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THREE-YEAR-OLD PROSPECTS OF 1937 AIRFLAME, bay colt, by Ariel Flamante; property of A. G. Vander-bilt. Remarkably fast horse but, according to competent judges, a sprinter at the best. He has been entered in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, but it will be surprising if h3 starts in either event, more likely will be sent for races at sprinting distances. By NORK1S ROYDEN l Beaten only once in seven starts is the two-year-old record of Airflame, most precocious of the better youngsters developed last season. The bay son of Ariel and Flamante, by Flamboyant, is fittingly one of the most prominent members of Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilts large stable, but whether he can make his mark in three-year-old racing may depend almost entirely on his ability to go a route. The writer will be surprised if Airflame develops into more than a milcr at best. Airflame began his campaigning on January 8, 1936, at Santa Anita Park, where he went through four starts over the three furlongs straight course without tasting defeat. Upon his second appearance under colors, the Vandcrbilt colt established a new worlds record of thirty-three seconds for the distance, and in his final outing at the Arcadia course he captured the Santa Anita Juvenile Championship Stakes. After a vacation of two and a half months, Airflame returned to competition at Belmont Park on Memorial Day In the Juvenile Stakes, in which he had to be content with fourth money, being led to the wire by Scintillator, Apogee and Billionaire. He was beaten for first money by slightly more than a length, and only after he had been in close quarters a good part of the race. He also had up a strange rider as his regular jockey had been injured in a previous race the same day. The Ariel colt made amends for thi3 defeat a few weeks later by takng the Tremont Stakes at Aqueduct, drawing away in the final furlong from a colt like Fairy Hill, while Fencing and Scintillator were others in his wake. He carried 117 pounds and ran the five furlongs in :59 to defeat Fairy Hill, which had up 112 pounds, by half a length. Fairy Hill went on to win the Santa Anita Derby. Airflame completed his juvenile campaign by easily stepping away with the Mayflower Stakes at Suffolk Downs, where he ran five furlongs in :59 under 123 pounds to score by three lengths over Rockwood, Yodel, Maedic and others. He gave a dozen pounds each to these advetsaries, and at that time Maedic hadnt begun to develop the form he displayed at Saratoga. Failure to train in satisfactory fashion prevented Airflame from racing again last season, but reports from Sagamore Farm in Maryland are to the effect that he has benefited greatly from his long absence from hard training, and that he stands an excellent chance of being ready for his early engagements, which include the Kentucky Derby, this spring. While doing all his winning during the first half of last season, Airflame was slightly below average in size. He was a well-made colt, however, and possessed of very smooth action. One of his best assets was his ability to settle down to running so quickly after the start. Airflame very likely got his high flight of speed from his sire, Ariel, a son of Eternal and Adana, by Adam, which won the Saratoga Special and other races for the powerful Rancocas Stable. Ariel has yet to produce a stayer of quality in the few crops he has sent to the races, his best representatives in this respect being Maeriel and Ariel Cross: Through his dam, Flamante, which has also produced a stakes winner In Sablin, Ariel gets the blood of Tracery, St Simon, Sundridge and Bend Or, which could help him extend his speed over a distance of ground. Ben Brush 5 Bramble Roseville Pink Domino Domino Belle Rose . , , fSempronius J Wisdom Hazel Burke.. ...J Hamptonia LRetainedll Hanover Recaire v - C 5 1 fFlying Fox e Adam Vampire lAmie.... 1 Clamart I Alice rHimyar..... 5 A3"" " Manme Himyar J Ilira S l.Mannie Gray Enquirer 2 Lizzie G. E f Rock Sand Sainfoin B . 1 -Tracery H Roquebrune 0e 3 LTopiary J Plaisanlene J I fSt. Simon i Galopin . LSimonath .....- St. Angela c LPhilomath Phillamon - g Chrysalis rSundridge.... 5 Amphion rSunstar - ?"" ? LDoris..... Loved One L -g J Lauretta C I f Bend Or Doncaster Liberia . Rouge Rose LTiber . St. Angelo I Pampeluna
