view raw text
I THREE-YEAR-OLD PROSPECTS OF 1936 j GRAND SLAM, Chestnut Colt, by Chance Play Jeanne Bowdre; J Property of Bomar Stable, Is Rated as One of Best Mud Run- j ners Among the Kentucky Derby Eligibles. See Kentucky j Derby Book for Past Performances. j By NOBBIS BOYDEN. t, In. six out of his fifteen starts last year, Grand Slam was unplaced, but despite this discrepancy in his record he established himself as one of the best of his age, as well as an outstanding: three-year-old prospect. The Son of Chance Play and Jeanne Bowdre, by Luke McLuke, came very close to being accorded the juvenile championship, and he probably would have drawn that honor had he won the Pimlico Futurity. Grand Slam demonstrated both speed and staying power as a youngster, as well as a marked fondness for muddy going, and it is for these reasons that he is among the more fancied candidates for the Kentucky Derby. He was a bit shy on size last year, but if he has developed ..any at all he should be big and strong enough to go up against the topnotchers over the longer routes during the coming campaign. The star of the Detroit-owned Bomar. Stable of Charles Bohn and P. A. Markey was bothered with foot trouble most of the season, and this ailment had much to do with hi3 failure to finish among the first three in a half-dozen of his starts, while it probably had a bearing on some of his other defeats. Grand Slam was a high class colt last year and if his feet behave this year, he will prove an even tougher horse to run down. Grand Slam was triumphant in four stakes, a feat not surpassed by any other juvenile. The most important of these successes was in the Arlington Futurity, worth 5,135. The others were in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes, Prairie State Stakes and Pimlico Nursery Stakes. He was second in the Pimlico Futurity, and fourth in the Woodward Stakes and his earnings were exceeded only -Uftr those of Tintagel, the Belmont Futurity winner, among the two-year-olds. The son of Chance Play raced early and late, moving into the limelight in May with his Pimlico Nursery score and gaining further fame in the Prairie State Stakes at Washington Park. In the Woodward Stakes at Detroit, the Bomar colt was away very badly, but he made up much ground to land fourth place as Valevictorian gained principal honors. In the first of three starts at Arlington Park, Grand Slam was very sluggish leaving the post and could not get close in the Hyde Park Stakes, and the same occurrence took place in an overnight event calculated to prepare him for the Arlington Futurity. His feet were bothering him, which probably accounted for his poor behavior at the post. Even in the Arlington Futurity, he did not behave himself and was the last in motion of the fifteen starters. He appeared hopelessly beaten leaving the backstretch, but displaying almost supernatural ability in the heavy mud, he moved up steadily rounding the turn to be in fourth place coming into the stretch. Continuing to gain with a rush, he overtook Tintagel inside the final sixteenth to win going away by more than two lengths. Moving to Saratoga, Grand Slam was rested for several weeks, but meanwhile was schooled almost daily at the post. His manners improved so much that in an overnight race calculated to sharpen, him for the Hopeful, the son of Chance Play broke with his field and went to the front almost immediately. He swept into the stretch with a good lead, but Bold Venture advanced to beat him in the time of 1:12, fastest of the meeting for six furlongs by a two-year-old. Grand Slam came out of that race with a spread hoof, which probably accounted for his defeat, and he was out of competition until the Belmont Park meeting. Making two starts over the Widener straightaway, one of them in the Futurity, he had some early speed and then retired, evidently not caring for that sort of racing. Once more running over a circular course, Grand Slam returned to winning form with a very handy performance in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes, at Churchill Downs. The track was in sloppy condition and he was restrained just back of the pace until approaching the stretch, where he rushed to the front when called upon and assumed a lead of two lengths. This he maintained without urging over Hollyrood during the final furlong. In the Pimlico Futurity, his last start, Grand Slam was the favorite as he encountered a dull track, but after taking a slight lead at the stretch turn, he was unable to fight off Hollyrood and the H. P. Headley colt led him to the end of the mile and one-sixteenth by slightly more than a length. Perhaps, Grand Slams feet bothered him that day, but if he had duplicated his K. J. C. Stakes victory over Hollyrood, he would have been accorded the two-year-old title because the latter had been such an impressive second in the Belmont Futurity. Red Bain and He Did were among those behind him at Churchill Downs, while Ned Reigh, Snark and other smart youngsters were trailers at Pimlico. Grand Slam is bred to be a champion, getting the free-running speed and class of Fair Play through Chance Play and more speed and stamina from his dam, Jeanne Bowdre, a daughter of Luke McLuke and Black Brocade, by Neil Gow, the next dam by Veles. Jeanne Bowdre also produced Jean Valjean, the best horse sired by Stefan the Great in this country, and while Grand Slam hasnt Jean Valjeans brilliant speed he holds much more promise of going somewhere over a distance of ground. Spendthrift Australian I Aerolite Cinderella CfBlueRuin E I Manna " . fBendOr... jDoncaster , LFairyGold J Rouge Rose g LDameMasham Galliard o X Pauline fa,, fEothen $ Hampton 6 c fEthelbert.... i Ulaori 7 Poulet Sultana - u J v . Queen of Cyprui. g M r Rock Sand C Sainfoin 5 2 LQuelle estBelle II Roquebrune fJ LQueens Bower 3 St. Florian "ii- Gipsy Queen "Commando .Domino a, 2 1 3 rUltimus...... S EmmaC. -5 L Running Stream Domino 3 Z f S -I I Dancing Water U 2 JS f Trenton Musket "g 3 Ulidge... J Frailty LnJ LSandfly. Isonomy o - . Sandiway go fMarco Barcaldine A f Neil Gow............ - Novitiate L 2 LChelandry Goldfinch P5 J I llluminata "3 f Veles Isinglass I Black Velvet.-. J- Velleda Lfilack Duchess Galliard Black Corrit
