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Here and There on the Turf Quality of 1 Kantara. Chasing at Saratoga. Some Derby Winners. Fixtures at Aqueduct. It is fitting that Joseph E- Davis should have made as fortunate a draw as El Kantara in the assigning of the subscription jumpers that were brought to this country last fall This good son of Voter and Oppression, by St. Serf, ran a truly brilliant race to win the Winfield Steeplechase at Aqueduct Wednesday. When he completed the two miles course in 4:03 h; hung out a new track time mark for the distance. The best previous mark for the course was made by Mrs. George W. Lofts Sweepment under 157 pounds in 1921. No one was better entithd to a prize package in the chance drawing of the imported jumpers, for it was Mr. Davis who devised the plan to have them brought over and he was one of the turfmen who had a sample horse brought to this country before the fall shipment. El Kantara came to this country a maiden and his first race for Mr. Davis was disappointing when he fell. That was May 2 at Pimlico. He followed that by winning a special for subscription jumpers and back of him finished Le Vignemale, the winner of the race, in which he had fallen. He followed this by winning a second race for the imported steeplechasers and then he was just beaten by Sans Pecbe at Belmont Park. His Winfield Stakes was his fifth start in this country and it makes his record three firsts and a second in five starts. But what was particularly impressive in the Winfield Steeplechase was the speed shown by the son of Voter and his perfect jumping. He has been improving with each appearance and it is probable that he will prove the bsst horse brought over under Mr. Davis plan. Incidentally there was one in the field Wednesday that has been a real disappointment in Xophime, that raced for Julius Fleisch-znanns Middlen;ck Farm Stabb. This mare was one of the best jumpers in France when she was purchased by Mr. Fleischmann and she cost as much as five or six of the other subscription jumpers. She has started three times in this country and has been well beaten on each occasion, while she came out of the Winfield Steeplechase badly lamed. There is a promise that August will see some excellent cross-country racing, for it is the intention to make the steephchase a daily attraction at Saratoga. This ought to be easy of accomplishment with the many good jumpers that are in training and it ought to add greatly to the entertainment of the racing crowds. On other occasions the Saratoga Association has endeavored to make cross-country racing an important part of its programs, but there was a lack of interest among those who had the steeplechase stables. It was found necessary to declare off many a steeplechase for lack of entries and after card after card had been upset in this fashion the races through the field were temporarily discontinued. With the new attraction that cams with i the importation of the foreign horses, all of this interest has been revived and there should be no lack of material to bring back steeple-chasing to a better plane than has ever before been experienced in this country. With the Latonia Derby almost at hand it is natural that it jJiould attract most of the present interest in the sport. It is over the true Derby distance of a mile and a half and it has frequently brought about the defeat of the winner of the Kentucky Derby, at a mile and a quarter. The Latonia Derby has been run continuously since 1883 and only S2ven times has it been won by the winner of the Kentucky Derby. The last time that a colt accomplished this, feat was in 1906, when George Longs Sir Huon was winner of both races. Elwood was winner of both in 1904 and Lieutenant Gibson, .after winning the Kentucky Derby of 1900, had a walkover in the Latonia Derby. Ben Brush was winner of both in 1896, as was Halm a the year before. In 1891 Kingman won both Derbys and the only other to record the double was Leonatus, the first Latonia Derby winner, in 1883. Until Black Gold suffered his recent defeat there were many who expected him to add his name to that notable list in the 1924 race. With his defeat there was a natural slump in his stock but many good judges have remained loyal and they expect the son of Black Toney and Useeit to brilliantly atone for his one defeat of the year when he is sent to the post by Harry Webb Saturday. It promises to be a thoroughly representative field that will strive for the race although there is some regret that the Rancocas Stable will not be represented by its Belmont Stakes winner, Mad Play. Of course, his defeat in the Carlton Stakes, just as the defeat of Black Gold, brought about a revision of opinion of his class, but it would be well to have the pair come together again this year, no matter what the result of Saturdays race. The Great American Stakes, for two-year-olds, and the Brookdale Handicap, for three-year-olds and over, to say nothing of a selling handicap steeplechase, makes the card for the Saturday racing at Aqueduct particularly attractive. The Great American Stakes is a 0,000 race for the two-year-olds and oe of the important offerings for that age division, while, the Brookdale Handicap, at a mile and an eighth, with ,000 added, has in its list of cligibles the best of the handicap division. Another of the big two-year-old fixtures of the Queens County Jockey Club that is to be decided at Aqueduct next week, is the Tremont Stakes, at three-quarters, with 0,000 guaranteed. That is to be run July 5, and it is . probable that the Great American Stakes will afford some sort of a line on the later stake-race. And there is another big event for July 5 in the Dwyer Stakes, at a mile and an eighth, for three-year-old colts and fillies. This was formerly -known as the Brooklyn Derby and was an inheritance from the old Gravesend track of the Brooklyn Jockey Club. On the death of Phil Dwyer, the ruling spirit of the Brooklyn Jockey Club, the name was changed out of respect to his memory. The three-year-old supremacy has not yet been definitely established, and the Dwyer Stakes will offer August Belmonts Ladkin another opportunity to prove just where he belongs as a champion possibility. The renewal of this race in 1920, when John P. Grier gave Man o War the hardest race ti his career, was a contest that will never be forgotten.
