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i - I THREE-YEAR-OLD PROSPECTS OF 1938 STAGEHAND Bay colt, by Sickle Stagecraft; owned by Maxwell Howard. Trained by E. H. Sande. By NORRIS ROYDEN . - I, Favorite for the Kentucky Derby and, with all his more prominent contemporaries also eligible to the Churchill Downs classic, therefore, the outstanding three-year-old prospect is Stagehand, practically an unknown colt until he began piling up one victory after another at Santa Anita Park this winter. Further attention was given the son of Sickle and Stagecraft, which Maxwell Howard, of Dayton, Ohio, purchased from Joseph E. Widener for ,500 when he was a green juvenile last spring, upon his triumph in the Santa Anita Derby, but the turf world was set back on its heels with the colts remarkable performance in nosing out Seabiscuit in the 00,000 handicap. Stagehand is being heralded as another Cavalcade because of. the manner in which he bears down during the final three furlongs of his race, the Brookmeade Stable star having won his three-year-old championship by the brilliance of his rushes in the late stages when his opponents are staggering from their earlier efforts. Colonel Howards now popular thoroughbred does his racing in just the same fashion as did Cavalcade, although the latter may have it on the son of Sickle in that he could display high speed early if asked for it. In scoring his remarkable victory in the Santa Anita Handicap, Stagehand had only 100 pounds on his back, but this impost was only six pounds under the three-year-old impost for March, and by the standard only Seabiscuit shouldered more weight, his burden being 130, or a pound over scale. Under such an arrangement, Stagehand ran the mile and one-quarter in the excellent time of 2:01, defeating all others in a notable field, save Seabiscuit, in very clean-cut fashion. That performance proved conclusively that Stagehand was a natural stayer as well as being possessed of- much class. He did not show much speed but he ran fast for the entire distance, and this is the sort of ability required to capture major events. Only his ability to carry weight is yet to be determined, but that he will have this quality seems an almost foregone conclusion. The Kentucky Derby, which is over the same distance as the Santa Anita Handicap, provides that all colts carry 126 pounds, and in the Santa Anita Derby, at a mile and a furlong, Stagehand had 118 pounds on his back along with the others of his age. In the run through the stretch, he ran the most powerfully of all, so his many admirers can expect him to do the same with eight additional pounds on the back of each horse. What is worrying Stagehands legion of supporters is his return to top form since slowing up on his training following the handicap victory. It is no easy task even for the most experienced and capable of trainers, but Earl Sande, whose record as a jockey needs no repeating, has the universal confidence reposed in him because of his excellent handling of the colt in preparation for his two fine triumphs this winter. Stagehands entire record can be recalled in a few words. He had never started when purchased, Colonel Howard buying him ,on the strength of what the colts brother, Sceneshifter, had shown and on the youngsters type, soundness and breeding. Stagehand did hot start until July, and he also performed at Saratoga and Belmont Park, eight times in all, without graduating, although he went against some medium-grade juveniles as well as some of the topnotchers. Moving to California, he finished well in a seven-furlong dash for three-year-old maidens to gain second honors a half-length back of Gipsy Minstrel. His next effort was at one mile, which he won, and every one of his four ensuing starts, the class of his opposition improving as he went along, and the distances increasing in his last two outings. He simply came to himself during the winter when given the opportunity to run over distances of a mile or more. Stagehand has the breeding to go along with a colt of his accomplishments. His brother, Sceneshifter, is a good colt of more speed but just failing to have enough class to-break into the top circle. Their sire, Sickle, the American champion in. 1936, has gotten many good horses in his comparatively brief tenure, including Brevity. Stagecraft, the dam is by Fair Play from a daughter of Sweep, a cross found in War Admirals pedigree, while the next dam was by Grey Leg. Out of this immediate family came the good cross-country horse, St. Francis, wliich Widener bred as he did Stagehand and Sceneshifter and their dam. f Cyllene..... 5 Bona Vista rPolymelus. 4 . , Arcadia .2 LMaid Marian Hampton S J I Quiver r i . r Sainfoin i Springfield " lBromus J Sanda Cheery... j St- simon 2 - . . Sunrise - -v f-SKSimon.. t Galopin St. Angela fChaucer ..........- S I Canterbury Pilgrim........ Tristan - -s Pilgrimage . Q .. . - YMinoru.... I Cyllene $ LSerenissima ; J Mother Siegcl J 2 LGondoIette . : Loved One J5 . i Dongola l f Spendthrift Australian S - J Aerolite rHasungs cinderella. . fBIue Ruin 02 m .u. J Manna f f Bend Or... I Doncaster I Fairy Gold...... -i " Rouge Rose S LDameMasham.. Galliard L J i Pauline 1 f Ben Brush :.... j Bramble f c . J Roseville WeCP Pink Domino J Domir.o L g J i Belle Rose - 2 . r Grey Leg 1 Pepper and Salt LTamansfmass X i Quetta LAmphoraria Amphion Spinningjenny fOr Tomahawk.
