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Here and There on the Turf Close of Belmont Meeting. Championship in the Air. Reputations Good Record. Foreign Jumping Blood. With the completion of the program at Belmont Park, Friday, there came to a close another of the New York spring meetings. The Beene changes to Aqueduct, the racing ground of the Queen County Jockey Club, Saturday, and the prospect for a brilliant opening could hardly be better. While the racing at Belmont Park, though handicapped by unseasonable weather most of the time, has been up to the tradictions of the old Westchester Racing Association, but it did nothing to clear up the question of a champion in any of the age divisions. It was a wonderful meeting for the Rancocas Stable of Harry F. Sinclair and, while the racing establishment has no three year-old that stands out as Zev did at the same time last year, it is well on the way to again head the list of winning owners for 1924. At this time last year Zev alone had earned 17,800 for the green and white colors, with the Paumonok Handicap. Rainbow Handicap, Kentucky Derby. Withers Stakes and Belmont Stakes all to his 1 credit. This year the stable winnings have been spread over a greater number of horses, but they have been satisfying and ample to keep the stable well to the front. The Toboggan Handicap, Withers Stakes, Belmont Stakes and Suburban Handicap have all gone to the white and green, to say nothing of several other stakes of less value and importance. As far as the three-year-olds are concerned the palm must go to Mad Play, by reason of his victory- in the Belmont Stakes, but he cannot yet be hailed as the champion of the year even thus far. As for the two-year-olds it is not possible to come even as close as that in deciding on the best. There is a hope that the best are being reserved for later in the year and that possibly it will be at Saratoga before they are shown. Unless that meeting shows i better ones than have raced at Belmont Park it will mean that it is a truly bad year for the two year elds. There are some important two-year-old I 1 stakes down for decision at the Aqueduct meeting and there is still a chance that some champion may be uncovered before the Saratoga meeting. Then there is the excuse that some of the young thoroughbreds have be?n coughing and it has been impossible to bring them to the post. During the Aqueduct meeting the important : two-year eld stakes are th? Astoria Stakes and I the Clover Stakes exclusively for fillies, and the Tremont, Great American and Hudson i Stakes for both sexes. There is the chance that out of these opportunities there may come a real development. In Kentucky there is something of a tangle t in the different divisions, though, of course, Black Geld, by reason of his brilliant accom plishments thus far, has already been hailed I as the champion three year-old. Then in the I two year old division Williams Bros. R°puta tion, the fast-running son of Hilarious and I Paris Queen, by McGee, just about stands out alone. This colt was only beaten in his first start and he has five straight victories to his credit. . He has fairly smothered his opponents on i every occasion and in his winning race of f Wednesday he showed ability to race through i i t I I I . i f i heavy going as well as over a fast track. It it entirely possible that he will wind up the season champion of them all. From Hilarious he has inherited extreme speed, while McGee. on the dams side, should give him wearing stamina and an ability to stand up over longer distances when he is better matured. " The influence of foreign bred horses on steeplechasing was well demonstrated in the running of the Grand National Steeplechase at Bebnont Park Thursday, when four of the five starters were bred abroad. Dan IV., the winner, Duettiste, which finished second, and Carbinier, third, all came from France, Courteous was bred in England, while Kate ODay, the only other starter, a distant follower at the end, is a native bred. Of course while Duettiste was bred in France he is generally considered an American institution, but he is more foreign than native on both sides of his house. Ethelbert, his sire, was by Eothen- Maori, by Poulet, while Dul-cibella, his dam, was by Tithonus, from Duchess, by Kingfisher, second dam Lady Blessington, by Eclipse. It was a truly notable renewal of the Grand National, and the manner in which Duettiste and Dan IV. fought it out after that gruelling thre? miles, over nineteen fences, proclaimed each a worthy horse. The steeplechasing during the Belmont Pak n eeting has been excellent and it must be particularly gratifying to Jcs?ph E. Davis and Lis associates of the National Steeplechase ana Hunt Association. Much was done to bring about an adequate revival of cross-country racing and the success that has attended these picturesoui races has been richly deserved. Master Billy is a two year old that cast ,500 as a yearling and he has already proven himself a wonderfully good 1 uy. Others that finished back of him were Dugout, which cost ,5X ; Fearnaughtv S2.S00, and Mervinia, 00. It would seem that each one of these would speedily bring back the purchase price as well as the cost of training. In the last race the same day, Crumple, the winner, was bred by Mrs. K. E. Hitt, his pres-ent owner, as were Rodeo and Sanford. Nina, the only one that was purchased at Saratoga, cost ,300 when she was purchased from Phil T. China,
