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Here and There on the Turf New Plans for Pompey. McTaggart Comeback. Blondins Good Race. Dress Parades Defeat. It has been announced that W. R. Coes Pompey will be a starter in the 0,000 Preak-ness Stakes of the Maryland Jockey Club, to be run at the old Pimlico track Monday. Previously the impression was that the son of Sun Briar and Cleopatra would be reserved for the Kentucky Derby, but this later plan was agreed upon after his victory in Ihe Wood Stakes at Jamaica last Saturday. This will mean that Pompey is intended to try to duplicate the performance of Sir Barton, winner of the two big races in 1919. That year the Kentucky Derby was run before the Preak-ness Stakes and, as a matter of fact, Sir Barton was a maiden when he went to the post. This year Pompey, which will attempt to duplicate the feat that was only accomplished by Sir Barton in the long and glorious history of the two races, will go to the post with the reputation of having been the champion two year-old of the year before. Originally the plan seemed to have been to have Black Maria as the Coe representative in the Preakness Stakes, as well as in the Pimlico Oaks, two races that were won by "Bud* Fishers Nellie Morse in 1924. Then, in IB* running of the Wood Stakes, it must be admitted that Black Maria did not show to anything like the advantage that her illustrious ttablemate did. It is just possible that Black Maria has trained off a bit and she will find an abundance of entertainment in the Pimlico Oaks, without being saddled for the Preaknes? Stakes as well. This campaign for Pompey is in marked contrast to the announcement that was made when he was moved from Kentucky to Belmont Park. It is remembered that when the colt reached the Long Island training ground, grave doubt was expressed of his being readv for the Kentucky Derby on May 15. It wa« agreed that he would have to be hurried in his preparation and that probably trainer Karrick would not be able to have him fit in the short time he had for the tedious work of conditioning. But Pompey has been the surprise of all the prominent Derby eligible* in the manner of his progress in training. He was not hurried, but he came to hand rapidly without being hurried. That he developed marvellously was indicated in the running of the Wood Stakes when he was put to a severe test. The fact that in that IBM he had to be ridden hard before he was ! the victor, testified to his condition and, win or lose at Pimlico next Monday, or Churchill Downs the following Saturday, trainer Karrick is to be congratulated on the conditioning he gave the colt. ] But there have been diverse announcements • about the campaign that has been planned for j Pompey and, while one promise is that he will j start in the Preakness Stakes, there is an- 1 other assurance that he will be sent to Church ! ill Downs Saturday to have his final over the 1 Kentucky track, rather than be raced at Pirn I lico. 1 For a considerable time it was natural that no definite plans could be made for this cam- t paign, but, at this time, both Mr. Coe and i Mr. Karrick should know definitely just how I Pompey is to be raced. However, any plan i that is followed will be of great racing interest, g In the meantime it is assured that Bagen t baggage, Edward R. Bradleys winner of the c of Louisiana Derby last March at Jefferson Park, c will be a starter in the Preakness Stakes. This c good colt is on his way to the Baltimore track j ! ] • j j 1 ! 1 I 1 t i I i g t c of c c j at this time. He will be shipped back to Churchill Downs after filling his engagement at Pimlico Monday and, in the meantime, the other Bradley stars will have made the move from lexington to Louisville to await the call to the post in the Kentucky Derby. T. McTaggart seems to have come back to all his old time riding skill. It is several years since McTaggart was one of the foremost of American jockeys, but this spring he has shown all the skill that gave him a front position among the riders. His ride on Willie K. in the closing race at Jamaica Tuesday was a masterpiece of jockey ship. He held a tired colt together and fairly lifted him to victory. McTaggart is a natural horseman. He is strong and a good judge of pace. He is alert at the post. And, as a matter of fact, McTaggart always was a good rider, but on occasions he fell from grace and it was for what happened off, rather than on, the track that prevented his being continuously in the front division. McTaggart has learned his lesson and it is indeed pleasing to be able to say at this time that he is back in the straight and narrow, riding with the skill that was his when his services were in such ready demand that he ! had many "hand picked" mounts, which, naturally, kept him high in the records. The excellent race run by H. P. Whitneys j Blondin, when he beat as good a horse as James Butlers Turf Idol, at Jamaica Tuesday, gives him new importance among the three-year olds of the year. He was giving Turf Idol eight and a half pounds on the scale. For I May the three year-old is required to shoulder ! 112 pounds to 127 pounds on a four year-old and Turf Idol in a previous race had shown high speed. What was of particular merit in the race run by Blondin was the manner in which he finished out the mile and a sixteenth of the Long Beach Handicap. He did not catch Turf Idol until well inside the final eighth, but he was going away at the end and it was suggested that he was ready for the mile and a quarter the Kentucky Derby. Blondin being a son of Broomstick and the Meddler mare Balan-coire, is indeed bred along lines that have ever produced solid and sturdy horses and it is safe to promise that he will prove a much better colt this year than he did as a two year old. Dress Parade suffered his first defeat of this year at Pimlico on Tuesday when H. P. Whitneys Noah, carrying 124 pounds to the 109 pounds on the Man o War three-year-old, beat him in the three-quarters of the Jennings Han dicap. Noah was beaten for the first time this year in the running of the Paumonok Handicap, which fell to Silver Fox, from the Ranco cas Stable. Incidentally Noah carried 124 pounds in that race and was soundly whipped. j That race on the opening day at Jamaica sug gested that after all Noah was lacking in heart and would quit if hard put to it to hold a lead. Dress Parade was catching the son of Peter Pan in the Jennings Handicap and would surely have beaten him in another sixteenth, but the fact remains that Noah stuck it out and it was Single Foot that finished third. There are two ways of analysing the Paumo nok Handicap and the Jennings Handicap. One is to give Silver Fox full credit for being a truly good horse and the other is Noah was probably not right at himself in the running of the Paumonok Handicap.
