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KENTUCKY DERBY REVIEW CROSSBOXES By Colin Black Flag, owned hy E. B. McLean. JUVENILE RECORD: Starts. 1st. 2d. 3d. Unp. Won. 5 1 1 0 3 ,900 Crossbones made a late start in his juvenile J year and so did not accomplish very much. But he did give evidence of some class, and it was expected that he -would be a three-year-old development worthy of notice. He ran his first race at Laurel October 10 , and was unplaced. Next he entered into very swift competition, going in the Richard Johnson Stakes. Although unplaced, he made a very good showing. He was fifth, behind Caruso, Black Majesty, Hi-Jack and The Spare. Behind him were Sydney, Dedicate, Capture and other good ones. t He then failed in a maiden race, the result . of a too confident ride. He was under re- straint too long, then tired while making a gallant effort to get to the front. In scoring his maiden victory Crossbones defeated Ned O., one of the prominent East- J erners. The distance was three-quarters of a mile and the McLean colt finished in game fashion to beat Ned O. by a head. His final appearance was in the Spalding Lowe Jenkins Handicap, at a mile. He was in close attendance throughout and finished well up, behind Ned O. and Sun Craig. Ned O. was disqualified after winning. BREEZING THRU . By North Star III. La Mome, owned by E. R. Bradley. JUVENILE RECORD: Starts. 1st. 2d. 3d Unp. "Won. 9 3 0 15 2,900 Any Bradley candidate for the Kentucky Derby is certain to attract some attention. Breezing Thru can hardly be said to be up to the Bradley standard of Derby contestants, yet his record is not wholly devoid of promise. Although he won two races during last fall in Maryland, by wide margins, his best effort probably was in the Elmendorf Purse, at Saratoga, when he" carried 118 pounds and defeated Spinach by a length. Breezing Thru started the first time at Saratoga late in July and finished ninth in a big field, led by Dustemall. He was also unplaced in his second start, a race won by Squeaky. Breezing Thru closed a lot of ground in the stretch. He met a field of. considerable class in the Albany Handicap, which was run in the mud, and finished sixth, behind Peto, Polygamous. Caruso, Squeaky and Adequate. This was followed by his Elmendorf Purse race, at three-quarters of a mile. In this he drew into a safe lead early and had enough in the stretch to keep ahead of the fast-closing Spinach. "Breezing Thru went in the Hopeful Stakes, but was not a serious factor, finishing seventh. He seemed to quit under pressure. In his first race at Laurel he was third to Mr. Sponge and Partisan. He was away fast and forced a good pace, but tired in the final drive. Going to Pimlico he won by five lengths, at a mile and seventy yards, from an ordinary field. He was always off by himself. He then met a better field and, as favorite, won again by five lengths from Sistony, Rain or Shine and Titus. His last as a two-year-old was run at Bowie as an odds-on favorite, but he disappointed in this. He got to the front early, made the pace on his own courage and then tired in the last quarter, to finish just out of the money. BELLSMITn By Busy American -Annie Gilmprc, owned by J. T. "Weaver. JUVENILE RECORD: Starts. 1st. 2nd. 3rd. Unp. "Won. 14 3 1 i d 8,809 Bellsmith, a gelding, rah seven races last year before he was returned a winner. He made his first start at Churchill Downs May 11, in the Spring Trial Purse, which was won by Jim Dandy. He was unplaced four times before he got into the money in a maiden race, in which he went to the post favorite. After finishing out of the money in two more races he finally defeated a large field, in which La Golondrina was favorite. In most of these races, and in most of those he ran afterward, Bellsmith was a conspicuously slow starter. He followed up his first victory with another, over an ordinary field, and then was shipped to Latonia, where he raced with more than average success, and all his Latonia races were on a muddy or heavy track. Bellsmiths first Latonia start resulted in his finishing third to Dr. Parrish and Kula-man. He started slowly, was bumped and swerved in the stretch. Then came his most notable achievement, his victory in the Fort Thomas Handicap. This was on a heavy track, and Bellsmith was in with 105 pounds up. As a long shot, he defeated the highly respected Try Too by a length, drawing away near the end after closing fast from a slow start. Some other good ones behind him were Uncle Luther, Michigan Boy and Gallant Knight. After this he had much hard luck in a race won by Try Too, with Alvin Ranshaw second, Bellsmith finishing third. In the betting he was second choice to Alvin Ranshaw. He then met some older horses in a sprint and was beaten, in the mud, by Cayuga and "Whiskery. His effort in the Queen City Handicap was a good one, but again he was off tardily and, although he worked his way up fast on the last turn and closed with high speed, the best he could do was third to Try Too and Blue Ash. He was never asked to carry much weight against the godd horses he met after he graduated. PLAYTIME By My riay Nell "Wilder, owned by Southland Stable. JUVENILE RECORD: Starts. 1st. 2nd. 3rd. Unp. "Won. 9 1 0 2 C ,050 Playtime, unlike many of the horses he raced with as a two-year-old, was given an entire winters vacation. He didnt accomplish a great deal as a juvenile to indicate that he might be of Derby caliber, but he did show traits "of " gamencss and endurance? and his unhindered development through the cold months may have contributed to make of him a better -colt, for ; this years racing than the face of hts -juvenile record promises. The only race Playtime won as a juvenile was his first start This was at New Orleans early in 1929. It was a race for maidens, run at three-eighths of a mile on a heavy, track. The colt got away well enough in this and won impressively, but in later races he seldom was a quick starter, which accounted for his failure to at least run in the money in more of his races. He also showed a tendency in several races to go wide, but in nearly all of them he finished with both speed and courage. After winning at New Orleans he started in the Louisana Juvenile Stakes, but began very slowly and was never- a factor. Playtimes, first race in Kentucky was a good one. After racing wide, he finished fast -enough to be third to Gallant Knight and Jim Dandy. He then went in the Bashford Manor Stakes coupled with the winner, All Upset. Again he started slowly and got nothing. At Latonia he ran a good race behind Take Off, Sydney and Uncle Matt. His Harold Stakes performance was not a bad one. He was unplaced but was improving as the finish was reached. Playtime again was coupled with All Upset in the Breeders Futurity, at Lexington. This was probably the sorriest performance he showed as he was last all the way. His last two races of the year were run at Churchill Downs. He was third to Gallant Knight and Michigan Boy, at seven-eighths Uf a mile, finishing Jast after ar slow beginning. Then he was unplaced in a six and a half furlongs race won by Michigan Boy, again closing -with high- speed after being crowded back "
