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Here and There on the Turf Retirement of Sarazen. Zev and the "Soft Spots." Value of Condition Races. Chilhowee for New Orleans. Max HIrsch has sent both Sarazen and Nicholas into retirement. They have been returned to Belmont Park from Maryland and will loaf through the cold months that they be fit and ready for what is offered in 1925. Sarazen, during his brilliant fall campaign, stamped himself as the horse of the year, but in his last race, the Washington Handicap at Laurel, it was evident that he had staled a bit, so that it is not surprising that Hirech should pass up the Pimlico engagements. Tie son of High Time and Rush Box does not appear to be a particularly robust horse and it does not do to have him in engagements too close together. In the Third International Special at Latonia, it is doubtful if there ever was a horse that could have beaten him over its mile and a quarter distance. He covered the route in 2:00 and it is suspected that the 2:00 of Whisk Broom II. in the Suburban Handicap of 1913, was a mistake in timing. There - was no doubt of the time hung out by Sarazen, but apart from the phenomenal time that was recorded by the swift-running son of High Time, what made his race so remarkable was the way he followed flying Chilhowee to run past him without an apparent effort. Then Sarazen came back in the mile and a quarter of the Maryland Handicap at Laurel, in which he carried six pounds over his scale weight, and made a big concession to each other starter, yet he was again a winner and in fast time. In the Washington Handicap, under the same weight carried in the Maryland Handicap, Sarazen was beaten and in slower time than was hung out in either of his sensational winning races. While frequently it has been pointed out that too much importance may be put on the value of time, it applies in a measure to the performance of Sarazen in indicating how he had "gone off" after his victory in the Maryland Handicap. He is a gelding of extreme 6peed. He is lion-hearted, as has been shown on various occasions, but it is not fair to ask him to go through with his campaign when it is evident that he is not at the top of his form. That is reasan enough for his retirement and it is hoped and expected that Hirsch will bring him back next year one of the best handicap performers ever seen in this country. Sam Hildreth had to practice a deal of patience with Zev before he brought him back this year. The three-year-old conqueror of Papyrus last year and a colt that wellnigh swept all before him did not promise well as a four-year-old. For a time he was going in a way that would have discouraged a less patient man than Hildreth, but he has always known that Zev is a real race horse and he is bzlng rewarded in these fall days. One bright afternoon Frank Hackett, in studying the Latonia book, found some spots for Zev. The first was a three-quarters race so framed that, while Zev is the greatest American money winner in history, he was able to be in there under 108 pounds. That was truly a soft spot and a purse was picked up. But that was not the only soft spot. That race was run October 10 and following there was another three-quarters dash that let Zev in under 110 pounds. Again he was a winner. That was Saturday, and the Monday following the Eame Zev, in the Columbus Day purse, had only to shoulder 117 pounds and he had taken his third race at the meeting. Then came the Havlin Hotel Handicap at a mile and the son of The Finn and Miss Kearney was assigned 129 pounds and again won. That is how Zev went into Kentucky to come away with four victories from October 10 to October 18, and only one of these was a handicap. Hackett found the spots and they surely were easy ones, when the good four-year-old could race under such weights. But Zev really needs little weight help in his present condition, as was shown when he won the first of the Serial Weigh t-for-Age races at Pimlico Tuesday. It was over the three-quarters route and under his scale weight of 130 pounds he ran its three-quarters in 1:12 to beat Goshawk, Lucky Play and others. The remaining weight-for-age races to which Zev is eligible are over the mile and mile and one-eighth distance. Last year Zev was the winner of the mile and an eighth serial from Homestretch and Tryster and after that he wound up his campaign by beating In Memo-riam at Churchill Downs in one of the greatest races of the year. It was the only one of the Pimlico Serials of 1923 in which Zev was started. While there was some congratulation among the Kentuckians when Hildreth went away with Zev, there is no denying that these condition races are popular. Too often racing secretaries devote the book, apart from the stakes, the conditions for which are thought out far in advance, to claiming races and handicaps. This gives the good horse scant chance for employment after he reaches a high place in the handicaps. He cannot be raced in claiming races and, when he goes after th3 handicaps, he earns his way to a place where the weights are so excessive that, even should he continue to take races, he is in imminent danger of breaking down every time h3 is sent to the post. There should be a greater premium for developing a good horse. He should not be sentenced to handicaps after he becomes a four-year-cld. That is to say he should havcj other than handicap opportunities. The handicap is one of the best races on the turf, but the racing secretary that makes a closa study of horses and their form can readily frame conditions from time to time that will bring good ones close together without resorting to the handicap. This naturally means a deal of intelligent work on the part of the racing secretary. He must know his horses and what the horses have accomplished, but, at. this time, with the voluminous records that are so easily available, there is nothing like the labor that was entailed in the time of old "Crick." When racing programs are merely made for platers of different degrees and handicaps as the opportunity for the better horses, there is less incentive for" development of the best. There are too few racss at weight-for-age but they would not take the place of carefully thought out condition races that would impose penalties on the top-notchers and, at the same time, 1st in others of lesser attainments at an advantage. The champion should have his opportunity without being at the mercy of the handicapper and he can only have an adequate opportunity in these condition races. One of the special attractions that is sought for the racing at New Orleans Fair Grounds for the meeting that is to open with 1925, is the good colt Chilhowee. This swift-running son of Ballot, by his sensational races this year, could not fail to do a great good for the New Orleans racing. Patrons of the sport in the southern city have scant opportunity to see such stars in action and, by their loyalty to the sport, they are entitled to the best. Black Gold did much for racing in New Orleans and every inducement will be offered the GaUaher Brothers to send their great celt down for the meeting. Such horses always do much for racing. They attract an attention to racing that is always desirable. They present racing at its best and every turf idol has done giant work in bringing to the spcrt the best of its devotees.
