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HIGH STRIKE BEING IGNORED Xenof ol Gelding May Prove Formidable Factor in 00,000 Race However Has Brilliant Record. ARCADIA, Calif., Nov. 24. While interest has been centered on all the top stake and handicap horses with national reputations in connection with the closing of the nominations for the 00,000 added Santa Anita Handicap just one week from today, theres a three-year-old California-bred gelding, High Strike, now at Santa Anita, which merits consideration on the remarkable racing record he established this past season. The fact that Bing Crosby owns, such outstanding Argentine challengers for the big race as Ligaroti and Comet II., in partnership with Lin Howard, has sort of put High Strike into the background. The Xenofol gelding won five of his six starts this year, including the Golden State Breeders Stakes at Hollywood and the La Guna Beach Handicap in open competition at Del Mar. High Strike was given a beneficial rest at Crosbys Santa Fe Ranch and trainer Albert Johnson is just starting to put him back in training. High Strike has shown evidence that he can go a distance and he looks like the foremost of the home-breds which will be eligible for the worlds richest race. Certainly High Strike ranks favorite right now for the California Championship, which will be run March 8. Bing Crosby has five others which will carry his own colors. All have been winners during the season, which is different from the early days when the popular radio and film star used to cop about only one race with his entire stable all season. His string will be High Strike, three-year-old; Rocco, three; Sweet Leilani, two; Scapose, two; Nisqualli, two, and Double Trouble, four. But Bing, with Lin Howard, son of the owner of Seabiscuit, will be putting his main reliance in Lagaroti, which has proved his mettle in fast company, and Comet II., which is being hailed as a coming wonder. Also, the Binglin Stable has a new band of runners imported from the Argentine which are liable to come along and win .recognition. That High Strike should not be overlooked j is the pretty well confirmed report that Louis B. Mayer made an offer of 5,000 for j the California-bred, which Bing turned down.
