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Here and There j I on the Turf Delphinium Points for Withers I Distance Just Suits Him J Woolf Draws Bold Venture I Mount J Memory Book Dangerous Colt J Delphinium, proving himself too good a miler to be risked over a longer distance at this time, will not be a starter in the Preak-ness Stakes tomorrow, and as his stablemate, Corundum, hasnt qualified handsomely enough, the Brookmeade Stable will be without a representative. The decision concerning Delphinium and Corundum was very welcome news to Max Hirsch, because a few hours before Robert A. Smith, the Brookmeade trainer, had made up his mind, Bold Ventures mentor had been informed that he could not have "Sonny" Workman. George Woolf was made available, and so the California heavyweight will be at the throttle of the Kentucky Derby winner Saturday. Hirsch can feel satisfied the St. Germans colt will be in good hands in the Preakness. There are ever so many observers who proclaim Woolf to be the best long distance rider in the country, but certainly he is strong and intelligent, and riding in important contests finds his faculties in good working order. Trainer Smiths reasons for not sending Delphinium after the Preakness are very sound. The son of Blue Larkspur and Multi-flora, which might have been a ranking three-year-old but for lack of size, has demonstrated more than once this season that he is a sharp-shooting miler, whereas in the Chesapeake Stakes, at a mile and one-sixteenth, and the Wood Memorial Stakes, at a mile and seventy yards, he weakened near the end. The Preakness is at a mile and three-sixteenths, and Delphiniums chances of lasting the extra distance are very remote. Furthermore, participation in the Pimlico fixture would have the effect of knocking him out of the Withers, which comes a week later. The Withers is at a mile and is worth nearly as much as the Preakness, and Delphinium is a miler of good quality. His defeat of Red Rain, Wednesday, was the result of a keen effort, one that saw him doing the eight furlongs in 1:36%. More than ever Bold Venture promises to be a strong Preakness favorite, perhaps pretty close to odds-on. His mishap Wednesday morning at Belmont Park probably didnt bother him, as he had enough training for the Kentucky Derby to last him another two weeks, except for sharpening efforts All during last season the St. Germans colt was caught in all manner of scrapes. Twice at Arlington Park he tripped over the outei rail, the second time tossing his rider and running away for three-quarters of a mile. As the incident happened while he was at the post for the Arlington Futurity, it did not do him any good and he was unable to prove a contender. At Saratoga he narrowly missed running into another horse during a workout, when the latter animal swerved in front of him. But when Bold Venture gets to the post safely and ready to run, as he promises to be Saturday, he takes nonsense from none. Regardless of whether Brevity should have beaten him in the Kentucky Derby, Bold Venture outclassed the remainder of his opponents, with the possible exception of Granville. The impost of 126 pounds will be a decid- iContinued on twenty seventh pagej I HERE AND THERE ON THE TURF Continued from second page. ing factor, whether any of the Maryland-trained Preakness candidates prove formidable or not. Jean Bart, Transporter and Bow and Arrow all need to be tried under scale weight. The first-named has had the most experience with carrying weight, but hes never come to the point of shouldering 126 pounds. Transporter won his last start and Bow and Arrow hasnt been beaten as yet this season, both being improved over what they showed as youngsters. Shelby Burch, trainer of Mrs. Marian duPont Somervilles hope, informs me that he was prevented last year from getting the The Porter coll thoroughly fit because of weak underpinning, but that the colt has been able to withstand steady handling this spring. Hes of a rugged type and must be given consideration until it is determined otherwise. Bow and Arrow is of medium size, but he is honest and possesses quality, the extent of which will be known after tomorrow. It is our notion that Memory Book, the Greentree Stables candidate, may prove Bold Ventures stoutest opponent. In his only start the son of St. Germans and Memento was beaten by Delphinium, but it doesnt seem to be a disgrace to lose to the Brookmeade colt as Red Rain just got a taste of it. Memory Book is of a type that comes to hand gradually and he is naturally fond of longer distances. Only the turns at Pimlico may prove troublesome to him as he is a long strider and it wont do him any good to be jammed about on the inside. He finished fourth in the Walden Handicap last fall, beaten a length for all the money, but didnt get the ride that suits him best. Silvio Coucci knows more about Memory Book now. The Belair Stud-Wheatley Stable entry of Granville, Teufel and Snark will be well supported because of its numerical strength if nothing else, while Hollyrood will get a scattering play on the hypothesis that he has come around to himself again and he likes the Pimlico track, having won the Futurity last fall. _♦ i I ! j 1 j . 1
