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............t Here and There on the Turf War Admiral Tops Metropolitan Drop in Prestige Seen Kayak n., Johnstown Up Fighting Fox Feared 4 I War Admirals partiality for the Belmont Park course is brought out in the assignment of weights by John B. Campbell for the Metropolitan Handicap, as the five-year-old son of Man o War has been allotted top impost of 128 pounds. However, the Glen Riddle star isnt considered such a standout as he has been, as this burden is lighter than has been his custom to carry in handicaps, even though it equals the scale for a mile test in May. He was to have taken up 131 pounds in The Widener, at a mile and one-quarter, but was unable to fulfill his engagement, due to illness. Campbell was at Hialeah Park when War Admiral was preparing for the 0,000 event and thus had the opportunity to form a better opinion of the horses chances. Going strictly by the scale, War Admiral is rated only two pounds better than Kayak II., winner of the Santa Anita Handicap, which was assigned 119 poun,ds. A three-year-old in the Argentine would have to take up 121 pounds at one mile during May and that is the age of Kayak II. in his native country. Officially, a four-year-old in the United States, Kayak II. is getting eight pounds off, but the half years difference in his age must make a difference. Stagehand is treated four pounds less than War Admiral, as is Johnstown, best of the three-year-old eligibles with 108 pounds, while the weights on the other eligibles taper off. The Maxwell Howard colt is certain to be an absentee, but Johnstown may attempt to be the first of his age to win the historic event eince Laurano scored in 1924. The presence of War Admiral in the Metro- politan field may be reasonably expected, as his connections should find no fault with the weight arrangement. However, they may be dissatisfied with the manner in which the son of Man o War and Brushup prepares for the engagement, wishing him to be in the very best of condition for which the, cannot be blamed. It seems apparent War Admiral is not so easily brought up to his best form as he was as a three-year-old and it may be possible he is not as capable nor dependable as he was at that time. At any rate, the efficient Campbell is taking more liberties with War Admiral in the Metropolitan weights and the Riddle star only needs to be in his best form to add the Belmont Park feature to his imposing list of triumphs under 128 pounds. If not his usual sharp self, War Admiral may encounter more trouble than he can handle. Kayak II. appears to be a doubtful Metropolitan contestant, if for no other reason than he is still on the West Coast and Charles S. Howard apparently hasnt made up his mind about sending a division of his large stable to the East. The Santa Anita winner also is entered in the Dixie Handicap, the value of which is twice that of the Metropolitan, and he is more apt to start in the Pimlico stake than he is in the Belmont race. But without Stagehand and Kayak II. and even War Admiral, the Metropolitan field should be good, even though not up to the standard in many of the past runnings. The Metropolitan long has been considered an important spring test for older horses and still is, despite the wide expansion of the sport which has scattered good horses so greatly that first-class fields are difficult to muster. Some of the likely starters in the Metropolitan saw service during the winter in Florida and California, particularly Sir Damion, Jacola, Pasteurized, Thanksgiving and Heelfly, but plenty of opportunity may be forthcoming from horses like Fighting Fox, The Chief, He Did and Stormscud, which spent the winter in leisure. The Chief appeared invincible last summer in romping off with the Dwyer Stakes and Brooklyn Handicap, and if Earl Sande can bring him up to the same keen form he may prove equally troublesome. His impost of 117 pounds appears acceptable, as does the 118-pound assignment of Fighting Fox. William Woodwards colt was wasted last spring in being prepared for the Kentucky Derby, but he may come out as a four-year-old, if especially prepared for a race like the Metropolitan, in a manner suggesting great things. The mile distance should be just to his liking.
