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i -i Here and There f on the Turf Good Rating Aids Bernard F. Eastport Benefits From Roughness Action May Top Dixie Field Excellent Line-Up Is Likely Both Tropical Park and Oaklavra Park closed the most successful meetings in their history Saturday, with large crowds viewing the three-year-old events featuring the re-! spective programs. At the Coral Gables : course the ,000 added Tropical Special was the piece de resistance and it was productive of a thrilling race, even though only four horses went to the post For some reason I or other, probably because the trainers of , other eligibles were anxious to freshen up, ! their horses for major season campaigning, some of the other prominent eligibles to the race sidestepped the issue. Of the quartet which accepted. Robber Baron was consid-ered to have but little chance and after dropping back in the stretch he made no further trouble. Of the other three Bernard F., believed to possess the least early speed, took the lead at flag-fall and was never headed, although he barely outlasted Par. The bay son of Sun God II. and Miss Lillian, by Lucky Hour, from the stable of I. J. Collins, had done most of his best racing previously during the winter season in Florida by coming from behind, but under fine rating from Wayne Wright he confounded the experts. Permitted to set a pace that saw him run the opening quarter in :24, half mile in :48and and three-quarters in 1:12, Bernard F. was able to do the next quarter in :25, and while he required :13 for the final furlong it was sufficient to keep him in the lead, as Par could gain only gradually. Maecloud did right well until entering the stretch, where Par pulled away from her for his unsuccessful assault on Bernard F. But while the Tropical Special could muster only four starters, the fields for the other events were large enough to provide an excellent brand of racing for the close of Tropical Park. The Arkansas Derby at the Hot Springs course drew a field of eleven with a purse of ,000, but the class of the contestants was hardly up to the value of the event. Like Bernard F., the winner of this mile and a furlong affair led from start to finish, but Eastport, which sported the silks of Mrs. V. Wyse, drew away in the final furlong in contrast to the Tropical Special victor. Bernard F. missed the Tropical record of 1:50 by three-fifths of a second, but Eastport came within two-fifths of matching Oak-lawns mark for the distance. The gelded son of Swift and Sure, from Snowcapt, benefited from bumping Sir Midas in the stretch and from the tardiness of Zor in making his rush. The latter was in eighth position until reaching the stretch, closing very fast, but Eastports margin was unassailable. The prompt action of the Oaklawn stewards in suspending Raymond Hightshoe for thirty days for his part in the Derby bumping should be taken in all important events marred by rough riding. Roman Soldier has been assigned top weight of 126 pounds in the Dixie Handicap by Frank J. Bryan, but he will not be a starter in Pimlicos 0,000 affair for older horses over the mile and three-sixteenths route. Action may be the starting high weight under 123 pounds If Hirsch Jacobs can get him ready in time. The veteran son of Olambala and Violet Play was unable to stand training at Hialeah and was sent to Jamaica in advance of the major division of the Jacobs Stable to do his training over a track he fancied. If he has no mishaps, Action may be expected among the Dixie starters. W. J Hirsch may believe judge Bryan has jumped up Columbiana too sharply in assigning her 113 pounds, ten more than she carried to victory in the Widener Challenge Cup as he raised Finance only three pounds to 118. Columbiana defeated Finance by a length and a half. An excellent field should be forthcoming from among the forty-one eligibles to the historic Dixie, because most of the prominent candidates are quartered in Maryland or New York at the present time. However, such horses as Hollyrood and Roustabout, which are in Kentucky, will be shipped for the event if their form warrants it, Good Goods, principal hope of the Brookmeade Stable, has been training at Columbia, but is moving to Belmont Park, while Memory Book has been conditioning at Greentrees private track near Red Bank, N. J. Accolade, a Maryland-owned horse, is fresh from his winter campaign in California, and Dark Hope wintered at his owners farm a short distance from the Pimlico track. Good Gamble is another Maryland wintered horse, while Count Arthur, which ran fourth in the Widener, would come down from Belmont Park. The Pimlico management need have no fears about the .Dixie field being in Tteeping with the best traditions of the event
