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Here and There on the Turf Experts Name the Champions Leaders Stuck Throughout Season " . Combs Selecting Myrtlewoods Mate Lexington Sales Prices Doubled - Daily Racing Form went to Its handicap-pers and track representatives for their opinions as to the best horses of the present waning season in the various divisions, as well as the outstanding performer during 1936. Their views recently were published and the consensus established Granville as the champion horse of the year, with Fom-poon second and Discovery third. As may be supposed, these horses were the leaders of their respective divisions, but Pompoon was the only unanimous choice. Bold Venture received two votes as the leading three-year-old, while practically all of the other experts placed him second. After winning the Kentucky Derby, in which Granville fell down. Bold Venture defeated the latter by a head in the Preakness, and that was his final effort of the season. Granville went on to pile up a record of six straight victories, beginning with the Belmont Stakes and ending with the Lawrence Realization, and this ability to carry on undoubtedly was the reason his name went before that of Bold Venture, although unquestionably the latter was a colt of unusual ability. Pompoon raced early and isnt through yet, and in the meantime he has suffered but one defeat, while winning the Futurity, Junior Champion and National Stallion Stakes. Now he is a strong favorite to capture the first running of the New England Futurity. Some of Pompoons leading opponents for the two-year-old championship, such as Case Ace and Airflame, had to be put away early, but, like Granville, the Pompey colt wore on, hence the high favor in which he is now held. As Discovery consistently was called upon to carry top weight in all the handicaps in which lie started, even though he raced poorly in some of them, at times he looked like a champion of champions, hence his rating. This rating of the leaders in the various divisions by the Daily Racing Form staff means something, because it was compiled by men whose business is racing every day of the year. Now that Myrtlewood has been retired for keeps by her owner and breeder, Brownell Combs, he is attempting to make up his mind about which would be a suitable stallion for the daughter of Blue Larkspur-Frizeur, by Sweeper, whicii during the past fwo years has raced herself into the pos.tion of being one of the finest of her sex ever silks Combs has been urged by his LPcr nnrr cose friends and even by his rcla-to in training and SSrf iSS keep a Myrtlewood ike the gJJg. Continue qj. . Iftf 0 " , i r s j j " s :, E I J j ? , 3 c y II is 1- 5t " j d a " ir I HERE AND THERE ON THE TURF Continued from second page. a mile and one-quarter she will do it in one of his blue grass pastures. So Myrtlewood has seen the race track for the last time, because Combs wishes her to go Into the stud not burned out, as the saying goes: The popular Kentucky breeder already jhas given considerable thought to Myrtle- woods mate, because he believes the chances are In his favor that he can raise a champion from her. Combs choice, at the moment, is between Equipoise and Gallant Fox, even though the matter of inbreeding comes up in both stallions. Both of these horses proved themselves champions. Myrtlewood combines the blood of Commando, through Blue Parkspur, Black Toney, Peter Pan, and Ben Brush through her dams sire. Sweeper. Equipoise goes to Commando through Pennant, Peter Pan, Black Toney and to Ben Brush through his dam, which was bv Broomstick. Gallant Fox has only one American cross, that of Commandos son Celt sire of his dam. Combs believes inbreedinc to a certain extent is all right if the respective crosses contain no weaknesses as he thinks is the case -with Myrtlewood and u Equipoise or Gallant Fox. That the market for thoroughbreds con-continues very strong is indicated by the prices at the Lexington sales, which commenced Monday. A total of 147 horses, including stallions, brood mares, weanlingsand yearlings went under the hammer Monday and their combined average was about twice that of the first days auctions the previous year. More buyers than ever before, with the possible exception of a dispersal of one of the more important studs, were present for Mondays sale and they are still at Lexington waiting for the conclusion of the auctions. They manifested considerable Interest whenever attractive offerings were led into the ring and as has always been the case they remained silent otherwise. Partic ularly pleasing was the presence of buver from QaUfomiaJas. and yr, states where racing ia comparatively new again
