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$, * Here and There on the Turf t Defeat of Nassak. First of the Get of Zev. How Hunt Offended. The Walk-Up Starting. $ i While there may have been some disappointment over the showing of Nassak at Aqueduct on Thursday, it "will not do to eliminate him from serious consideration among the candidates for the Kentucky Derby. Polydor, which won with such comparative ease, had decidedly the best of it at the start when he began in full stride from an inside position, and Garner made every use of the . advantage when ho rushed him along for a first quarter in ltl% and a half in :46. That is a flight of speed that makes a lead hard to overcome. Polydor won with speed to spare, but the last quarter was a slow one, when he finished in 1 : 13%. Nassak should I have made up ground in a quarter that was run in :27%, but it must also be » remembered that a high wind was blowing up the stretch in that long final drive i and Nassak had been used up somewhat t in the early racing, for he began from an outside position, almost on the turn, and Fator attempted to close up some of the I lead possessed by the winner. Nassak was giving Polydor eleven pounds, which t is considerable weight for any three-year-old to concede to Mr. Zeiglers colt. He was giving Son o Battle a year and [ nine pounds and Son o Battle is another ■ that is at least a good trial horse. Nassak will have to improve before » May 19, before he can be given really serious consideration as a possible winner . of the Kentucky Derby, but his defeat - Thursday far from eliminates him i as a consideration. The first of the progeny of Zev was 5 seen under colors at Aqueduct on Thursday when Sam Hildreth sent Zest to the i _ post for the Rancocas Stable. This colts dam is Humbug, a Marathon mare, and I while he was unruly and raced green, he is possessed of a goodly turn of speed I and should make good handsomely when i he has some more education. It might I I alo be said on behalf of the first son| a of -Zev to come to the races, that he was s I at a distinct advantage when he drew the outside position in the big field that t went to ..he post. He was fractious at the barrier, did not leave it any too well 1 and then raced fairly wide. Zev has stamped this youngster with ii more than his color and it is safe to 0 promise that he will not long remain in B the maiden class. It is entirely possible that W. Hunt 1 the crosscountry jockey, will begin his ;s New York racing season with a punishment t_ that may keep him out of the e saddle for a considerable time. He was IS suspended for his roughing in the hurdle e race and the stewards referred his case e to the National Steeplechase and Hunt t Association for such further punishment t as may be deemed fitting. Hunts offense was one that merited d . punishment and the stewards are commended for their prompt action. This t i . I » i t I t [ ■ » . - i 5 i _ I I i I I a s I t 1 ii to 0 in B 1 ;s t_ e IS e rider, in plain view of the stands, so far forgot himself as to slash Pinon, the rider of Cheramy, the ultimate winner, with his whip. He struck him savagely on the head and, in fact, knocked his cap off with the blow. At the time Hunt, on Ethelred, was outside of Cheramy and the pair were racing closely locked. It may be that Hunt was afraid that he would ba forced out by the imported gelding, but when he made his attack it was in a straight line to a hurdle and Pinon seemed in no sense to blame for the bumping of the horses. The whole thing had all the appearance of a vicious exhibition of temper and an assault for which there was no excuse. It was just such riding as must not be tolerated whether it be in the steeplechase field or on the flat. In the following race Hunt rode Ragweed to victory and he rode a good race, in a manner to convince that he at least knows how to ride. Of course, that ride I in no way palliated his earlier offense and it would not be surprising if Hunt has had his last mount for a considerable time. Ragweed, which won the Biltmore Steeplechase, gave an exhibition that earned new importance for her as a juniper. In her only previous start | through the field, at the United Hunts meeting of last year, she fell, so that the score marked her second public attempt as a steeplechaser. W. J. Norton has converted this daughter of Flittergold into a safe and rapid jumper and she should prove a valuable addition to the ranks of the steeplechasers. True, Ragweed was in under only 139 pounds, but what was of importance was that she closely followed Madrigal II. and then outraced and outgamed him in the final drive. It is natural to expect that the mare will improve with racing and she is a real prospect. There were arguments for and against the walk up start before Mars Cassidy had put it into effect at Aqueduct, but in the main it promises an improvement over the standing starts. It was charged by many that the walk up start enabled Polydor to gain an ad-, vantage at the start that made him the winner of the Initial Handicap. That hardly holds good, for from the manner in which the Zeigler colt left the barrier he would probably have had as great or possibly a greater advantage had the field been sent away from a standing start. The three-quarters mark at Aqueduct is almost on a turn and Polydor from his inside position, had a natural advantage, and a considerable advantage over Nas-. sak, which was one of the outsiders at the post. Son o Battle also had some advantage through his post position. The victory of Polydor can in no sense be j put down to the starting method. It was observed in the walk up starts that Cas-f sidy properly saw to it that there was no mixing up of the systems. When the , walk up was not to his liking he sent the field back for another try, and he kept sending the horses back until they r approached the barrier in an alignment to his liking. Before long it is safe to promise there will be general commenda- " tion for the new system that has been 1 decided upon for the New York racing. " Latest quotations on the Kentucky f Derby continue to show Mrs. John :1 . Hertz Reigh Count the choice and it is known there has been considerable C activity at 4 to 1 in various of the books where odds are quoted. An evidence of f just how the good son of Sunreigh stands I out over the others is given in the quota-t tion of John Walters. The nearest to this 4 to 1 is an offer of 12 to 1 against i the chances of Petee-Wrack, J. R. » Macombers maiden hope, and A. C. Schwartz Sortie, one that came to hand d late in the fall. Then Brooms, from the e Brookmeade Stable of George Sloane, is s at 15 to 1, while the others all scale con- - sid rably higher. There have been some cuts made, reflecting action on this or that candidate, while the prices against I others have lenghtened, but through all 1 the fluctuations Reigh Count has at all [] times been held a pronounced favorite. «
