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6 ♦ Here and There on the Turf Harlans Good Start. Silver Fox Unlucky. Illinois Turf Plans. Derby Candidates Progress. * — ♦ Scott Harlan began his 1927 campaign auspiciously for the Jeffords Stable when he took the 0,000 added Harford Handicap with Triton, the home-bred three year-old son of liolden Broom and Bathing Girl, a daughter of S|»earmint. This colt was only raced three times last year, but two of those races made linn twice a winner at the Pimlico meeting in the spring, while his other start, and his first, brought him a defeat at Havre de Grace, also in the spring. It was a speedy band that finished back of he son of Golden Broom and when he had forced or made the pace, to beat Harry Payne Whitneys Croyden a length in 1:12%, it was demonstrated that Harlan had brought his charge back to the races a fit and swift running three-year-old. This gives an idea of how fit some of the others are that Harlan prepared at Berlin, for it was there that Triton was trained for his Harford Handicap victory. Scapa Flow, Point Breeze, also a son of Man o War has developed named for the Preakness Stakes, were well trained at the same grounds and they were allshipped to Pimlico with Triton, which made good so brilliantly at the first asking. He won loth the Pimlico Nursery- Stakes and the Pimlico Home-bred Stakes last spring, but he was out of training for the rest of the year and for that reason was not seriously considered among the sprinting stars he met in the opening feature of the Harford Association meeting. It is probable that Harlan will reserve the son of Golden Broom for sprinting and he is well supplied with Scapa Flow and Point Breeze for the greater stake races, to say nothing of the filly Painted Lady. Scapa How is, of course, the star of the stable, in the light of what he accomplished last year, but Point Breeze, also a son of Man o War has developed into a three year-old, of which great things are expected. He was started nine times last year, beginning in August at Saratoga, without winning a race, but it is safe to promise he will not long remain a maiden this year. But the lesson that is taught by the victory of Trium at Havre de Grace is that Scott Harlan brought some fit horses from the Berlin farm in Man land and he has started the season well for the Jeffords Stable. This successful start gives the more important horses in the establishment greater importance. Without trying to take anything away from Triton and giving him full credit for the vie tory, there were some in the Harford field that, by reason of inte reference and bad luck at the barrier, did not have altogether a fair racing chance. Silver Fox, which was shipped to Maryland for the race by S. C. Hildreth, was one that had scant chance and there were several others that were eliminated early in the action when Marconi rushed across in front. These are misfortunes that are almost inevitable when as many as eighteen horses start over any course. On various •ceasions the best horse is beaten in such a crowd and that is just a bit of racing luck that cannot lie avoided. That Triton was able to leave at full speed and escape this crowding, is to his credit as a nimble colt and it adds that much more to his usefulness. Iu all such sprinting races, when a large field goes to the post, ability to leave the barrier running fast is frequently half of the battle. The alert horse may win his race in the first eighth, particularly if the better horses are unfortunate. AH of this is set down on behalf of seme of the horses that finished back of Triton, rather than in an effort to show that his performance lacked real merit. It will not do to take the running of the race too seriously as far as Silver Fox is concerned. The big gray was pinned in next to the rail and had no racing chance. It is not meant that this cost him the victory, but he surely would have made a better showing but for that misfortune. Another important step has been taken in Illinois in preparing for the opening of the 1927 racing. This was the meeting of the Illinois Turf Association and the appointment of a license committee. This committee is made up of a member from each of the various racing associations in the state and turfmen of experience are to fill the important office. It was remarked when the racing bill was framed for Illinois that no provision was made for the granting of licenses to jockeys and trainers. At the same time it was taken for granted that the association, made from all the different associations, would take care of that important part of the sport. And it is well that the licensing should be in the hands of officials who are experienced in racing. Too much care cannot be exercised in the granting of licenses and the Illinois committee is one that could not be improved upon for experience and integrity. The fact that all of the various associations have come together under the direction of the Illinois Turf Association means that an Illinois license will be good on any of the Illinois courses and it will relieve each individual association from passing on the applications that are made. Without a central governing body each different association would issue its own licenses and in that fashion there would come much additional labor and much additional trouble and expense for the horsemen. Before long it is expected there will be other important works completed looking to the opening cf the Chicago and Illinois racing season and one of the truly important announcements that is expected before long is the stake list for Lincoln Fields. This new course, like the Home-wood racing ground, came into being last year and it is known that for the second term of racing there will be an elaborate program that will bring together the best horses in training from every section. From both Louisville and Maryland come great reports of how the Kentucky Derby candidates are progressing in their preparation. While Joseph E. Wideners Osmand continues to be a sensation at Churchill Downs, by reason of his progress, both Scapa Flow and his stablemate, the maiden Point Breeze arc creating a like sensation at Pimlico. Of course the Jeffords pair at Pimlico are intended for the Preakness Stakes first, while Osmand, not being eligible to that 0,000 race, has nothing to worry about until May 14 and the Kentucky Derby. With the Preakness Stakes less than three weeks away and the Derby to be run just five days after the Maryland Jockey Club feature, it is natural that these candidates should begin to show readiness. Both Peter Coyne at Louisville and Scott Harlan at Baltimore hse had plenty of time for training. They have had fine, lusty prospects on which to work and I only an accident of some sort between now ami the running date for the Kentucky Derby, will prevent a meeting between Scapa Flow and Osmand. Then, of course, there are many other good ones that will dispute the results with these two aristocrats that will endeavor to take the rich prize from Kentucky, just as there are others that will journey to Kentucky from the East for a try at this great race. Less is known of just how the other candidates have been going along, for the reason that some of the best of them have been in training at private training grounds, but before many days all of these will be in the open and it is entirely possible that the spotlight will not be trained so constantly on Osmand and Scapa Flow.
