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p -$ Here and There on the Turf Reigh Count Retired. The Suburban Weights. Some Scratch Statistics. The Fairmount Derby. s The temporary retirement of Mrs. Hertz great colt Reigh Count is truly a stroke of bad luck for the turf, but it is just in line with what has happened so often to brilliant performers in the spring. One of the notable examples of that was Edward R. Bradleys Bubbling Over, winner of the Kentucky Derby of 1926. This magnificent son of North Star III., when he led home his stablemate, Bagenbaggage, and Mrs. Marguerite Mason Bakers Rock Man, surely gave every promise of being the champion of the year. He accomplished what was required in such an impressive manner that he seemed to have the three-year-old stake races, to which he was eligible, at his mercy. But that Derby was the last appearance under colors of Mr. Bradleys champion. It is not intimated that Reigh Counts absence will be other than temporary, for all reports of the injuries that halted his training did not suggest that they were of a serious nature, but it is the desire of Mr. Hertz to see to it that the son of Sun-reigh shall not be asked to race unless he is at the top of his form. "With the Belmont Stakes so close at band, it would be impossible to have the Derby winner at his best for that race and that is reason enough for his not being sent to the post. Reigh Count has no engagements in New York until the Saratoga Springs meeting in August arrives and trainer Miehell should have ample time, before they fall due, to have his charge back in the form that carried him to victory at Churchill Downs. It is fitting that the colt should be campaigned in this fashion. It would not be fair to Reigh Count to send him to the races until he has every possible advantage in condition and j Mr. Hertz is to be congratulated on his plans for the campaigning of the colt. One thing is certain and that is, no colt at present appears to have the speed to check the winning march of Victorian, with Reigh Count out of the running. There may come "developments, but the magnificent performances of the son of Whisk Broom II. in both the Preakness Stakes and the Withers Stakes, for the time being at least, leaves him standing alone among the other available three-year-olds. Walter S. Vosburgh moved Nimba up six pounds in his allotment of weights for the Suburban Handicap, to be run Saturday. This great filly carried 114 pounds to victory in the Metropolitan Handicap Saturday and it was thus that she earned her way to carry 120 pounds in the longer race. Nimba, on all of her form of last year, should show to better advantage at a mile and a quarter than she did in the mile of the Metropolitan Handicap. It must also be remembered that on Saturday she was making her first start of 1228 and it is natural to expect that the j race will do her some good. She does not seem to be harshly treated when her impost is fixed at 120 pounds. Chance Shot is also raised two pounds when his burden is fixed at equal weights with the filly, for he carried 118 pounds Saturday. Scapa Flow, which was third in the running of the Metropolitan Handicap, is dropped down to equal weights with the two, while he carried 125 pounds in the Metropolitan. This handsome son of Man o War is probably at his best this year, but it is extremely doubtful if he will like the mile and a quarter as well as he does the mile. A colt of extreme speed, it is possible that he may be placed intelligently and show to advantage over the longer route, but speed seems to be his forte rather than the ability to stay a mile and a quarter. Crusader remains at the top of the handicap with 128 pounds as his burden, and then comes Chance Play with 123 pounds and Espino with 122 pounds. Besides the three already named that are handicapped at 120 pounds, there is Black Maria in the same notch. This good mare does not appear to be right up to her best yet, but it is safe to promise that she will improve with a bit more racing. Down through the list it is natural that Victorian and Reigh Count, the great three-year-old rivals, are in the same notch under 112 pounds. Of course, Reigh Count will not be sent to the post, while it seems doubtful if Victorian will be raced against the older horses, with bis big Belmont Stakes engagement so close at hand. Altogether the promise is that the Suburban will be fought out by the older horses of the handicap division and it should prove fully as interesting as was the Metropolitan. Some statistics of the Jamaica meeting of the Metropolitan Jockey Club disclose that of 1,533 horses entered during the twenty-one days of the meeting, there were 447 scratched and 1,086 started. This made the daily average 51 starters. The fewest number to go to the post on any one day was 36, which was an average of 6 to a race, and the greatest number of starters on any one day was 66. The greatest number of scratches on any one day was 42. These figures are of interest with the present no scratch regulation in effect at Belmont Park, where much better results are being obtained. The only scratches that have come at Belmont Park are those permitted by a changed track condition, or for a reason of disability that is satisfactory to the stewards. A recent count showed that the daily average number of starters at the big Nassau County track was 63 as against the 51 for the meeting at Jamaica. This is just one more argument in faor of the rule that has been meeting with such success at the present meeting of the Westchester Racing Association. It is a regulation that should meet with just as hearty approval from the horsemen as it does from the public. Indications are that the renewal of the Fairmount Derby, at the Collinsville course, will be a notable renewal. While there will be no Reigh Count and no Victorian in the field, the colts that gave them battle will be on hand. Toro, which was a close second to Victorian in the Preakness Stakes and a good third to Reigh Count in the Kentucky Derby, is a prominent eligible to the big race. Then Misstep, which forced the pace in the Kentucky Derby, to finish second to Reigh Count, will also be a starter. Another that is. expected to give a better account of himself at Collinsville than he did either at Pimlico or Churchill Downs is Bobashela. This colt proved himself when he was the winner of the Chesapeake Stakes earlier in the year, and while he has not raced back to that form, he has been working in a fashion to suggest that he may prove exceedingly troublesome in the Fairmount Derby. These are only a few of the many that are pointing for the big race and it is assured the field will be both a large and a representative one. The coming running will mark the third decision of the new Derby. In the first race for it, in 1926, Joseph E. Wideners Haste was the winner from the E. R. Bradley pair, Eag-enbaggago and Boot to Boot. Then last year Mr. Bradleys Buddy Bauer defeated H. P. Whitneys Whiskery, which had beaten him in the Kentucky Derby, with Joseph E. Wideners Osmand, second in the Kentucky Derby, finishing third.
