the way from the three quarters of ihe Toboggan Handicap to the two miles of the Jockey Club Geld Cup. It is easy to forgive such a horse when he occasionally falls a victim to bis erratic temper. It is small wonder that Hildreth has such an abiding faith in Mad Play, the three-year-old broStC-r to Mad Hatter. This colt has failed in the Preakness Stakes, though his race was a good one there, but he failed in the Kentucky Derby and he could only finish fourth ! in the Suburban Handicap. But in the Subur- ■ ban it must be remembered that Mad Play was 1 used to race Rialto into exhaustion and he attended to that assignment in a workmanlike manner. It is possible that, like his older . brother, Mad Play will improve with advancing] ] years. It also may be that he will find him- self this year. If he does, he will bs a hard horse to beat in the running of the Belmont, , Stakes next Saturday. If not, then it may bej | that he matures slowly and will show at his , best in autumn racing, as he did last year. While on the Suburban it is worth while to call attention to the excellent performance of both Little Celt and Aga Khan. Aga Khan was never far from the front and he hung on to his task with remarkable gameness, while Little Celt met with a deal of interference and undoubtedly would have made it more uncomfortable for Mad Hatter with better racing luck. Incidentally, while Little Celt raced in the Suburban under the colors of Sandy McNaugh-ton, he had been sold before the race to Herbert G. Shimp of Chicago. The sale was completed by tehgram and 0,000 was the ! ■ 1 . ] , | , price. Little Celt raced for McNaughton in the Suburban, so that he took down the ,000 second money as well as the purchase price. It would seem that Mr. Shimp has obtained a bargain, as prices go at this time. It was indeed unfortunate that there should have been a foul committed in the running of the-Kentucky Oaks, to bring about the disqualification of Glide after she had finished in front. What was doubly a hardship was the fact that Princess Doreen, the filly to finish second and accordingly to be awarded the race, was one that had not suffered from the fouling that occurred. When Glide committed her foul those to suffer were Laveen, Nellie Morse and Befuddle. At the time Laveen was going exceedingly well, as was Nellie Morse, and it is probable the finish would have been between the two fillies but for the interference. At the same time Glide herself ran an excellent race and it was truly unfortunate that Garner did not keep her straight in the last sixteenth of a mile. The stewards did not hold Garner guiltless, for he was suspended ten days for his rough tactics that so seriously marred the great old — — " filly race.
