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Here and There on the Turf Derby Hopes Aroused. New York Season Opening. Sunny Mans Defeat. Americas Turf Classics. With the elimination of Master Charlie fatal the Preakness Stakes and the Kentucky Derby. the hopes of several of those having candi dates for these rich races have risen consid erably. All were compelled to give the son of Lord Archer a deal of respect and, while his lameness is greatly to be regretted, it wa -welcome news to many who considered him a the chief obstacle to a personal success. By this it is not meant that Master Charlie was to have kept any of the prospective starters from going to the post, but not a few of the trainers considered him the most danger ous of all the candidates, and, with him elimi nated by his misfortune, hope springs anew n the stables. The recent performance of the Greentree Stables Chantey gave many a trainer cause for some uneasiness, but Chantey had not raced last year, while Master Charlie had thor oughly and brilliantly established himself by his victories in the Hopeful Stakes and the Kentucky Club Stakes, to say nothing of his other achievement that put him at the top of the two-year-old heap. Chantey has only been raced one?. True, that was a sensational performance, but it was not a test to thoroughly try a colt for one of the greatest races. While the United Hunts Racing Association, with its two days of delightful sport, gave the New Yorkers a taste of racing, this is the big day. This is the opening of the big meeting at Jamaica and the meeting of the Metropolitan Jockey Club, with the Paumonok Handicap the bright and particular attraction. It was in the Paumonok Handicap last year that St. James took the measure of Zev and shortly afterwards went so sorely amiss that he was not brought back to the races. The year before Zev was the winner of the same race, and he went on through that racing season of 1923 to be the greatest money winning horse of the American turf. Run first in 1906, the Paumonok Handicap has always brought together a notable field and for the renewal this year it again promises to be worthy of its best traditions. In addition to the Paumonok there is the Suffolk Stakes, a race with ,000 added money for two year-olds, and under claiming conditions. It is a five-eighths dash and its value assured that selling platers of high speed will be seen in action. It was in this race that Mjrvich made his debut in 1921 and he went unbeaten through the year and the following year won the Kentucky Derby before he knew defeat. The opening of the New York campaign is always a tremendously important event and the preparations that have been made for the 1925 opening assure that it will be a brilliant one. There are more fit horses than have been usual at this season of the year and the glimpse that was had of many of them at Belmont Park Saturday and Monday gave an idea of what may be expected right from the beginning of the Jamaica sea son. Weight will bring them all together. That has been demonstrated year after year and race after race. Willis* Sharpe Kilmers Sunny Man, rated as one of the most promising of three-year-old prospects, was beaten at Havre de Grace by Prince of Bourbon, a colt that i but recently escaped from the maiden claf*. Sunny Man was taking up 124 pounds while i Prince of Bourbcn only shouldered 107* pounds, but Prince of Bourbon may after all be a truly good colt, and, as the race was run, it L* possible that Wallace made a mistake in takiig up the son of Sun Briar in the early racing. There can be no good reason to condemn Sunny Man for his showing and, for a first appearance, he showed promising speed. Then, as has been suggested already, it may develop that to be beaten by Prince of Bourbon is far from being a disgrace. While talking of "classics" it is amusing sometimes to see the loose manner in which which this superlative is used in speaking of big American races. There is a bad habit frequently to abuse the use of "classic" when applied to this or that race that has a great value. As a matter of fact, at most, there are but six races on the American turf that can be called "classics." These are the Preakness Stakes, the Kentucky Derby. Belmont Stakes. American Coaching Club Oaks, Alabama Stakes and the Lawrence Realization Stakes. These are the "classics," but all the others, irrespective of value or of honored age and tradition, do not properly belong. Each of these races mean something more than the value to be won and each is a race to warrant a high sounding title. With the announcement of the dates for the racing over the tracks under the jurisdic- tion of the Canadian Racing Associations all has been completed for the long campaign. This particular circuit comprises ninety-eight days of racing and with the various other meetings, outside the jurisdiction of this body, : Canada will have a busy season of thoroughbred racing. The Canadian Racing Associations circuit will begin at Woodbine Park i with the meeting of the Ontario Jockey Club i May 23 and it is at that same famous old I racing ground that the sport comes to a con- I elusion on October 3. After that date it is usual that there comes a bite in the air that 1 does not fit in exactly with out of doors sports, i but it is a long racing season that is assured i : i i I I 1 i i and the preparations promise that it will be a big year for the Canadian, turf. Racing in Canada has had many a hard battle to fight for some years, but the turfmen have been carrying on with commendable zeal and Canada will ever be a horse country, where racing will be a tremendously popular sport. With most of the racing attention centernl on the Preakness Stakes and the Kentucky Derby, and what the candidates for these big prises are doing, little is being said of the Nrusery Stud thoroughbred sale, but to some turfmen and breeders it is of greater importance than these rich races. And the interest in the sale is not confined to this country, for several foreign breeders and turfmen have been attracted and will be on hand in person or have their representatives here to bid on some offerings. The sale ia to be conducted at the Nursery Farm on May 15, the day before the running of the Kentucky Derby and many have so arranged their Kentucky trip this spring so as to take in the sale first and remain for the Derby at Louisville.
