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Here and There on the Turf American Flag Champion. Man 0 Wars Campaign. Comparing the Year. Opening of Aqueduct. There is no American stake race with a greater number rf champions in the roster of its winners than the historic eld Belmont Stakes. There is no three year-old of the present ye-ir that has a better right to its championship than Samuel D. Riddles American Flag, -ho swift running son of Man o War and Lady Comfey, a richly bred daughter of Roi Herode Only once in the running of the Belmont Stakes has faster time been hung cut for its mile and three-eighths distance. That wa- when Man o War. stre of Saturdays winner, beat George W. Lofts Donnarona in 1920 The wonder son of Fair Play and Mahuba covered the distance in 2:14%. When American Flag raced home such an ca«y winner it was apparent to all that he could have cut the running time considerably, but that was of no moment. One reason for Man o War establishing so niaoy records was a desire that he should show fast time. Ther-was Dwyer Stakes — in only one race -the which it was necessary for him to break a record to win, but the big colt was permitted to rush right along and the records were in evitable. He had something of a start on his son, American Flag in his three year old racing when he was winner of the Preakness Stake?. He followed that up with the Withers Stake? and the Belmont Stakes, both of which have gone to his worthy son. Then he took the Stuyvesant Stakes at Jamaica. This was fol lowed by his memorable battle with John !. Grier in the Dwyer Stakes. His other victories were in the Miller Stakes, Travers Stakes, Law renee Realization Stakes, Jockey Club Stakes, Potomac Handicap and his last appearance was his match with Sir Barton in Canada. It would be ridiculous to attempt to take anything away from such a horse as Man o War in the light of his accomplishments, but bad as the three year olds seem to be this year, it would appear that American Flag will have to meet better horses than opposed his daddy if he is to retain his championship to the end of the racing season. It was Upset and Wildair that finished second and third tj Man o War in the Preakness Stakes and L "psct had administered his on? unfortunate defeat the year before. These two good colts were the best that opposed Man o War during his career as a three-year old. In the Withers Stakes it was Wildair that finu hed second and David Harum was third. In the Belmont Stak-s the champion was only opposed by Donnacona, hardly a prospective champion. In the Stuyvesant Stak s Yellow Hand was the only one to start against him. Then came the Dwyer Stakes and the race with John P. Grier. Next, in th- Miller Stake*, his opponents were Donnacona and Kin* Al l«rt. In the Travers Stakes James Rowe sent both Upset and John P. Grier out in the hopi cf beating the son of Fair Play. But in the Lawrence Realization Hoodwink was the only one to go against Man o W ar. In the Jockey Club Handicap Dama?k was the one to go ajainst the champion and was beaten fifteen lengths when a new record of 2:28% was en tablishcd for the mile and a half. Then at Havre da Grace in the fall Man / War pretty Cbor. ugh!y settled his question with Wildair when he took up 138 pound* in the Potomac Handicap and defeated the Whit- ney three year old easily, though he only ; shouldered 108 pounds. The only other race was that farcical match jwith Sir Barton and that was the only time that Man o War met a horse not in his age division, Commander Ross colt being a four year-old. None of this is set diwn to take anything away from Man o War, for he is justly considered, possibly, the greatest of American thoroughbreds, but it affords a line on just ! the horses he met. American Flag will un I doubtedly have to meet better ones than these with the possible exception of John P. Grier, Wildair and Upset, and, after all. they were many pcunds away from b:ing the best that I have carried the Whitney colors ia other , years. If American Flag is to carry on in the j brilliant manner he has begun, his will be a mor? strenuous campaign and he will have beaten better horses than o]ip; sed his illustrious sire. The two engagements American Flag has at the present Aqueduct meeting are in the She Un Stakes, the new mile stake race for thrx; year olds at a mile, and the lawyer Btafca of ■ arila and five sixteenths. In Loth of these i will be required to take up a penal y and doubtlrta he will meet the best three year ol fa oa both occasions. Aqueduct has always been a wonderfully popular course with the racing crowd and the opening en Monday was a truly brilliant one. Never has Fred Rehberger prepared a more attractive program for the sport to be offered by the Qu?ens County Jockey Club and the okl course is at its best. It has ever been a I favorite track with the trainers and with its ilng stretches it brings about truly run races. Like Belmont Park and every other racing ground that had Decoration Day and Satur day come together, the Queens County Jockey l Club will also lote the individual benefit of .the gl.rious Fourth, for it comes on Saturday. But every day at Aqueduct promises to be a big day in these days of turf prosperity. Already the Miami Jockey Club is making ite htake preparations for the next meetmg at the Hialeah course. There was a liberal stake announcement made at the close of the initial meeting, but there will be additional special offerings for the sportsmen. To that end J. B. Campbell, racing secretary of the club, is busily engaged now in preparing a list and the conditions wdl be announced some time in September. The Kentucky Jockey Club is inviting noini natiun3 to the K-ntucky Jockey Club Stakes jof 1926 and the Latonia Championship Stakes for 1927. These are the two early closing stakes cf the Kentucky Jockey Club and each lis an autumn fixture. The Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes is at a mile fcr two-year-old to whirh 0,000 is add.d, while the Latonia | Championship Stakes is for three year olds, at a mile and three-quarters, at weitht for ago with llo.OOO added. Nominations to these two I big races are to be clcsed July 1.
