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Here and There 1 on the Turf Progress at Belmont. Horses Making Ready. • Affairs at Miami. Campaign of Reigh Count. e — — 1 i With the opeaiDg of the main course at BelmoDt Park, for the use of the trainers, there has come new activity at the Nassau County training ground and it will mean the rapid advancement of horses. Ther are a number of three-year-olds in training on Long Island that are eligibles to both the Preakness Stakes and the Kentucky Derby and, for a time, doubt was expressed if many of these would be ready for such an early start in May. Now, with the big mile and a half track available, there is at least less doubt of ready horses. In addition to the three-year-olds that are preparing for the 0,000 May stake races there are others that are being trained for the opening at Jamaica, and still others with the Dixie Handicap of the Maryland Jockey Club as the first big opportunity. Of the last named division Walter J. Salmons Display is one that is attracting some attention. The son of Fair Play never looked better in his career, and Tom Healey has reason to think highly of him as one of the best long distance handicap horses in training. A few weeks ago there did not appear to be much of a chance to have Display ready for a start in the Dixie Handicap, but with the main course at Belmont Park available for training exercises, there is better than a chance. Should this sterling campaigner go along with no interruption in his training it should be possible to have him ready for the Dixie Handicap and, if he is sent to the post, he will surely be a favored contender. Some of the others at Belmont Park that are progressing well are the Max Hirsch candidates, and of these his own Taras Hall may prove the best. He has been improving steadily in his preparation. Then there is the high-priced Tuskegee, which has been showing excellent progress as have Sortie and Vito, two others in the big band of three-year-olds. Petee-Wrack, the J. R. Macomber maiden that was unfortunate in some of his races last year, is evidently intended for both the Preakness Stakes and the Kentucky Derby from the nature of his training, and a fairly fast gallop over the training track at Belmont Park, a few days ago, created something of an impression. While the trainers in the Belmont Park colony have been sharpening up their horses the same may be said of those at Aqueduct. It is there that James Fitz-simmons has his monster band for the Wheatley Stable of Mrs. Phipps and her brother, Ogden Mills. Thus far the horses are doing exceedingly well, and there is no doubt that the colors will be shown with distinction early in the racing year. At the recent meeting of the officials of the Miami Jockey Club it seemed to have been generally agreed that no ef- i fort would be made to conduct a race : i * t „ r 8 ? a 1 ° a V T ■ f . 3 * 1 I . 1 • i meeting at the Hialeah course next year, but that efforts would be made to have the sport restored for 1930. This, to some extent, sets at rest the many rumors that have been broadcast that, under some method, there would be racing in 1929. Of course, it must be remembered that the Florida legislature does not convene again until the summer of 1929, so that 1930 would be the first opportunity to operate under favorable legislation. That, as a matter of fact, is the safest way in which to bring the sport back to southern Florida. , There never has been any doubt of the feeling in Dade County as far as racing J is concerned. It has been shown beyond « all question that in the county there is I an overwhelming majority in favor of the | sport. For that reason it is probable I that the next effort to obtain favorable ! . legislation will be by a local option. i. measure. But the important thing is that : the Miami Jockey Club has in no sense given up the ghost, and that there are , high hopes that another campaign will I , result in the restoration of racing in the . state. Miami merchants have further reason i to appreciate the importance of racing for the welfare of their city after the ; business depression that existed during r the winter just closed. It was a prosperous winter for Miami Beach, but it was anything but a prosperous winter for f the city of Miami itself and its business 3 interests in that the enforced closing of the track may eventually work great t good for the future of the turf in the state. It was a winter to bring home, , . with force, the importance of racing for civic welfare and business success. There was a hope that Mrs. John Hertz » good colt Reigh Count would be started 1 in both the Preakness Stakes and the Kentucky Derby. Ever since the first * issue of future prices on the Kentucky f . Derby the son of Sunreigh has held the " post of favorite, and the manner in which 1 he has been training has given him steady importance. His recent move of f three-quarters of a mile in 1:17% shows ■ a creditable progress towards the mile e and a quarter, and only an interruption 1 in the training can keep him from the post. It woud appear that there would be ample time to have Reigh Count ready for the Preakness Stakes on May 11, but the present intention is to concentrate on the Kentucky Derby and not ask the colt to make the journey to Pimlico. That will probably mean that the popular colors of Mrs. Hertz will not be shown in the Preakness Stakes. Anita Peabody was not named for the race, and it is hardly poss;ble that Sea Rip will measure up to such a race. All thre2 are in the Kentucky Derby, but Michell makes no secret of the fact that Reigh Count is the entry in which he has the greatest confidence. It would have been interesting to have Reigh Count start in the Preakness Stakes, for the Maryland Jockey Club owes the son of Sunreigh such a race on account of his being robbed of the Pimlico Futurity last fall by reason of his being fouled in the running. If Mrs. Hertz can take the Kentucky Derby with her colt, *here should be glory enough for a spring campaign and the colt has many other big engagements before him later, both East and West. Indications are that there will be an abundance of strenuous clashiLj, in both the Preakness Stakes and the Kentucky Derby this year and, as the spring advances, there comes new assurances that the field in each race will be a large one. . — _ , «
