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Here and There on the Turf Greatness of Sting. Analysing the Suburban. Belmont Comes Next. American Flag Best. Sting, swift running son of Spur and Gnat, ran the best race of his career in the Suburban Handicap, at a mile and a quarter, at Belmont Park Saturday. It was a magnificent renewal of the eld race and since its first running back in 1884 th°re never was a more thrilling finish. At the end Sting only had his nose in front of the Greentree Stables Cherry Pis and just a haf length farther back camj the Rancocas Stables Mad Play. When James Butlers good colt won the Metropolitan Handicap on the open ng day of the Belmont Park meeting he gave evidence of the high class speed he displayed Saturday, but. as the race was run, his was even a better prrformance than was hoped for by his most ardent admirers. The fact that the son of Spur made the pace for the entire race, and it was a fast race, and then fought it out s gamely was what made the race a sparkling ne. Under different riding, that is letting an ither horse set the pace, it is probable he would have been an easier winner. However, he won, ■ that it is in rather bad taste to offer a riticism of Breunings ride. It brought the iesired result. At the end it was Cherry Pie, holder of the nile record of 1 :352-,, that was just nosed out hj/ Sting. Cherry Pie made his record as a hree year old in September with 113 pounds ;:i the saddle. Saturday, now a five year-ol 1. his same Cherry Pic was only taking up 103 x.unds, so that Sting, under his 122 pouncs. was conceding fourteen pounds to the mile record holder. Some who watched the running of the rac? have expressed the opinion that but for bad racing luck in the stretch King Solomons Sed would have been the winner. It is admitted that Mr. Smiths horse ran into a bit of trouble when he made his move in the stretch, and there is also a possibility that he might have won with a clear course, but that does not detract from the performance of Sting. While Sting was out there killing off « fast a horse as the lightly weighted Catalan. King Solomons Seal was being saved from th: t early pace. The Smith hors-1 closed a big gap. but on the other hand Sting was in the thick of the battle all the way. It would be interesting to know just what would have become of King Solomons Seal had he been going along with Sting from the start, or what would have been the re suit had Sting been rr-rrved behind the lead ers, as was the Smith candidate. It is possible that Sting runs his best races in front, while King Solomons Seal must depend upon one rush through the last quarter, but as the race is analyzed nothing can be taken from the sterling performance of the winner. After all, the ideal horse is the one that can make every post a winning one and maintain that speed as far as horses are asked to run That is "speed, and more sp-ed. the defini tion of the ideal thoroughbred as set down long ago by a famous English turfman. In other words, maintained speed, which mean= stamina and indomitable gameness. Sting showed these quslities to a high degree Satur day and any study of the race will make his performance stand out as a remarkable one. There was natural di appointment at the showing of Joseph F. Wideners Altawoed after his previous good race, but he will tlrey improve over his Suburban Handicap show ing. It *i not within seme pounds of what could naturally have been expected of the son of Master Robert and Crestwood Girl, on his previous showing, and it will not do to pass him up on account of his showing Satur-| day. As far as Mr. Widen Vs good four-year il 1 i* concerned, it might be as well to f rget the Suburban Handicap in considering other engagements he has to meet later on in the year. Mad Play raced well, and it must be remembered that right at the end he was in rather close quartcrj and he was top weight of the race. That all counts, but it comes back to Sting again, he was not in racing trouble ror th- reafeu that he was out there doing it all the way. The most important of the remaining fix tures for the Helmont Park meeting is the his tone old Belmont Stakes, to be run on the closing day of the meeting, next Saturday This old race is at a mile and three eighths and dates away back to 18C7, when the rcene of i;s running was Jerome Park. No race for three year olds can boast of the names of as many champions on its roster of winners, and, for the renewal on Saturday, Samuel D. RiddV American Flag is at this time the most talk ad of eligible. His victory in the Withers Stales ii-.r; him most f the prominence he is en joying :.t this time. The Withers Stakes was first run in 187!, and since its inauguration its winner has fre quently been beaten over the more trying I route of the Belmont Stakes, but there have been several doubles scored. The first coii to win both races was in 1878. when Duke of Magentia followed his Withers Stakes triumph by taking the Belmont Stakes. The others have been Forester, in 1882 ; ,Gecrge Kinney in 1883, Panique in 1884, Ty rant in 1885, Hanover in 1887, Sir Dixon in 1888, Jean Bereaud in 1899, Delhi in 1904. Colin in 1908, The Finn in 1915, Hourlcss i:. i 1917, Sir Barton in 1919. Man o War, 1920. and Zev in 1923. This is a truly notable ban :, and when some of the other winners that did not take the Withers are considered, the roster is the most glorious of any on the American turf. Fifty six of the nominees remain eligible to the race of Saturday, and when it is constd ered that the Withers Stakes brought out a record field of twelve starters there appears to be good reason to expect a goodly field for ja 0,000 Belmont Stakes. By Hisself, another son of Man o War, was fourth in tho Withers Stakes and he races like a colt that is a real stayer. He may give American Flag an argument. Chantey, which went slightly amiss before the running of the Kentucky Derby, is another eligible, and theu Quatrain will have a chance to redeem his recent showing. King Nadi, the Kentuckian, seems to be a natural stayer, and Alex Gordon is not ready to give up Swops just yet. Single Foot. Backbone and Almadel are among the other eligible* But most of these are n t far apart in the matter of class, and American Flag seems to hold them all safe over the Belmont Stakes distance.
