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Here and There on the Turf Ladkin the Defender. International Field Prospects. Interest in Latonia Cup. Opening of Maryland. Ladkin, at this time, has tremendous importance as the possible victor over. Pierre Wertheimers Epinard at Aqueduct Saturday. Major Belmonts swift-running son of Fair Play and Lading left nothing to be desired in the way of speed and ccnditioii when he was such, an easy winner of the Edgemere Handicap, at a mile and an eighth, in 1:49. The track record for the distance is 1 :49, which, as a matter of fact, is also the American record for tha distance. It was made at Aqueduct by Grey Lag in 1921, when he won the Dwyer Stakes from Sporting Blood. It is a record that is also shared by Goaler, which, as a fivfryear-old and with the feather of 9iY pounds in the saddle, rounded out the- distance at the same time at Belmont Park. The ease with which Ladkin won left no doubt of his ability to readily chizel off more than the three-fifths of a second, had Kummer been riding him to establish a record. So much for those who put great store in the matter of time in races. Then for those who look a bit further than time, the performance was also an equally impressive one. Weight carried and those beaten amount to much more than merely how fast a horse has run. Here is how the Edgemere figures along those lines: Ladkin, a three-year-old, gave away weight on the scale to such horses as these: Spot Cash, 3 pounds; King Solomons Seal, 12; Catalan, 8; Rialto, II; Wilderness, 4; Bar-bary Bush, 22; Cherry Pie, 14, and Little Chief, 2. That is the order in which the others finished back of Major Belmonts great colt. He led this band from end to end with ridiculous ease. Next Saturday Ladkin does not have to give away any weight and has only to repeat his Edgemere Handicap to be a truly hard horse to beat. The Edgemere Handicap ought to do him good and it would be natural enough to expect an even better performance. As the date of the Interanional Special draws nearer the probable field is narrowing down until it looks more and more like a repetition of the first special, with Wise Counsellor, Epinard and Ladkin filling the placed positions. Frederick Burtons great colt continues to train excellently for the race; Ladkin has proved himself to the satisfaction of all good judges, and Epinard himself promises to be a much better colt Saturday than he was on Labor Day. Among the older eligibles there is nothing like the same condition. My Own, by his showing in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, cannot be seriously considered, though Admiral Grayson would probabdly rather beat Epinard than win any other race to which, his four-year-old is eligible. In spite of the reports that were broadcasted of th condition of My Own, before the running of the Cup, he was evidently a bit short, but even, taking that into consideration he cannot be seriously considered against the three-year-olds that will race Saturday. My Play, the brother to Man o War, after appearing to be a candidate by his victory in the Cup, will not be sent to the post. He will be busily engaged next Saturday in trying to win the Latonia Cup. Grey- Lag has gone amiss and Zev has not shown enough. Spot Cash is a good one, but it will be a different tale at the scale weight. i Zev surely has not shown enough and about ; the only older horse at this time that would appear to have a chance- against Epinard is Mad Hatter. This sterling old campaigner, any time he takes it into his head to run kindly, is capable of taking the measure of any horse and it would not ba surprising if he was the eventual choice of the Rancocas Stable. Naturally this finicky old campaigner is at a distinct disadvantage, just as long as Earl Sande is nursing a broken leg, for Sande knew how to make the old horse run kindly. Epinard is sure to be a hard nut to crack Saturday, no matter what the track conditions, and if he is beaten it will probably be by either Ladkin or Wise Counsellor. It is natural that the New York racing should atract worldwide interest Saturday on account of the international mile contest, but Latonia will have a program that is of vast importance. It is the date for the running of the Latonia. Cup, at two miles and a quarter, as well as the- Fort Thomas Handicap, at three-quarters, for the two-year-olds. The Cup has 0,000 added, while the Fort Thomas Handicap has ,000 added. It is the Cup that has resulted in Edward F. Simms My Play passing up the meeting with Epinard. But the Latonia Cup is a different proposition. The Belmont Park race was at weight for age, while the Latonia Cup is under handicap conditions. It is also two and a quarter miles, against the two miles of the Belmont Park race. My Play carried his 125 pounds brilliantly at Belmont Park, but i it must be remembered that he had no weight advantage over the other starters, while, at Latonia he will shoulder 128 pounds and give i ; i away weight to all that may oppose him. Many a good one in Kentucky has been pointing for the Cup, and the son of Fair Play and Mahuba will find phnty of stern opposition. Chilhowee, winner of the Latonia Derby, is back in form, and is a rare long-route traveller. He is in the Cup under 116 pounds. On the scale that would make My Play give him a pound. Black Gold enjoys a like advantage, while Altawood, which has worked well for the race, has a five pounds advantage over both Chilhowee and Black Gold and an advantage of a pound more over My Play. Every pound counts heavily in a gallop of two miles and a quarter, and while My Play seems to have earned his place in the handicap, he is sure to have stiff opposition in the Latonia Cup. Another happening of importance to Maryland racing is the closing; of the stakes of the Maryland Jockey Club for its Pimlico meeting in November. These stakes have tremendous racing importance and they are to close Thursday. For the twelve days of raeing there will be 23,300 distributed among horsemen in added money and that tells something of the importance of the meeting at the famous old Baltimore course. Then there is another additional interest in the opening of the Maryland racing season in the adoption of the new rule that will prohibit the use of whips by the assistant starters. There is some apprehension in regard to the success of this method of sending the fields away, but it is generally agreed, with, properly schooled horses, it will be. an excellent change from the old method.
