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Here and There on the Turf Belmont Prospects. The Probable Field. Latonias Opening. fl Fators Blunders. With the fifty-sixth running of the famous Belmont Stakes almost at hand — it is to be decided at the big Nassau County course of the ? Westchester Racing Association Saturday — the chances are bright for the largest field that 1 has ever gone to the post in its history. The Belmont is a mile and three-eighths race, for three-year-olds, entire colts and fillies, and has a guaranteed value of 0,000. Last year the , field was away above the average when eight t went to the post and it was worth just 8,000 net to Harry F. Sinclair when his champion 1 Zev was the winner. By that time Zev had pretty well established his reputation by his victories in the Withers and the Kentucky Derby, yet there were seven that attempted to wrest that prize from the son of The Finn and Miss Kearney. This year no three-year-old at this time stands • out as did Zev in 1923 and there is more reason . for a larger field. There has been no dependable line obtained 1 on the best of the three-year-old crop and I this is one year when the Withers Stakes winner • is not eligible. Though Hildreth named I twenty-eight in the original nominations for the Belmont Stakes, there are only seven that remain in the eligible list. These are Stanwix, Sheridan, Hourmore, Mad Play, Eaglet, Tester and Honor. It is possible that the best of the entries was denied this opportunity, for • Bracadale, both in the Kentucky Derby and | by his victory in the Withers Stakes, proclaimed • his worth as a prospective champion. These two old stake races have been run 1 since 1874. That is, there have been forty-eight decisions in that period of time and on 1 fifteen different occasions the winner of the Withers Stakes has also been the winner of the , Belmont Stakes. In a great majority of the ■ renewals many colts started in both and frequently the winner of the Withers Stakes was just beaten in the longer and more important ; race. Duke of Magenta, in 1878, was the first colt to win both and the others that have taken . down each have been Forester, George Kinney, Panique, Tyrant, Hanover, Sir Dixon, Jean i Bereaud, Delhi, Colin, The Finn, Hourless, Sir Barton, Man o War and Zev. Both races are indeed rich in tradition and I they have a sporting importance that will ever make them among the foremost of the American stake races. An idea is had of the possible field Saturday when it is known that the following colts have all been suggested as probable starters: Mad Play, Sheridan, Eaglet, Klondyke, Aga Khan, Mr. Mutt, Samaritan, Nautical, Diogenes, Sun Pal, Worthmore, Modest and Beau Butler. It is also possible there will be additions to this list. Ill fortune afflicted the Kentucky Jockey Club at Latonia when there was a spell of rainy weather for the opening Tuesday. But the opening, considering the conditions, was a remarkably successful one and there was the usual enthusiasm that prevails over this favorite course. It was natural that there should be many scratches with the changed track conditions, and it is also natural that some of the winners I should come from unexpected quarters. The victory of Moonraker in the Inaugural Handicap was something of a surprise, but the son of Broomstick and Alister Cress has frequently upset calculations. He has been at it a long time and he stands up wonderfully well under his hard campaigning. Audacious, though beaten, ran a smashing race, considering the weight he carried through the difficult going, and he was in no sense disgraced when he could only finish second. Glide, the filly that was first in the Kentucky Oaks, only to be disqualified for a stretch foul, ran a good and game race to be lapped on Audacious, and it must be remembered that Chilhowee, which raced so brilliantly in the Kentucky Derby, was also back of Audacious. The son of Star Shoot and Bold Girl is still a high-class handicap performer, and he will well make his way in running just such races as he did in the Inaugural Handicap. Laverne Fator was guilty of two bad rides at Belmont Park Tuesday and with better judgment he would undoubtedly have been first on those two occasisons instead of finishing second. Frequently Fator rides brilliantly, but Tuesday was surely his off day. His first performance that merited criticism was his riding of Eaglet in the mile of the third race. There is no question but Eaglet was the best horse in the race and the Fator mistakes brought about his defeat. Beginning a bit slowly Fator did not show proper energy in improving his position until it was too late and then he made the fatal mistake of driving his mount right into trouble behind two tiring horses. The other bad ride was on Outline in the Ladies Stakes, in which he was beaten by J. Maiben, riding Joseph E. Davis Relentless. It is not intended to take anything away from Relentless. She ran a capital race to be the winner, but it was George D. Wideners Parasol that had much to do with the defeat of Outline. Fator employed altogether different tactics M with Outline than he employed with Eaglet. H That is, instead of waiting with this filly, le | attempted to make a sprint of the mile. It M might have served the purpose had it not been M that Kummer decided to make pace with M Parasol for the benefit of Salacia, her stable- | mate. | The result of all this was that Parasol | forced Outline to run the first half mile in 46 M seconds and the three quarters was reached M in 1:11%. Outline put Parasola away, M and she was so thoroughly put away that she M finished last, but that early pace told its tale M in the closing strides, and it was small wonder M that Outline tired just enough to permit Re- | lentless to beat her a head. | It may be that Fator was riding to oriers H when he went out in the lead with Outline, but M it appears that the early pace was all that | prevented her from being the winner of tha H Ladies Stakes. H
