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Here and There on the Turf Referendum for Eacing. American Flags Quality. Chance in the Belmont. Altawood Coming Back. This bill that seeks to restore racing to Illinois under a law permitting the us? of th" pari muiuel machines and a government by a commission, mad? an important step forward, when it was provided that there be a county referendum. Racing should always be a matter of local option, and the friends cf racing should al ways welcome such a way of decision. No sport has been making greater progres; during recent years and year after year, it obtains a firmer hold on the public approval. No sport has been so assailed, but the time seems to have come, when the red blooded friends of the thoroughbred n?ed no longer apologize for the turf. There never was anything in racing l that called for an apology, but it is unfortu nate that too often the devotees of the turf were put on the defensive. No sport means more to any nation than does racing in the vast interests that he back of the turf, in the bettering of the breed of horses and there is no sport that is l etter policed or better safeguarded by the rules for its conduct. By reason of the many attacks that have been made on the turf from time to time, it has been something of an uphill job to edu cate the people up to just what is meant by-racing, but this has been done where reputable racing has been conducted, until a referendum is a welcome method to decide the fate cf the sport. Taking a line through the Withers Stakes, the only reason that Samuel D Riddles Am°r ican Flag did not win the Kentucky Derby was because he was not sent to the post. The son of Man o War is seemingly by long odds the best three year old that has b?en uncovered up to this time and his sensut:onal victory in the famous race at Belmont Park on Thurs day left no doubt of his class. American Flag I met with no end of trouble in this race and it was only a horse of high class that could have overcome his handicap when he was shuf fled back and pocketed until it seemed that his every chance for victory was gone. That the manner in which he raced past the others when the opportunity offered set the seal of high class on his race. The manner in which he finished out his mile gave every evidence that he is a stayer and at this time he appears to be easily the most promising of the candidates for the Belmont Stakes, to be run the clos.ng day of the Westchester Racing As sociation mreting. Should American Hag be the winner of the Belmont Stakes, he will again be emulating his illustrious sire. Man o War. for the wonder horse was the winner of both of these races in 1920 when he was sweeping •II before him. Earning 9,600 in the Withers Stakes and the B?lmont Stakes with its guaranteed value of J50.000. a victory in the stake race of th? last day of the meeting would give American Hag a comfortable start toward the goal of greatest money winning three year old of the year. And there was anoth-r Man o War in the Withers Stakes that gave a good account of himself in Walter M. Jeffords By Hisself. He was last of the twelve starters through the fast early running of the mile and he closed an immense gap. as did the winner, to just beat James Butlers Pique for fourth place at the end. Further analyzing the race, its running gave the Kanroras Stables Silver Fox new impor tance when he was such a good second. It must be remembered that Silver Fox was close up in the swift early pace and raced both Candy Kid and Pique into defeat, then hung on with commendable gameness until inside the final sixteenth. It was only there that he succumbed to the invincible rush of the best probable colt of the year. Archibald Barklies Gold Stick was another that ran an impressive race and he is some thing more than a sprinter. Pique and Candy Kid may be put down as merely sprinters, though sprinters of great speed. Then there was Gifford A. Cochrans Preak ness stakes winner Coventry. As was the case jin the running for the big race of the Maryland Jockey Club, Coventry came cut of th ■ Withers decidedly lame. He also met with a bit of interference in the running of the race The others of the twelve that went to the post did not cut mu-h figure in the race, but the conviction is forced that horse for hore, ,it was a better field than that of either the Preakness Stakes or the Kentucky Derby. Of th? twelve that started in the Withers Stakes, [six of them are eligible to the Belmont Stakes. These are American Flag, By Hisself, Swope, Coventry. Backbone and Candy Kid. Silver Fox, which cost Harry F. Sinclair, 9,000 us a yearling, is not an eligible to the Belmo.it Stakes, and Flying Ebony, which cost Gifford A. Ccchran 1,000 the same year, and which won the Kentucky Derby, was only named for the Metropolitan Handicap, Withers Stakes, and the Tobaggan Handicap, at Belmont Park The Greentree Stables Chantey, which failed in the Preakness Stakes, and was not brought to the post for the Kentucky Derby, is an eligible to the Belmont Stakes and should James Rowe bring him back to the form he showed in his first start at Havre de Grace, he would be a worthy rival of American Flag. However, it would seem that the son of Man o War, in his present excellent condition, has the call over all the eligibles to the famous old race. Altawood, Joseph E. Wieners good four-year old stayer, is coming to his one engage ment at Belmont Park in a manner that is thoroughly satisfying to "Ham" Keene, his trainer. The son of Master Robert and Crest wood Girl has been in training since early in the spring and his progress toward racing condition has met with no serious interruption. The mile and a quarter of the race is short enough for this colt and his victories in the Pimlico Cup and Bowie Handicap at Pimlico last fall would indicate that the farther he is asked to race the better account he will give of himself. The success of Mr. Keene has been remarkable since he came to the Joseph E. Widener stable, though up to Friday he had only taken part in four races for his employer. But each was a victory. With Altawood in his present condition he promises to continue his successes.
