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Here and There on the Turf Fame of Mad Hatter. Three -Year-Old Muddle. Two Best Fillies. The Whitney Juveniles. It is safe, at this time, to predict that old Mad Hatter will top the 00,000 mark of winnings before the end of the racing season. Already this year the magnificient eight-year-old son of Fair Play and Madcap has earned 7,-590 and his winnings for seven years of racing endeavor now total 94,225. When a horse reaches the ripe old age of eight years and still is capable of winning a Suburban Handicap and the Queens County Handicap from such horses as opposed this old campaigner he is a remarkable horse and Mad Hatter is not through by any means. Zev, Man o War and Exterminator are the only American thoroughbreds whose earnings have been in excess of 00,000 and Mad Hatter has plenty of time before the close of his 1924 campaign to make up the ,775 that he is shy of that figure. He is engaged in all of the important fixtures for which he is eligible and this year he appears to be training and racing more kindly than he was last year. His only success last year was in the Toboggan Handicap and in fact in six other starts he failed to take down any part of the money. This created the natural impression that the old fellow was finally played out and that Hildreth would not bring him back this year. He not only came back, but at the first asking he was the winner of a three-quarters dash at Jamaica from as fast a filly as Miss Star, while others back of him were Salacia, Little Celt, Dunlin, Knobbie, Brainstorm, Hephaistos and Ed Lowe. His other two victories have been in the Suburban Handicap and the Queens County Handicap. Mad Hatter was well beaten in the Excelsior Handicap and the Metropolitan Handicap, a race he had won both in 1921 and 1922. Then he was third in the Toboggan Handicap, which was won by his stab! em ate, Sheridan. Thus far Mad Hatter has not shown the uncertain temper that was such a serious handicap on various occasions. If he continues to race kindly, there is no telling just how good a horse he will prove himself, even at this venerable age. He has electric speed as has been shown in his three-quarters victories, while the Bowie Handicap, Jockey Club Gold Cup, , on two occasions, and various other route races I proved him a remarkable stayer. Every time there is another of the big races * for three-year-olds in sight the hope is expressed - that it may result in clearing up the I present muddle in that age division. Possibly too many are averse to giving Black Gold I full credit for the place he has won for himself ■ by his unbeaten record this year. That is » peculiarly true of the East. Most horsemen I are of the opinion that Black Gold would 1 quickly be deposed if he raced against the I best that have been racing over the New York t tracks, but the fact remains that he met and 1 defeated the best that could be mustered 1 against him in the Kentucky Derby. Excuses s are offered for some of those that finished back t of him and it must be admitted that Mad Play f did not run near to his brilliant showing in » the Belmont Stakes. It has not been found 1 necessary to offer excuses for Black Gold. The son of Black Toney and Useeit is s being groomed for the Latonia Derby and 1 should Mad Play go to the post in that race i , i I i ; ■ , I * - I I ■ » I 1 I t 1 1 s t f » 1 s 1 i next Saturday it should help some in finding out just where Mrs. Hoots champion belongs. It is unfortunate that Black Gold is not better supplied with engagements in common with the best of his opponents and should he triumph in the Latonia Derby, it is probable that it would be just about the last meeting he will have with the other aspirants for the crown. But should Black Gold win a con- vincing race next Saturday he must win a new place in the opinion of the horsemen of the East, who are prone to discount all that he has accomplished. Such a victory would also make him a candidate for the races against Pierre Wertheimers Epinard in the fall. They will be at weight for age and Black Gold has shown that he is capable of running both fast and far. The son of Black Toney is particularly at home when the going is soft and, should Epinards engagements fall due on other than a fast track, Mrs. Hoots colt might prove one of the best defenders that could be found. Nellie Morse and Princess Dorean just now must be rated as the best of the fillies. When Princess Doreen only won the Kentucky Oaks by reason of the disqualification of Glide, the victory was not a clean cut one and, of course, by no means satisfying, but when she won the Coaching Club American Oaks at Belmont Park, it gave the Kentucky Oaks victory added importance. Princess Doreen proved in the Belmont Park race that she is a remarkable filly and there was no fluke in that victory. Nellie Morse came into immediate importance by her victory over both colts and fillies in the running of the Preakness Stakes, and she has shown since that time that there was nothing fluky in the victory. In the Kentucky Oaks, she was one that suffered by the fouling for which Glide was disqualified and was not a starter in the Coaching Club American Oaks. For that reason she ought to have another chance at Princess Doreen. Princess Doreen carried 121 pounds in the Belmont Park race and gave away some pounds to every other starter. She won convincingly and as far as that field is concerned she was best. Nellie Morse is entitled to another try after what happened in the Kentucky Oaks, and it is hoped the pair will be brought together before long. Back in the days when the horses of James R. Keene were well nigh sweeping all before them, it was no uncommon thing to see him finish first and second in a stake race. James Rowe was training for Mr. Keene at the time. James Rowe is now training for Harry Payne Whitney now and on one occasion in the two-year old class the Whitney silks were first, second and third, while three other times they finished first and second. This gives the stable the call thus far in the two year old division and the racing is still comparatively young, with some of the best probably waiting for the August racing. In the Rosedale Stakes at Jamaica, Maud Muller won, Swinging was secoend, and Mother Goose was third. In the Fashion Stakes at Belmont Park, Mother Goose was first and Maud Muller second. Then in the Clover Stakes Maud Muller was first and Swinging second. The latest success of this character was when Elf won the Hudson Stakes at Aqueduct, while Noah was second.
